The Portland daily press., 1901-01-23


mile. under the same conditions was
1.1s1, reduction In that time Of i.1es,
nearly splitting the rate in two. Now
cent a ton In the freight business does
not count much ~ itself. You would
say it was not of much consequence, but
the railroad business Is inHnitesimal,
ana that reducsion. when multiplied BY
the number OF tons OF freight carried
during the year ending June 30, 1900,
would amount to the splendid sum OF
50, 269, ,757, and II the Maine Central
railroad in the year ended June 3Oy 1900,
had charged the same average rate psr
ton mile for its freight and ths same
reT milsJ per passenger that they received
without protat from any body in 1885,
the gross earnings OF the Maine Central
railroad last year would have been ~,
$50, 90 instead OF s5.6gs, goo as they act
uaIly were q difference of ~, lSs, ,044,
more than so per cent contributed to
the industries and prosperity of the
state OF Maine by your Maine Central's
wisdom In reducing Its rates 80 that
you. as citizens OF this state, could be
put upon par in your business transac-
lions with the citizens of New York.
Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania ana slI the
ether states IN getting at the markets Of
the world.
gentlemen, had not expected to use
more than 20 minutes in talking to you
upon this subject, / am afraid l have
extended the time beyond the time
should have taken and that may have
wearied you some, but as you may
have discovered, am full Of this subject
OF railroad operation. railroad fairness,
and i will close by saying that have no
advice TO give to this intelligent COM
mittee as to form of the bill they shall
draw, or the form OF law they shall REQ
ommend for passage in regard TO this
matter Of increasing this stats taxation
upon railroads. simply repeat what
have said at the start that / believe
thes Commonwealth OF Maine ought to
have the money to run ons OF the hess
governments 1t is possible for any state
20 run. / believe every railroad ougat
TO contribute its fair proportional in
crease to produce taxes enough, and
only ask that you shall treat us with the
same fairness you would an individual
in your state.
Clarence A. Hi9ht, Esq, then addressed
the committee presenting the case Of the
Grlnd Trund road
| AsI stated the other night. said Mr..
Hight, the Grand Trunk ia the only
road which can draw the line which Will
connect the state of Maine with the
ports OF .he old world and In that enter
prise it needs all the encouragement
that you can give 1t. am not here
to tell story OF hardship, but L could
do so and tbs tale would be an inter-
esting one. The Grand Trunk Is a road
with three hundred millions OF bonded
| indebtedness. It has nifty millions Of
stock on which IL never paid dividend
and that stock has not been watered.
1t represents money actually paid In,
The Grand Trunk extends through a
country that Is sparsely settled. 1t is
a northern country, ems whsre snow and
ice adds to the dltiiouIty and expense
Of railroad management. The route
| was huilt many years ago and 1t has
been necessary to renew 1t from time to
time. Now the road Is rebuilding the
bridges on the Portland end of the line
that 1t may use heavier rolling stock
and handle longer trains. 1t has to
contend both with natural disadvantages
and to undertake the task Of adopting
new fashions in place Of tins old. The
Grand Trunk has met ths competition
| OF the southern railroads. / need not
tell you that at almost every session OF
Congress an attempt is made to do away
with the tonding, privileges through
Canada, and l understand that now
ths Southern roads are engaged in the
formation of a combination which will
| be 20 the disadvantage OF the Northern,
The Boston g. Maine is half way between
the northern and southern roads and
they all help to feed 1t. while we are
working alone TO make business.
There appears, too, to be a disposition
elsewhere TO discriminate against Port
land On the 1irst day of the session you
passed bill TO enable the Po,tIand
Board of Trade to appoint an inspector
OF gram, because tine New YORK Produce
Exchange had undertaken to say what
Atlantic ports should be export ports
for grain and had counted out the State
of Maine ana the city OF Portland. You
wisely passed the bill and thanks to you
the city of Portland was able TO say to1
New York: 1--WE are as good as you ara
1t is also true that whils Portland has
one OF the safest and best harhors on
the Atlantic ssahoArd there has been
an attempt to impose there the maxi
mum rates for marine insurance. mem
tion thess Things to show with what diff
ouliiss the Grand Trunk has TO contend
in It's efforts to build up the port Of
Portland. Now notwithstanding these
difficulties we are beginning TO do some
thing and the future of Portland Isl
hard to foresee. heard a gentleman gay
recently that the shadow Of the great ele-
vator seemed to him like the shadow
of another equally as great. but it means