Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-24


New York Central Is 7240O0,000. The
New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad Co. has this same mileage
and they want to put us on the same
basis with them. The Bangor &
Aroostook Railroad remember carried
1885,, 600 passengers one mile and the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
7S8. Az 900 and they want to put us on
the same basis with them.
Let us take some more figures for
that same year. The passenger earn
ings per mile of road for the Bangor &
Aroostook Railroad Company were
1927. For the Boston & Maine Railroad
it was $780, For the New York Cen
trail, $66S4 as compared with $S27. For
the New York, New Haven & Hartford
1t was $1O,907 as compared with 1921
And they. want to put US upon a level
the same basis as that road. Let us
take some more figures-sometimes
figures talk. Passengers carried per
mile of road, that is for every mile of
our road, we carried SOL passengers;
the Boston & Maine carried only IL, 76l
passengers; 69l as compared with 49,
761. Why. don't these figures make an
argument better than l can?
Now, gentlemen. ] say / simply ask
you to do what you believe to be right.
l ask you to remember that the result
Of your legislation we and the people
of Aroostook county must bear. Asser-
ton is not argument. it is no use to as
sert here that our passenger earnings
would increase. Why. if assertion
would prove anything you could prove
hat /, hos ,lr p,t, 4
horse. by simply asserting it. That is
not argument. And I wish you to re-
member that the responsibility for this
legislation must fall upon us.
There was an old law in the consti-
tuition of Athens that if measure was
proposed and the people voted upon
and opposed it that the proposer of it
| might be cited before the people and
tried and condemned, If the law was
found to be against the interests of the
people. We are glad that that law is
not in force here, today, and l say it
in no spirit of unfairness either. sim
ply ask the members of this Legisla-
ture to take care of us and be as sure
of performing their duties as though
that law We're in force.
Mr. Chaplin was followed by George
d. Bisbee of the Portland & Rumford
Falls Railroad. He said the petition
ers have not made out any case and
ought to be non-suited. They do not
state any grievances: they merely ask
what is unjust and unreasonable and
what the Legislature should not grant.
o II n
under the provision of the general law
under which it was organized Some
Western Legislatures have taken the
control of the railroads from the hands
of the directors and most of those lines
are now in the hands of receivers
Maine should take the warning. This
road has done much for a large section
of Maine, and cannot afford lower
passenger rate than it now gives 1t
is not just to expect it to do what large
and rich roads can do. but this law
would treat all roads alike.
George Curran of Calais, spoke next
in the interests of the new Washing
ton County Railroad. He was brief but
convincing in his argument that this
company could not stand the proposed
low rates. Horace knOwlton of Port
land followed briefly. holding that it is
not the province of the State to try to
a number of remonstrances against the
proposed law, from commercial men,
Portland business firms and from
many of those who had previously
signed the petitions under a misapre-
hension. The next speaker was
Clarence Hale of Portland who occu-
pied half an hour in behalf of the
Grand Trunk Railroad. He pleaded for
fairness from the State. This road has
done much for Maine, especially in
opening the winter port of Portland
He presented an array of figures show
ing the feeble condition of this road 1t
does its Maine passenger business at a
steady loss. The State should not in
terfere to injure this road
Hon. r. L. Timberlake followed on
behalf Of the Phillips & Range:ev.
Franklin e McSantic. and Sandy River
lines. These roads arc short and tie
companies are poor. To compel them
TO assure q two-cent mileage would be
to seriously cripple them, and prevent
proposed extension and consolidation,
The last speech in opposition to the
bill was made by Ex-Governor Henry
q. Cleaves. 1t was mastery sum-
ming up of the case of the railroads,
and was closely followed by the dense
crowd during the hour occupied in it's
delivery.
Governor Cieaves spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committees:
| approach the determination of this
question fully approaching its magnitude;
that rests upon the committee of the
Legislature, charged with the euty of
nearing and investigating these mpor-
tant questions, for 1t is your purpose and
desire to investigate them fairly and i'm
partially and reach result which will
accord with the principles of justice and
right; with that l will be content / al
WAYS have and I have now confidence
IN the Legislative branch of this govern