The Portland daily press., 1899-02-09
Miles in Rate per
MaiDe. Mile.

CANADIAN BaclHc, lFB 40 LA.
Grand Trunk, s9.37 I.g9S
Maine Central, CAS- 80 2.233
Portland and Rochester, 5i.9s 289s
Portland and Rumford
Falls, 62b4 aZ51
just what the effect OF two-csnt rato
on the finances of the roads would be
cannot Of course be determined from
these figures which are made up from
the receipts of all kinds Of tickets, but
the advocates OF the law will argue that
the reduction would not be so great as
to endsngsr the prosperity of the roads.
OF the roads named, the Boston and
Maine ia now selling mileage books At two
cants a mile, and these books are trans
ferable. The Portland and Rochester sells
b00.mile transferable book at rats
OF two cents and half a mile. The
Canadian Pacific sells 500 mile books at
two cents, good for the use of sbe person
to whom one Is SOLD and members of has
family. The discussion will not be based
entirely on figures, however. What is
claimed to be the injustice Of the present
system may also be urged. In the talk
heard here, 1t Is declared that the present
system Is one which enables she rich man
to ride at two cents while his poorer fell
low citizens pay from three to five. This
is said to be especially true In Aroostook
county. There the local rates are high.
The people who have money and who
travel good deal buy books on the Ban
gor and Aroostook, there being often
book for every member Of the family.
thus when they go TO Bangor to attend
the Musical Festival or farther atleld to
listen 10 grand opera in Boston or New
York they travel at . rate less than half
that paid by the laboriDg man on his
ipfrequent trips. 1t Is claimed that the
figures quoted above show this to be
true, the average price of tickets on each
of the seven roads being less than three
cents, while the man who travels on the
ordinary ticket pays three, four and
perhaps FIVE cents a mile. The advocates
Of the law are preparing also to go into
the relations of the Maine Central and
the Boston and Maine. The effect of
the law on the present traffic arrange
ment between the two roads is one Of the
things under discussion. Before the
Eastern railroad became a part of tbs
Boston and Maine. it bad an arrange
ment under which it gave a rebate to the
Maine Central ON through tickets and
such an arrangement it still in force il
the advocates Of the law rightly under.
stand the situation. For instance they
say, the Maine Central sells throIgE
ticket from Augusta to Boston for q
The fare from Augusta to Portland il
leo ha Mai al
for carrying passenger to Portland ON a
through ticket as under the traffic ar
rangsment the Boston and Names share
OF tue fare Is only 81 so. The advocates
OF the bill have gone into this feature o.
the case to meet the argument, should Ii
te raised, that the general adoption OF tha
use of mileage books on the Maine Cen
tral would result In loss of revenue &c
the Maine road by cutting off the re
ceipts under the traffic arrangement
I They say that as the Boston and Maine
now owns the Maine Central, if 1t is do
, sirable to divert earnings from one part
Of the system TO another, there will be M
t difficulty in making some such arrange
inent under the new law.
Naturally the discussion of the ques
tio will bring to notice The customs o
5 other states and more particularly thos
OF New England. The Massachusetts, Law
| on the subject is that embodied in tn,
bill presented by MIR. Gardiner. 1t pro
: vides two-cent rate, but gives the rail-
e road commits sioners authority to ex
e,upt roads from its operation. The pro
e posal to give the same power to tn,
: Maine commissioners was not received
, with favor by many members and the
\ fact that Railroad Commissioner Chad
g bourne ut the farmers meeting last night
: openly opposed the movement on the
: ground that Maine roads could not
afford to make the reductions 1t would
Q necsssitats without corresp anding In
crease in freight rates, has not lessened
the opposition. In New Hampshire the
:. roads arc nearly all contr oiled by the
: Boston and Maine which already ha:
q the transfer books. The Vermont law,
= which is like MIR. webb's bill, was passed
+ last fall
q The railroads will base their argument
as the case is now understood, largely on
!. financial considerations. IL will be
a urged that the present managements oi
o the Maine lines are engaged in building
3 up the property, that the conditions In
Maine are not the same ss in the more
q thickly settled parts Of New England
t and that the time has not come to make
! the reductions in receipts which woui
n follow the passage of the law. Meanwhile
o the petitions are coming in by the score
q in favor of the law. Over 50 were pre-
Q sented today The contest promises to bt
II the event of the session. 1t is already
j. the great topic OF conversation.
70 COMMENCING SENATOR FRYE.
}. 1t was Senator Fryes turn to be com
+, .randed today. The resolution was pre-