Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-10
The FULL TEXT
Of Decision Regarding Water
viIIe-OakIand R. R.
Commissioners Believe That the Road
Should Be Built
For Peoples Enjoyment and That Pub
lie Convenience Requires II.

Herewith is presented the full texa of
the decision of the Maine railroad COM
missioners in the matter of the Water
vile & Oakland street railway. The
decision was rendered few days ago
and the fact was stated at the time by
the Journal. but the reasons which in
duced the commissioners to decide as
they did in favor of the proposed line
have not heretofore been presented.
TIE decision is as follows:
STATE OF MAINE.
In Board OF Railroad Commissioners.
Upon the foregoing petition, notice
having been given as ordered, the
Board met at the time and place men
toned in said order and gave hearing
10 all parties interested. Mr. H. NJ.
Heath appeared for the petitioners, Mr.
Henry r. Cleaves and Mr.. Seth NJ. Car
ter appeared for the Maine Central
Railroad Company. Mr.. William 7.
Haines appeared for the Maine Water
Company and the Oakland Water Com
pany.
The only question for US here to de-
termine is whether public convenience
requires the construction of an electric
railroad from the village of Oakland TO
The city of Waterville.
The Maine Central Railroad now
runs passenger trains between Water
vile and Oakland as follows:
From Waterville to Oakland. seven
trains per day.
From Oakland TO Waterville, six
trains per day.
On Saturdays and Mondays there are
additional trains each way morning
and evening. On the winter schedule
there are five trains each way daily,
excepting Sundays.
1t was claimed at the hearing that
some of these trains are now running
at ? loss and only to accommodate the
travel. and that if an electric railroad
is constructed between the two points.
some of the trains on the Maine Cen
trial Railroad will necessarily be can
celled.
The Maine Central Railroad Com
pany claims that SO long as it is doing
its full duty to the public under its
charter. it has right to be, and ought
TO be protected from needless competi-
ton. that electric railways ought not
10 he allowed to parallel steam rail-
road for the purpose of dividing re-
ceipts from travel, when it will have
tendency to reduce the income of the
steam railroad between these certain
points TO such an extent as TO necessi-
tate the curtailing of the train service.
This is an important consideration and
one which appeals strongly TO our
Judgements - sense of justice; bur
there are other considerations which
we must take into account. We do
not believe IL is for the best interests
of the State and we do not believe that
il is a good policy TO allow a new rail-
road corporation to contest with an
other and existing one for division of
business for the simple purpose of
finding an opportunity TO invest capt.
tai so long as the existing railroad
company is fairly and fully exercising
its rights under its charter. Such "A
policy was at one time adopted in the
West with the result that in many Of
the western states large portion of
the railroad mileage was operated by
receivers. The stock holders were
without dividends. the road beds be-
came unsafe. the rolling stock was di-
lapidated and the train service was
execrable The policy in the east, and
especially in New England. has been
more conservative and we trust it will
charters and authorizes corporations 10
invest money and exercise rights I'M
der these charters. there ought to be
some assurance that the charters will
not be made valueless by granting
other charters over the same territory
and authorizing other corporations to
operate over such territory. so that
neither corporation can get fair in
terest upon its investment. These are
only general considerations which we
think should be borne in mind by the
legislature and railroad commissioners
in authorizing the construction of new
lines of steam or electric railroads.
II is often said. however. that rail-
roads create new business. A more
satisfactory way of putting it is that
railroads create opportunities for
business and when these opportunities
are fully answered by one railroad COM
pany there should be no popular clamor
for unhealthy and unreasonable COM
petition. But this is only one view of
the situation. The electric railroad Of
ten gives service which the steam
road cannot give Electric cars are
run singly and often. while the steam
cars are run in trains and necessarily
less frequent. The steam cars have
only one general station in one town
whilet ne electric cars run through the
streets and take passengers at more
convenient points. The steam cars
have no station between Waterville and
Oakland and only carry passengers
between these two points. The cleo
trio cars stop for passengers whenever
and wherever il is found necessary. SO
that while the steam road runs trains
in sufficient numbers TO carry pas
senges's the electric railway is more
convenient for people between the two
points who want to take the cars. or
for people who want to stop between
waterville and Oakland. s
There is another consideration which
xss-have heretofore expressed in our
decision allowing the charter of the
Lewiston. Winthrop & Augusta Rail-
way. and that is TO afford the people
an opportunity for recreation. Snow
Pond" so-called, at Oakland. which
is to be the western terminus of this
road will give an opportunity for the
people of Waterville and Fairfield TO
visit one of the most beautiful lakes in
Maine. Such an opportunity might