Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-25
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS.

Charles Morgan, of West PoWnai,
who has been in the employ of the
Grand Trunk railroad for more than
fifty years, has resigned his position
and will now devote his time to super
intending his farm work.
The new station to be built at Spring.
vale on the line of the Portland,
Worcester & Nashua division of the
Boston G. Maine railroad, will be about
twice the size of the present building,
and will be LOCATED farther from the
track. A house track of sufficient
length to admit 60 cars will be laid.
The new locomotive recently
purchased by the Boston & Maine to
haul the Knickerbocker, between
Portland and Worcester during the
summer season have been put into
service One of them No. 637 is run
ming between Portland and Worcester
on trains and 90. 1t is in charge of
Ed Wells, one of the oldest engineers
on this division of the road. The new
machines are giving great satisfac.
ton and on trial spins have made
some splendid time.
The Maine Central is planning to
make a considerable outlay on the
railroad bridges in the vicinity Of
Lewiston. The railroad will rebuild
the section of the bridge over the
Androscoggin between the Lewiston
shore and the island. The company
will also rebuild two other bridges in
the vicinity of the city. One of these
is on the lower road and crosses the
outlet of the canal. sometimes known
as the Bleachery bridge. The other
one crosses the Little Androscoggin
about four miles beyond the Auburn
station on the upper road. 1t is
thought that the work will begin some
time in June. These bridges are all
considered safe enough for the amount
of traffic that has been done on them.
The company. however, has decided
to put some heavier engines on this
section and for that reason, added to
the fact that the rolling stock is con-
siderable heavier, it had been decided
to rebuild the bridges.
How the era of high prices affects
the railroads is well illustrated by the
case of the Boston & Maine. During
the year just ended the road purchased
81 locomotives at a cost of $S11, $50.
If purchased at the prices prevailing in
1899 they would have cost $eS3,261
This shows an increase in cost of
s12S.2S9, or about 20 per cent. During
the six months ended March 1 the
railroad purchased 599.a71 tons of
locomotive coal paying therefor $2,74,-
211.S2. IN 1899 the same quantity would
nave cost $1,s9O,7OO, showing an in.
creased cost of 1856 "a per cent
The price of steel rails in 1902 advanced
25 per cent over that of 1899. so that
while $427, 900 was paid for $4,000 tons
of steel rails in 1902, this same
quantity would have cost in 1899 but
$2S0,0n0, showing an increase of $147,-
900. Spikes in 1902 cost so per cent
more than they would have at 1899
prices; that is in 1902, 10000 kegs cost
$4,000 which in 1899 would have cost
$4,000, showing an increase of $4,000
In 1902. $500 gallons of signal oil
cost the railroad $19,224, while in 1899
this same quantity would have cost
but s10,6S0, showing an increase of
So 544-S0 per cent Iron bridge ma
terial has advanced so per cent in the
last five years, so that while LOO tons
We're purchased i'm 1902 at cost of
s127, 800, in 1897 the same quantity /
would have cost but SS5,00O. This
shows an increased cost of $42,500. The