The Portland daily press., 1893-01-16
Another Measure Relating to Rail-
road Fares.
BOARD OF HEALTH BILL BASED
ON WISCONSIN LAW.
Kittery Point People Wish to Avoid Toll
Bridges-The Immediate Reason for
the New Health Bi1l-SouIs of staff
Officers Made Happy.
Especial to the Press.l

Especial to the Press
AUGUSTA. Janury 15.-One measure
relating to railroad fares is before the
legislature and another is coming. A
bill was introduced by Mr.. Little1eld Of
Poland the other day, providing that the
roads of the state should Issue mileage
tickets good for 1000 miles Of travel at
two cents mile and be accepted ON any
road in the state except such lines as the
railroad commissioners might exempt.
This proposed law is similar to or,e re-
Gently passed in Massachusetts, and
which the roads of that state have
brought before the courts, claiming that
1t is unconstitutional. In practical OPP
GRAFTON, such law would mean, Of
course, that man who purchased such
ticket Of the Maine Central, for in
stance, could travel on it anywhere in
Maine, the conductors ON the different
roads over which the passengers passed,
tearing number of stubs from the mile
age book to correspond with the num-
Der of miles travelled. The stub held
by the other roads would be redeemed
by the Maine Central, and tho other
lin would, of course, pay the Maine
Central for portions of their tickets held
by it, The right to exempt roads from
the operat. on of the bill accorded to the
railroad commissioners is evidently In
tended for the relief OF small roads
which could not afford to make a two
cent rate. 1t is not now apparent
how strong sentiment there Is in favor
of this bill, but it is safe to say IL Will
encounter vigorous opposition
The n easure relating to railroad fares,
which will, it is said, soon make It's APP
pearance, concerns only one road 1t Is
the case of the York Harbor & Beach
line which has been in Legislative halls
before This road, while distinct cor
poration, is branch Of the boston 8
Maine, and runs from K ttery to York
Beach. The people Of Kittery Point
say that it's charges for hauling passen-
gers are excessive, being at the rate of
10 cents a mile. for through travel a d
six cents for local traffic. The Kfttery
Point people who, like all the inhabitants
of that section of southern Maine natu-
rally do their trading in the city of Ports
mouth, N. Fl. They might save railroad
fares by driving the short distance to the
neighboring city, but on the way there
are two toll bridges, one between Klttsry
and Kittery point, and the other between
Kittery and Portsmouth The case OF
the Kittery Point people, as expressed
by gentleman from that town the ether
day, is this: "Kittery Point people are
charged 80 cents in railroad fares or 80
cents in tolls to get four miles to market
with a bushel of potatoes, and ara Conn
ing to the legislature for relief,' They
will attempt to have the railroad fares
lowered and the toll bridges abolished
The Board of Health's bill, which was
described in today's PRESS Is largely
based on the law of the State Of Wis
consin. Laws similar in scope and method
have been in successful operation In q
number of other states. This Maine bill
was drawn by Secretary Young of tho
Board of Health who, while basing it on
the Wisconsin ststute, made such
changes as seemed to him necessary and
desirable Then the full board took the
law and went over it section by section,
carefully considering all its features.
The threatened invasion Of cholera Ia
the immediate reason for the introduce
ton of the bill, but the measure is in
reality aimed at cholera no N ore than at
any other dangerous disease.
Commissioning Staff
The commissions of the staff of the
Commander-in-Ch Chief were sent last week
to the men who will wear the gorgeous
uniforms of the Governors military fam
ily. The commissions are handsomely
printed on heavy paper and are all alike
with the axcentiOn of names and titles.