Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-08

THIS Is EXPLANATORY
OF Why the Steamer Service to Angus
ia Is in Present Condition.

Editor Of Kenncbec Journal:
An item which recently appeared in
the Journal with reference to the SER
vice furnished by the Eastern Steam
ship Co. through the patrons of tina:
company in Augusta was somewhat
misleading owing TO your not having
full knowledge of all the facts in the
case 1t criticised the Steamboat Go.
for its lack of arrangements in for
warding passengers ana baggage from
Gardiner. leaving it for the passen-
gers to get their baggage through to
Augusta in the best way they could
The fact is that the Steamboat Co. has
done everything that could be reason
ably expected of it under all the cir
CUmStances.
Early in the season. knowing that
the Della Collins was Only fit to oper-
ate another summer and feeling that
the operation Of Il boat covering only
five or six miles on the river was an
expensive and impracticable way IF
operation, the Steamboat Co. made ar
engagements with the Street Railway
Co. 10 extend its tracks to a point con-
tiGuous with the steamboat wharf in
Gardiner. This would have been a COM
paratively short JOB for the Railway
Co., as the distance is only about a
quarter o: mile. and could have east
ly beer accomplished had ii been pos
sible to have obtained the sanction Of
the municipal officers of the city Of
Gardiner.
The only way to get to the steamboat
wharf is over private land from :.
point near Depot square to the steam
boat cOmpany'S wharf. To get on 10
this private land it wds necessary to
pave Il permit from the municipal Of
EcerS to build a piece of track not
more than 100 feet in length. The Rail
way Co. undertook to secure this H.
cation in Depot square, but Was de
MED it by the municipal officers Of
Gardiner. AMI consequently the whol"
scheme was hung up for the time be-
ing.
AS considerable time WIS spent in
trying To secure this location it got to
be- too late to secure the service of an
other steamer; in fact =, steamer suit
able for this kind of traffic is almost
impossible to be had and the result is
that the Steamboat Co. We're left with
ont Il boat ana no other means of get :
gusta, and they were rather forced t.
ADOPT the plan which they did
The steamboat inspectors would nos
allow passengers on tn Della c ,llinS
and TO have run her simply for The.
baggage would have cost more than Ill
the fares of passengers going to All
GIst:l would have Amounted to- Under
the circumstances we do not see huT
the steamboat company could have
done differently, although il is Il Str-
ous Inconvenience to its patrons in Al
gusta and Hallowell To have the ser
Vic" ds at present. If anybody is Ia
hlHnr for the present situation it
would &c, m to he TIL municipal officers
of the city IF Gardiner who for rca
SONS which are hard to understand
.dmc to the conclusions which they
did
1t is probable that tire outcome OF
The matter will be. thai inasInuch n
there is more or less if.iculty for :,
large steamer to come tn Gardiner
during low water periods that Il ncN
small steamer will De built to connect
with the larger one at Faith, and thus
the removal Of the headquarters of tho
line from Gardiner to Faith will conn
about. This condition will be regretted
by everybody on the kcnnebec and it
would seem to Il casual observer to
have been very much better to have
the street car line run right to the
steamboat wharf where passengers
would transfer withDu. loss of time OF
trouble and have their baggage trans
f"rred to amy point along the line OF
the Street Railway. CITIZEN.