Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-04-04
SUNDAY NEWSPAPER PRIVILEGES.
soslon Journal Wants ihs Same in Maine Is
Have Other Sunday Newspapers.

Iuesday forenoon, the time set for the
hearing before the Maine railroad commits
'ioners on the petition of the Boston jour
nal, found Manager OMeara of the Jour
nal and the Journals counsel, Hon. 0. d.
Baker, present and in readiness.
By reason of some misunderstanding il
was thought that sufficient notice had not
been given the other parties interested.
While it was decided to adjourn the hearing,
In order to not again require the attendance
of Mr.. O'Meara, he was heard by the COM
missioners.
The petition of the Journal is brief, that
its Sunday edition be allowed upon the
Maine Central's Sunday newspaper train
as they are upon other New England roads
The plaintiff showed that he had been at.
tempting to bring about this change for
several months, that he, Mr.. O'Meara, had
written the Maine Central management and
after some considerable time got definite
reply.
He showed that the Massachusetts, COM
missioners had recommended that all roads
take the other Boston Sunday newspapers
on the trains with which they carried the
Heralds and Globes; that when the Jour-
nal had run special train to Portland and
Bangor its train was ahead of the Herald
and Globe trains, but that when the Jour
nal was taken to Portland on the same train
with the Herald and Globe the Journal
train over the Maine Central was sent out
- minutes behind the other train; that this
delay was discrimination against the
Journal, also that having to hire special
train to Bangor was discrimination against
the Journal as regards expense, the Jour-
nal paying SIS for such train, while the
Herald and Globe divide the cost of SIS
for their train. 1t was stated that the man.
agement of the Globe had assured the
Journal that they had no objection to the
Journal going ON the same train, although
it had been represented to the Maine Cen
trail that both Herald and Globe hid OBJ
jected. IL was contended that the news
papers were carried as freight by the rail
road, which also carried passen-
gers and baggage on the same
train; that the case adjusted by
the Massachusetts, commissioners was par
allel to the one in Maine. 1t was also
argued that one train could carry all the
papers, and that the multiplication of trains
on Sunday running so near together was
not conducive to public welfare and in
creased the labor of the railroad employees
upon the Sabbath.
The opinion of the Massachusetts, board
was read and Mr.. Baker cited from the
Matte Statutes. He paid especial attention
to sec. l29, chap. 81. This section pro-
vides that railroads shall receive, forward
AMI deliver to other railroads all passen
gers, freight and merchandise without dis
elimination, also with equal facilities
and despatch. This Mr.. Baker
thought covered the case and
when questioned by one of the commits
sioners as to the other provisions of the
statute, he gave as his opinion that what
came after was in the nature of additional |
proof and did not restrict what preceded. |
Mr.. Baker thought that even if there were
no statutes the common law would afford
the desired relief.
The hearing was adjourned to 10 A. NJ,
Fiilay.
The commissioners left yesterday for
Houlton where they will give hearing
Wednesday afternoon on railroad cross
ings.