Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-03
WOULDN'T LOSE RASPBERRlES
A. +. Gerald Tells of Some Experiences
in Building Electric Roads.

In the hearing before the board Of
aldermen for the location of tracks in
the streets, 4. F. Gerald told some
pretty good stories drawn from his eX
perience in getting electric roads
through all over the State. One of
these was a little incident that hap
pened in Freeport short time ago in
connection with the extension of the
l.. b. & B. road. In the development
of the plans, it became necessary to
cross a piece of land owned by one Of
the older citizens of the town, and Nj.
Gerald sought him out to negotiate
The land was very necessary and the
company was willing to pay good
price FOR the privilege of passing
over it. although SO far as could be
seen the land in itself was not particu-
larIy valuable and was really offset by
the benefit that would be conferred by
the road.
But Mr.. Gerald soon struck an I'M
expected and very stubborn snag in
his attempted trade. 1t seems that the
old man had some raspberry bushes
just about where the rails would pass
and that he thought more of those
bushes than he did of much else in life.
There were something like Il dozen of
them and if the road passed the land
they would have to be sacrificed, and
this the old man had no intention of
doing. But we are willing to pay you
well for your bushes" eNpostulated Mr..
Gerald when he realized the situation.
Il know, / know" replied the old man,
but YOU see they are mighty fine
bushes. l got 10 quarts of berries off
them. last year, and it wasn't good
season for raspberries either. Some
years I'm liable to get a bushel.''
And so the matter hung. No kind of
an offer for the land or the bushes
could move the old man. His heart
was set on them and he would not give
them up even if the road never reached
the town. The whole capital of the
company behind the road was as so
much sand in the eyes of the old man
when they rested on these raspberry
bushes. SO the road had to dodge the
bushes and have it's space decidedly
cramped in their vicinity, while the
company hopes that the old man will
get at least a dozen quarts of berries,
this year.
Many interesting facts were also
brought out by Mr. Gerald in his dis
cussion of the electric road business.
Thus. TIE best it can be figured. it
costs at least SO per day to run au
electric car. In most cases it is more
than this and may in very rare in
stances be less, but this sum is the
average that must be expected. Then
it has been demonstrated that loop
lines in small cities and towns do not
pay. They have been tried in various
parts of the State and almost without
exception the balance has been on the
wrong side of the ledger.
Another interesting thing is the
value of the minutes and even seconds
on a road of this kind. This was
brought out at the hearing by the sug-
road might be changed a little even if
it did take the cars a few minutes
more TO cover it. perhaps five. But Mr..
Gerald clearly demonstrated that this
five minutes might mean a diff
ference between profit and loss
on the road. This extra FIVE
minutes might neeessitate a third
car in order to make half hour
trips and this would mean an added
expense of almost $4,000 per year for
the read. a big slice out of the profits
without any increase in business.
So much for the roads side of the
case. With the passengers it would be
even more costly for every one would
have to sacrifice the five minutes of his