Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-22
ELECTRIC sAalaoADr mAsxA1es
Meet al Lewiston -Jhsy vsts 10 Keep IhsiI
Doings issm The Press.

Lewiston, Me-, NOV. 2l.-(SpeciaD, -
It Is said, and 1t is probably true. that
the meeting of the street railway mag
mates. in this city, Saturday, was for
the purpose Of forming gigantic syn
dictate, looking to the control of all
electric street railways In Maine. Hon.
l. c. Libby. A. F. Gerald, Edward
Lawrence. Mr.. Totman and others,
from all lover the State, and repre-
senting every street railway company
in the State, together with the officers
Of several banks Of this city, met in
the directors room of the Merchants
and Mechanics bank on Lisbon street.
two sessions during the day.
When the gentlemen finished the
business of the day, Hon. 1. c. Libby
that the gentlemen had sworn them
selves to secrecy, and that there was
nothing to be given to the press at
this time. Subsequently the Journal
representative. while on the train from
Lewiston to Brunswick, overheard a
remark passed by one of the gentlemen
that led the reporter to believe that the
action of the convention, that day, was
of interest to the Maine Central Rail-
road, for the remark was to the effect
that the gentleman hoped the Maine
Central will not hear of it." 1t is
known that for some time a movement
has been stirring looking to the con-
solidation of all street railroads IN
Maine and, last evening, when the
Journal asked A. F. Gerald the now
famous railroad protector, if the meet
ing that day was not for the purpose
| indicated above, his answer was eva
sive. The following conversation.
short though it was, may be of inter-
est:
Reporter: What did you do at the
meeting. today?"
Mr.. Gerald: Il am awfully sorry,
but We have voted to keep the matter
from the press. l told the gentlemen
that you would get hold of it someway.
and we might as well let it out, but
they passed a vote not to do So"
Reporter: Then l must conclude
that you have formed syndicate for
the purpose of controlling the electric
railways of the State"
Mr. Gerald: Il can't tell you a sin
gle thing about it. l wish l could, blu.
l certainly cannot"
The air of mystery which surrounds
the whole affair and the fact that at
least one man don't want the Maine
Central to know about it, naturally
leads one into channel of thought
from which arises the spectre of the
scheme evolved by the Journal several
years ago. in which Mr.. Gerald figured
DC adN tvncy onyNtt inn linz .>f
electric road from seaboard inland
parallel with the Maine Central A,
that time Mr.. Gerald told the writer
that it was not impossible for the near
future TO give a continuous electric
railway from Boston, along the coast
via the Revere Beach road, thus on to
Portsmouth, N. H., where is the south
ern terminus of the latest road built
by Messrs Gerald & Libby All one
has to do is to guess at how long it
will take and how much4it will cost
to build the necessary connecting links
to Portland. to Brunswick. to Gardiner.
to Watervillle, to Skowhe gan, and
there will be then continuous line
from Boston to Madison. Me. There
are those who believe this has been
the ambition of Mr.. Gerald's life and
that he will push it, if he starts it, all
who know him best, feel assured.
1t will be seen that the connecting
links are not for very great distances.
Again, the control of the Lewiston and
Auburn Electric Road by Messrs Ger
aid & Libby. and the proposed extern
sion of the same to Bath, running par
allel with the Maine Central, almost,
and the proposed line from Lewiston
through Sabattus to Monmouth and
Winthrop. gives evidence of an inten-
ton on the part of somebody to build
network of electric roads in Maine that
will come in direct competition with
the Maine Central.