Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-04-13
THAT SPUR TRACK.
statement of the Controversy with
the Electric Road

|
shoulG make clear to all the ex-
act situation relative to the matter be
tween the Augusta, Winthrop " Gard
iner Street j. L. Co, and the City of
HallDWell, in respect to the establish
lncnt of spur track from the elet uric
road main line to the HaIlOWell Gram
ite Works dock
on March Z7th, last, the Electric
Road presented to the City Council n
request for location of said turnout and
permission to construct same. The pc
tit ion was duly considered, accepted,
placed on file and action postponed for
one week, in order that the Council
might look over the ground TO be occu-
pied This was done. certain mem
bers Of the Council going over The pro-
posed location with Supt. Taylor.
AS this franchise was of very great
value to the railroad, giving them ac-
cess to one of the best docking privl-
lcseS on the whole river, an Opportun-
ity of handling some ten ShiplOadS of
iron pipe for the Augusta Water Dis
trict, at a saving of from three TO four
thousand dollars from the cost, if same
WAS discharged at Augusta, where
there is no suitable dock, or appliances
for handling; as it made it possible for
the Read to discharge its two thousand
tons of coal yearly direct from the yes
sci to its own cars for al time to come.
ana for the hauling Of rough or finished
granite from the Quarries direct to the
dock. which would be Il source of large
freight revenue to them; it seemed on
ly Just and fair that the City Of Hal
low ell should receive at least i little
something in return. The franchise
once given could never be recalled.
For about two years there has been
in force an arrangement that by the
use of 4 double ticket the fare from
Maple St. Loudon Hill to the quarry
or from the Quarry" to Maple st. is
five cents. These tickets-callcd
CURRY TicketS''--have been on sale
at one place only, the waitingrOom.
Hallowell. and not less than a dollars
worth could be purchased. This ar
rangement was originally made after
cOnSdera hle discussion, pro and con.
and its object was to equalize the fare
between Augusta ana fiallowell and
the Quarries. HUt il often happened
that residents of Granite Hill or for
that matter amy other point on the
line. would find themselves without a
ticket. in which case the ride would
cost them ten cents. 1t was often in
convenient perhaps impossible for
many to invest Il dollar for these tick
cts, ana - those who made only in
frequent trips this ticket system WAS
practically worthless.
The City Council decided to ask the
Road in place of the above ticket 10
arrange 50 that a passenger boarding
Il car in HalloWel might pay a single
five cents and be given Il transfer from
State st. Junction in Augusta to the
Quarrios. and the same if he were
coming to Hallowell from that point
NJ. Macomber and Sunt. Taylor were
| both present at the meeting Of the City
| Council the following Monday. Mr..
Macomber explained again Very fully
Just why his company WAS anxious
| that the privilege he granted and
showed tie benefits that it would de
| rive therefrOm. The City'S interests
and position in the matter We're also
| clearly set forth by different members
| Of the board. The Council was unani-
mOusly willing to pass the order if in
return the Railroad Co. would make
| the above arrangement. No reduction
| of the fare was asked for or expected
Mr. Macomber presented what at that
| time seemed good arguments against
| the transfer system and why they We're
doing away with it whenever possible
Ali this was corefully considered and
| the Council desiring to meet the Rail-
road Company fully half way. they
waived the point of the transfer and
| it was finally arranged so that the old
| ticket system should be continued, but
| that single ticket costing five cents
| could be purchased instead of dol
lars worth and that they should at
one. go on sale in HallOwel and also
at the Quarries.
This seemed a fair and satisfactory
| solution of the matter and an order au-
| thoriZing the location and construction
| of the track was Immediately passed.
with the understanding that work was
not to be commenced for two weeks.
and should be under the direction of a
committee appointed by the Council.
| Every point in the matter was care
fully gone over and a complete and
definite understanding agreeable to
both parties was reached. The day fol-
lowing the meeting, City Solicitor
| Beane, at the request of the council,
| drew up in legal form the agreement
which verbally had already been fully
| arrived at. This document was duly
signed by Mayor Goodwin and sent TO
Mr.. Macomber for the signature of his
Company Six days passed without its
| being returned and no word from the
road officials in reference thereto.
l ~ pn
Company had not been idle and with
out further authority, without atten-
ton to the part of the agreement that
construction work should not begin for
two weeks; without even consulting the
| committee having the matter in hand.
they had already begun the work OF