Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-28


land now used by the Maine Central II. II:
20. Tor station purposes was condemned
for this very purpose. In 1870. We should
railroad commissioners OF that time were
mistaken. They were men Of large ex-
p-riente in railroad matters. and had
general as well as technical knowledge OF
the use tor w.4ch land Is needed I'm sta
ton grounds. They then decided that the
land was necessary. and we have seen
no reason TO change the decree made by
| them at that time.
On the. contrary. We find that matters
at the Pennington station now require
more land than In 1870. because there II
added to the business Of the Maine Cen
trail X. r. Co. the business Of the Sandy
| River Il. r.. Co.. which was built in 1879:
and which now occupies the same yard
trail K. r. CO. ' '''e '@
The tracks of the Sandy River H., r.
| trail X. X. 60. twice within no feet. and
II the F.. 8. & X. Co. should cross the
Maine Central. as proposed. there would
Maine Central Railroad Company within
20 feet.
| There has been within a few years.
serious accident in that yard OccasiOned
i by the many tracks. and the dangerous
! crossings of the two railroads. and we
should not feel justified In allowing any
further grade crossings. even II We had
authority.
II as within our knowledge that the
business at the Pennington yard has been
4
six years. until tnere Is not room enough
In the yard to do the business Of the two
railroads.
| All the trains of the Maine Central r.
r. have to be made up now at West
Pennington and backed into the station
at Pennington.
petitioning company would. In going
through the yard OF the Maine Central.
take the turn table now there in opera
ton. for the Sandy River X. X.
| Under all these circumstances, We are
obliged to find that the land in the yard
Of the Maine Central Railroad COMPANY.
by this petition to take. is necessary for
the Maine Central r. r. Co. for station
purposes.
But the counsel for the petitionng COM
pany again urges that such finding as
this will absolutely prevent the company
from carrying out the evident purpose of
the Legislature in granting this charter
viz: That the company shall connect IT.
rails with the rails of the Sandy River
Railroad. and so become connecting
| We DO not feel so impressed with the
situation. because We find that there Is
land a short distance west of the Maine
Central yard where a loca ton can be
made for the petitioning company. so as
not to cross the Maine Central station
grounds at all.
The reply to this. however is that sucl,
a line would be very expensive to con-
strnct on account OF the formation of the
Eng r. cases. 500. where a railroad COM
pany attempted to take the tracks and
franchise of street railway company. to
avoid the purchase of valuable property
in order 10 reac.. its terminus. II was held
that this was simply matter of econ
omy. and that no sIch necessity existed.
We feel. however, that the connection
between the two narrow guage roads
ought to be made south of the Maine
Central yard; and II this petition had
come from the Sandy River X. r. Co..
asking for a permanent location across
the Maine Central yard. substantially
where the tracks now are and where
they have been located for more than 20
years. we should feel that the Maine
Central Railroad Company would be fair.
ly estOpped from claiming that the land
now used by the Sandy River r. r. is
necessary for station purposes for the
Maine Central Company.
But under this petition We have no
power to order anything done south OF
the Maine Central yard.
We believe that the charter of the F.. s.
& X. r. r. Co. gives It the right TO In
K. r. tracks where it can be done rea-
sOnably and legally. and feel constrained
to suggest that this should be brought
about by mutual agreement OF the three
suggestions as to what ought to be done
when we have no power TO enforce them !:
but we believe a connection can be best
made between the two narrow 9uage
roads south Of the NJ. {. r. X. yard.
In order to make such connection. we
DtlleNe tHdiiSts ihi6ht p' NV aitS
made in the Maine Central yard In the
following general way. viz: Erect a new
freight house of a width of Is or ~ feet
south OF. and III line with. the passenger
station, and east of the present easteriy
track.
IL Law an additional side track west OF
this track to facilitate handling ears. Ex-
tend the main line OF the Sandy River
r. K directly through the yard to the
south line, whore II can make connec-
ton with the f., s. & X. X. Il.
xSit
of il. a side track could be laid. also cor
iinung as siding OF the new road. The
scales track of the NJ. c. X. X. could be
extended several car lengths, thus faelii-
tatng weighing operations.
South Of the terminus of this track
place the transfer shed and platform, up
on the west side of which would be inc
present freight and transfer track OF the
NJ. c. r. r.
The marrow guage turn table might DC
removed to some point north or south OF
it's property, when desired by the NJ. I,
r. r. Co. .
OF course these are suggestions of q
very general nature and only incorporates
here as our reasons for believing the
proper point of junction to be SCUM OF
and not upon. the property OF the NJ. =.
X. r. Co.
But as We have no authority under
these proceedings TO order such cohhec
ton, the decree must be,
Petition dismissed. r
| Dated at Augusta. this 26tn DAY "
June, A, d. 1901.
JOSEPH B. PEAKS.
PARKLR SPOFFORD.
Railroad Commissioners Of Maine.