Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-19
VIEWED CROSSING.
The Committee Of Conference
on Rines Hill Crossing.
TrestIe Proposition Eliminated Early
in Discussion.
City Says Such an Arrangement Would
Not Be Satisfactory.

A conference was held in Augusta.
Tuesday afternoon, between a special
committee from the city council and
representatives of the Maine Central
and Augusta, Winthrop & Gardiner
Railroads in regard to the matter of
doing away with the present grade
crossing at the foot of Rines hill While
no decision as to what was the most
practical thing to be done, was reached,
the ground was carefully gone over by
all concerned, not only in conference,
but by a walk over the territory in
which the changes must be made.
The meeting was purely one for the
purpose of discussing the needs of the
place and to enable all concerned to
secure the ideas of the others as to
what was best to be DONE In this they
were successful, for each and every
persons present talked freely on the sit
uation, gave their opinions and in the
case of the representatives of the city,
told what their constituents had said
to them.
The Maine Central was represented
by General Manager George F. Evans,
Chief Engineer Theo. L. Dunn and it's
lSSdl duNlSSI, HUI. kJSlH M oQIlcI VI
Lewiston. The Electric Road was rep
resented by President ]. Manchester
Haynes and Director Thomas J. Lynch,
while the committee from the city
council consisted of Mayor Robertson,
Aldermen Hall and Purinton and COun-
cimen Theberge and Nichols. The
Maine Central officials came down from
Portland on train No. 8, which arrives
at 1920 o'clock, in Mr.. Evans private
coach. They were Joined by the local
people and went to the office of Pur-
linton Bros, Water street, where they
sat down and talked the proposition
over before going up and viewing the
land.
From the start the railroad people
indicated that they realized the Sc
robustness of the situation and were
willing to do what was right, simply
wishing to ascertain what that was.
At the very commencement of the
conference the city council committee
signified to the railroad officials, those
of both roads, that they did not regard
the proposition of building a trestle
from the top of the hill out around
over the tracks, coming into Water
street at about where the laundry now
stands, good one. The citizens of
Augusta has signified to them that
such an arrangement would not be sat
isfactory and they felt, under those
conditions that they could not approve
of such. The railroad men appeared
to appreciate the situation, for the
trestle proposition was Immediately
eliminated from the discussion.
About 2 o'clock, after having care
fully talked the matter over, the entire
party went to the crossing and viewed
it. Mr.. Evans made a very 'cereful ex-
animation and, while he said nothing,
it is thought that he was much i'm
pressed by the situation as he found it.
The party then walked down the track
and examined the locations suggested
for bringing the tracks up under the
hill by means of a tunnel.
While no definite conclusions were
arrived at on Tuesday, it is the belief
of the city committee that the railroad
company recognizes that the best way
to get rid of this grade crossing is by
tunnelling the hill. This belief is sup
ported by the fact that the Mr. Dunn
asked that the city engineer, w. B.
Getchell, who has made plans for such
tunnel, should visit Portland with
his plans, that they might go over
them together and also examine. to-
gether, plans which had been
prepared by him, to see how both can
be improved. Mr.. Getchel will go to
Portland, today.
Mr.. Evans and Mr.. Dunn left in the
private car on the sos train for Port
land, Mr.. Carter returned to Lewiston,
at 352