Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-08
Maine Railroads.

An abstract of the report of the rail
road commission of this State for the
past year will be found in another
column. 1t is brief but sufficient %
convey the fact, that the condition OF
the railroads in Maine. also the condi-
tons. of business generally which the
railroads reflect, are surprisingly graft
flying under the circumstances. Al
though there has been noticeable de-
crease in the passenger earnings there
has been more than corresponding in
crease in the freight proceeds. THIS
June so, 1897 before the better times
had really begun. a fair deduction
from this showing seems to he tina;
Notwithstanding the depression in bust
ness throughout the country the vol
ume in this State was increasing to a
marked degree.
The falling off in passenger earnings
may have been and to quite an extent
probably was due to a sense of neces-
sity for personal economy on the pait
of the people generally. We know how
the cautious are disposed to be more
although they personally may not ne
suffering therefrom. But the expansion
of business went forward. There was
more of it being done in the State of
Maine for the year ending with last
June than during the previous year.
New railroad lines We're developitpg
new business. The industrial enter
prises already established may have
been feeling the stringency but the flu
ture this State holds out to the capital
list had not been overlooked was being
exploited in fact. Investments mad
been turned from the Western chan
nels to home enterprise This vieN
certainly is suggested by the report. 1t
is noticeable that long hauls Of freight
helped swell the aggregate. The Ban
gor & Aroostook road was. reapin9
where it had soWn and other new lines
We're doing likewise to greater or less
degree.
Another gratifying feature is the
small number Of casualties as com
pared with the averages for the rail
roads ofe-the country. The equipment
of the roads is shown to be excellent
and well maintained. The narrow
gauge roads have been doing well and
the street railways have steadily IN
creased their business. All in all, the
facts which the railroad commission
has compiled within the pages of this
report are of a very encouraging ma
ture. The people of Maine have rea~
son to be proud of the showing there
made.
A word as to the work of the COM
mission is also suggested as one LOOKS
over the carefully prepared tables ana
faithful compilations. Last year Sec
IeldlH l. di iliSLoil VI b'C ''N"' -
ceived many letters from statistlclans
and those interested in railroads com
p]imenting the report for 1896. The
critics did not hesitate to say it was
the best ever issued from this state
and some declared it to be the most
comprehensive compiled by any state
board in the country. The present re-
port is an Improvement in some re-
spects on the previous one. 1t is hand
somely illustrated. Those half tones
tell story TO the person residing out Of
the State, which it is impossible 70
convey in written words. There are
fine views of some of the solid and
modern construction of culVertS ana
road beds. There are other views that
for splendor of scenery are unsul
passed. There is one of Rumford Falls
as it is today, a bustling town with
city ambitions. substantial structures
and industry on every hand, where less
than a decade ago was nothing more
than a wilderness of boulders. The
more copies of this report that are CIR
culated broadcast among those who
will read them the more of good ad-
yertising does the business future Of
Maine receive.
Mr.. ]. McLeavy Brown. the British
customs agent for Corea still holds the
fort and the attempts of the Russian
agent to dislodge him have proved