Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-26

lLCSC 6ChtlClIlCliJ AoNho
tors Shark and Philbrook, in order that
their stay in the city during the recess
might not be crowded with sombre
thoughts, sent for their wives to come
and pass a few days with them. Both
ladies arrived on Saturday and are
now in the city.
1t is reported around the Capitol, al
though not in a general way, that a
bill will shortly be introduced in the
Legislature giving steam railroad cor
porations the right to construct and
operate electric street railways or pur
chase any such railroads now in eXis-
tence.
The railroad laws of Maine at the
present time prevents steam railroads
corporations from owning street rail-
way franchises or property, as also
do the laws of many other states. The
plan is to have q, law enacted by the
present Legislature that will give this
privilege to the steam companies
whenever they feel like exercising it.
1t is not intended to allow these roads
to acquire the property of any street
railway by right of eminent domain,
buy or build as they see fit. In doing
this, they must proceed under the gen
eral laws. just as if they comprised an
independent corporation or association
of individuals.
In New Hampshire individual stock
holders of the Boston & Maine Co.
Joined together and purchased the
street railway in Portsmouth and also
in Manchester; but these properties
are really managed and controlled by
the management of the Boston &
Maine. In the ssachusetts Legis-
lature bill has been killed covering
the same provision, but it's defeat was
brought about by the effort of the
Boston Elevated Railroad Co., that
corporation fearing that the Boston
& Maine desired to get control of it's
property. The real fact of the matter
was that the Boston & Maine hoped to
be able, under the authority vouch-
safed in the bill alluded to, to purchase
the Massachusetts Electric Co, which
controls several suburban and inter-
urban street railroads in Massachu-
sets.
A few of the owners in Maine electric
railroads may be opposed to the bill
spoken of herein, but it is understood
that some of the largest holders of
electric railway stock in the State are
lot averse to the passage of the meas
are. The latter say that if the steam
railroad corporations have the same
right to enter the electric railroad field
that individuals now have that the
building and expansion of such lines
will be greatly stimulated.
A general discussion of the West
Branch bill and the bill Incorporating
the East Branch Improvement Co. is
constantly going on. Both of these
measures seek to control certain por-
tons of the Penobscot river for log
driving purposes. The first bill is
known as the Millnocket scheme, while
the latter is regarded as a measure to
divert the head waters of the Allegash
river and swerve them by means of
dams and canal into the east branch of
the Penobscot river and thence to the
sea. Undisturbed by artificial manipu-
,ation the waters of Chamberlain lake
would flow down the Allegash river in
to the st. John and on to the Atlantic
ocean. The plan of the East Branch
Improvement Co. is to take possession
by purchase, of the Lake Telos and
Webster Dam and Sluiceway Co. and
the Telos Canal Co., both of which We're
Incorporated by the Legislature of 1916
Lake Telos is a small lake, located
southeast of Chamberlain lake, and the
charter of the Telos Canal Co. gives
that company the right to preserve a
free passage for logs and lumber from
Chamberlain lake to the canal or
sluiceway without any hinderance or
obstruction whatever. This same char
ter gives the right to maintain a dam
on Allagash stream, between Chamber
lain lake and Heron lake, which is To-
Gated in a northerly direction above
the former lake.
In addition to the rights and powers
which the East Branch Improvement
Co. may secure by the purchase of the
above companies. it desires to obtain
other powers. For instance, Section
of the bill provides that the company
shall have the power to repair or re-
build any dams or other works which it
may ACQUIRE from the Telos Canal
Company, the Grand Lake Dam Com
pany and the East Branch Dam Com
pany. increasing the height of any
dams if it sees fit to do So and the ad-
ditional damages for fiowage caused by
such new dams. or by the increased
height of existing dams, may be re-
covered in accordance with the provi-
sions of Chapter 90 of the Revised
Statutes.
tits contended that the East Branch
Co. If the charter asked for is granted,
will have the power to maintain the