Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-19
Gum berland Mills, Portland TO Yarmouth

Cumberland Mills, Portland to yarmouth
and Gardiner to Augusta.
The rolling stock, especially that use,
on the main lines, is first class in ever,
respect. Two new locomotives have beef
added during the year and three old loco
motives have been replaced with new
ones. Fifteen new vestibuled passenger
cars, six caboose and six hundred plat
form cars have also been added to tn,
equipment.
The Canadian Pacific shows generally
| healthy condition
The road bed and track of the mair
line across the State is kept in good con
dition. The steel is but few years old
and wears well. The track is kept in
good line and surface; considerable bal
last has been put in during the year, and
about 80, 600 ties have been laid. TIL:
| company are renewing the ties through
out the line. The iron bridges on thi,
line are first-class structures The rolling
stock of this company is first class and
kept in good repair.
Among the other roads which show
good reports, are the Grand Trunk, Port
land & Rochester, Portland q Rumford
Falls, st, Crox & Penobscot. Sebssticook
g. Moosehead, Somerset, York Harbor &
Beach, Lime Rock, and Georges Valley
Of narrow guage roads, there are now
in the State, eight railroads with the
guage two feet wide, varying in length
from five miles to forty six, and having q
total mileage on November 80, 1895, OF
one hundred and forty eight miles
There is also one railroad which has q
long and is used exclusively for freight
The following are the narrow guage
roads reported: Brldgton & Saco River
franklin & Megantic and kingfeld &
Dead River r. r.; Kennebec Central
M onson; Phillips & Rangelcy; Rockport
Sandy River.
Street Railroads.
The street railroads Of the State have
practically become electric railroads
While horses are still used upon a small
part of the Portland railroad this will
soon be changed to electricity, leaving
the Fryeburg railroad the only one in
the State using horses as the motive
power. These railroads are all of the
standard guage of four feet eight and one
half inches between rails There has
been much improvement in the manner
of construction and In the equipment
and at the same time great reduction in
the cost Of all electrical appliances during
the past few years. These railroads are
used to some extent in carrying freight
as we'll as passengers.
While electricity is obviously the better
motive power for passenger traffic over
street railways in cities and villages. 1t
has not yet been demonstrated that it can
compete with steam in hauling heavy
freight or passenger trains over long dis
tapces Whether it will be held in the
future that the movement of freight cars
or trains over electric lines located in
public highways is no additional servi-
tude upon such ways may be questioned.
1t is predicted, however, by eminent
experts, that within the next few years
the development Of the power and Uses of
electricity will be very great. If this be
so, the time may very soon come when
electricity will take the place of steam
upon the entire railroad system OF the
country.
OF the Augusta, Hallowell & Gardiner
Electric K. r., the report states: 1.-THE
road bed and track are in very fair condi
ton. About twenty one hundred new ties
have been laid and some five hundred
cubic yards of ballast have been put under
the track; three hundred feet Of girder
rail has been laid in place Of the CT
rail, at the North end Of Water street in
Augusta; eight hundred feet of track
have been relaid two miles of the trolley
line ha, been rebuilt, new and larger poles
ltiUk ustu O''h
strengthened; all Of the cars have beer
repaired and painted, five being supplied
with new and improved electric equip
ments, and system of improvements
commenced, which we are assured is to
be continued until the whole railroad is
in first class condition.
The other street railways reported
upon, are the Rockport; Sandy River,
Bangor; Bath; Biddeford & Saco: Calais
Fryeburg Lewiston & Auburn; Mousam
River; Portland; Rockland, Thomsston
& Camden, and the Skowhegan Nor
rid9ewock.
The special reports made by the board
of commissioners upon the accidents
which occurred at Falmouth, on the
Grand Trunk Railway, Jan. II. 1895; on
the Maine Central at Veszie, Apr. 2,
1895: and on the same road at South
Brewer, Apr. 20, 1895, are given at length.
The report OF the commissioners covers
600 pages SS1 being wholly devoted Ia
the statistical returns, covering the his
tory, organization and financial condition
of the railroads doing business in the
State
The report, ss q whole shows that the
railroads are in most satisfactory condi-