The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-23

concern with 500, 900 surplus could make
concession, but there must Be q new
ssation as b runswick 10 cose over ~, 600.
New rails have been contracted for 10 the
extent Of e6o, 600 and I've new Iooomotives
will cost owes go. 900 more. A steel
bridge necessary on the Knox and Lin
coin branch win cost from e3o. 900 10 So
600. The road must pay 5000 month
under the requirements Of the Intsrstate
Commission TO equip cars with air
brakes. The concsssion asked for would
cost 10000 month. How is the money
10 be made upi IL must be from pAssen-
ger or freight earnings. Some time ago,
| in order to avert great catastrophe to
the property, IL was necessary to cut the
wngss Of our employees ten per cant. That
has since been restored. made up my
mind soon after the cut WAS made that 1
would never vote for another. So II the
lossss undsr the change In tickets II made
cannot be met from passenger earnings
they must ..oome from freight.
2 President Wilson said that the road
would give mileage books good for man
and wife II the 1egislature passsd bill
such As that proposed by Mr.. Garter. He
would agree that the road would do this
but shouid not want q bill passed re-
quiring IT.
Mr.. Wilson was subjected to long
cross-examination BY Judge Foster whose
questions were designed to show that the
tax rate OF the Maine Central Is about
one half Of ons per cent on It's invest
ments, that freight rates had recently
been raised and that the road was now
carrying passengers at rate of cent Q
mile between Bangor and Oidtown where
there is competing electric road. Judge
Foster also went into the pass business
and pressed Mr. Wilson to tell him how
many passes were issued last year by
the Main5 Central.
Mr.. Wilson said no did not know, but
he would furnish the information to n
subcommittee. The number Of passes
had greatly decreased since the pssssgs
! Of the interstate law.
81 ask you the question:" said Judge
| Foster, who pressed MIR. Wilson for an
answer.
MIR. Wilson repeated his proposition to
give the Information to a sub committee.
Judge Foster asked a number OF ques-
lions about the concession the road
would make. lyon want law to pre-.
vent people from selling mileage books, !"
he declared. 'but you do not want put
into the statute the concession you are
willipg to make"
| "How much do you pay attorneys, y
was the question In the spirited cross
examination.
~ do not. know, but can say..we never
paid an attorney dollar he did not
earn"
II guess that's So" was the retort.
Mr.. Wilson said Maine Central stock
sold at las.
~ wish 1 had some" was the reply.
Perhaps l might have, had l not en-
aged In this side OF the case. (Laugh-
teri
"We don't peddle out stock that way, F"
replied Mir. Wilson.
Hon. Hiram Knowltou, representing
Portland merchants called on Major
Sidney W. Thaxter, who opposed the bill
on the ground that 1t would disturb
freight rates which are now satisfactory
and arranged on a basis which tends TO
build up Maine industry.
The hearing was then adjourned to ]. 80
tomorrow The hearing was the liveliest
Of the session and the comments and
questions of the petitioners attorney
kept the audience laughing, despite the
chairman's attempt to maintain order.
The second district members advised
Gov. Powers today to call the congres
sional convention for the third Monday
In June. and that date will probably be
selected.
Both the Windham and Wells division
cases were referred to the next legisla-
ture by the committee on towns today
as the required notice had not been
given. The Windham division wnf
ready to present their case and had
retained Hon. A. NJ. Spear for counsel
when the point was made.