The Portland daily press., 1897-11-05
TURNED DOWN.
Ihe Railroad Commissioners Sit ON the
oxford County Railroad.

for So Doing.
On the petition of the Oxford County
railroad for location of a line of road
from bryant's Pond to Rumford Falls
ana branch into Andover, the board OF
railroad commissioners have rendered the
| following opinion:
NOTICE upon the foregoing petition
having been given as ordered the hoard
met at the time and place named in said
order. - 7A-''
Mr.. Charles E. Littleneld. Mr. 1amas
>. Wright, aud Mr.. A. E. Stearns an
peared for the petitioners.
| Mr. Henry Is. Cleaves and Mr.. George
y. 6isbee appeared for the Portland and
Sumiord Falls railway, and for the
humford Falls and Rangeley Lakes rail-
road, and for certain citizens who opposed
| the location.
Petitions from several towns in Oxford
county, signed by over one thousand
| cltizens, state that public convenience re-
| cures the building of the proposed rail-
| road Nearly as many other citizens from
| towns IN Oxford county have remon-
serated against the proposed road, and
state that tho railroad facilities afforded
py the Portland and Rumford Falls rail-
way are ample to transact ali the bust
ness OF the section Of country around
Rumford Falls.
Fetltions for railroad on the ground
OF public convenience are of very little
vaIue, when as many other citizens of
equal intelligence and Judgment in the
same Ing county, demonstrate against it.
1ney are especially uncertain and I'M
satisfactory, when, as In this case, certain
persons sign both petition and remon-
seranoe, and then come before the COM
inlssloners and endeavor to explain their
Inconsistency. These petitions generally
express no facts, but simply the opinions
ana desires of the petitioners; and when
the names OF several are found both upon
petltlon and remonstrance we do not feel
9na5 either petition or remonstrance can
nave much weight as evidence, and we
must seek it from other sources. We will
nrst, however, consider the many OBJ
!ec5lons which are urged against the
location OF proposed road. First, that the
proposed line runs along certain high
ways Second, that the line runs through
certain dwelling houses, and in one case,
| through the corner of a cemetery These
maGters, however can be easily arranged
and are controlled by statute
Another and more serious objection Is
to dangerous grade crossing with the
Portland and Rumford Falls railway. If
we can save human life or prevent injury
to persons or property, by refusing grade
crossings which would be obviously
dangerous, we feel that 1t is our duty to
do 1t; but as the location Of an overhead
crossing might be finally obtained, or
such safeguards ordered as would reduce
the danger to minimum, we should not
refuse the location for this reason alone.
| Another, and we fear fatal objection
raised to the location, is this: The
| articles of the association describe line
of railroad from Bryant's Pond to Rum
| ford Falls, through certain towns named,
with branch to Andover. The length
n ia nod fa tofn
be- at thirty miles, with capital stock
| of $3.50, 900. The proposed line now ap-
pears to be thirtythree and six-tenths
miles in length, as stated by the engineer,
and by the papers on file in the CASE We
have no DOUBT that we may approve line
thirty four miles in length, although
stated las nearly rs may be- at thirty
miles, II it has the capital stock required
by statute; but the more serious question
| which confronts US is whether we can an
prove lire more than thirty miles in
length unless the capital stock, in
| language of the statute Sis at least six
thousand dollars per mile" If we can
we not approve an excess of forty miles?
Perhaps the capital stock may be in
| creased, under the statute. but it has not
| been done; and the conol usion to which
we have arrived upon the question of
public convenience, renders it unnecessary
| To u6U6TIu1Q0 VQe OUu0T QUESTION.
| A large number of citizens of severa.
towns in Oxford county testified before
the board. Some gave reasons why public
convenience requires the building Of the
proposed road, and some gave reasons
why in their Judgment the location
should not be allowed.
| All of the reasons given have some
weight and have been given due consider
alton by the board; but having taken two
days in examination Of the proposed route
we gained a very strong impression in
relation to the matter under considera-
ton. We Ef1nd that the whole valuation
Of the towns and plantations through
which the proposed road would 1un, ex-
| cepting those towns situated on the line
of the Grand Trunk Railroad and Port
land and Rumford Falls railroad. is
about three hundred and fifty Thousand
dollars; while the estimated cost of the
proposed railroad, with equipments, is
two hundred Thousand dollars more than
that, or about five hundred and fifty
thousand dollars.
| While the proposed road might be con-
venient for the citizens Of these towns,
and especially for the town of Andoyer,
it is certainly not such a public con-
venience as requires the building of it
and we must look further to ascertain If
there Is any additional public convenience
| to be subserved; and we are forced to the
|
there is for the proposed railroad come
from the village of Rumford Falls and
vicinity.
Representation is made on behalf of
certain industries at Rumford Falls that
competing line Of railroad is necessary
in order to secure lower rates for freight;
that the Portland and Rumford Falls
railway has Disseminated in freight rates
against the Rumford Falls Industries, in
| favor of certain industries at Otis Falls,
| On the new branch of the Portland and
Rumford Fall railway; that while the
rate has been seven cents per hundred
pounds from Rumford Falls to Portland
it has been only five cents per hundred
pounds from Otis Falls to Portland, over
practically the same distance.
| The Portland and Rumford Falls rail-
| way replies, and admits this discrimina.
tion in rates to Portland, but says that
Rumford Falls is billing point 10 and
from the west, and that Otis Falls is NOT.
and that while Rumford Falls parties
| have been paying two cents per hundred
| in excess of Otis Falls rates into Port
land, the conditions are such that Otis
Falls parties have been at the same time
paying two cents per hundred In excess of
p,,v,, rrd T,1 lsr Va