Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-25

| consumption, II taken an time.
| and whether it is impracticable 10 con-
fine the location to the highway. M.
| Butteriield raises this latter question.
"Ths board having granted to one
road its location between Augusta and
| Wattrville, it is question whether
another road should be granted per-
mission To run Il competing line be-
tween the same two points, for the
tprminac are both the same. The
main point is the connection between
Watervi'lc and Augusta.
'"Thcs,. rights TO build have value
| 9nd you must Of courrc consider it. Mr..
| Gerald says that when lie and his as
| sociates built the Oakland road, they
| intended to continue to Augusta, Mr..
| Lynch and his associates saw the
| advantage of connecting the two cities
| also, saw it early. These roads are
nearly parallel and the fact that lends
| value to them is the fact that these two
| cities are on either end.
at is perhaps, evident that the
| people Of Waterville DO not take sides
| against either road but would like to
| see both roads built, but it seems to me
| that it is the province Of this board to
| take into consideration the question of
| whether the granting Of another per-
| mission to build will not create des-
tructive competition which would work
| disaster to this road which is already
1 started.
| Mr. Gerald says that Mr.. Macomber
and Gov. Hill assured him that they
| would not build or the east side of the
| river and later, after other interviews
| be filed his articles Of association.
"Now wc approach this question.
| not with nm equity, / wouldn't call it
| that, bat we come before the commits
| siOners rs the owners of a prior
| location in the district. And We think
| it is enough to say that we intend to
| build.
"Why should Mr.. Graham come
down here with his unlimited capital
| and say get out of the way with your
| railroad and Lot me come in here with
my q, alter plans? Must we say that
Maine capital shall retire and yield
whatever prior right they may have
had. to these capitalists who come
down here to find investment fer their
money?
"Will it be n damage TO this load on
the west side to allow another railway
on the east side? Does public con-
ceniancp require that there be two
| electric railroads between Augusta and
| Watorvile? Would it not work a
| great damage to those Maine citizens
| who have received u location already
at your hands.
| 1.-TWO men nave said that both roads
| would not pay and ii seems to me a
! self evident proposition. Two compet-
| ing lines could not enjoy sufficient
| patronage to make them paying invest
| mcnts Would not the result be. if Mr..
| Gerald builds, that it would work an
| injury 10 his road? That is our case
| think"
Mr. Heath:-"T don't understand
| gentlemen that it is a question between
| parties. nor is it question between
corporations. | do not think that it is
| exactly fair to argue along the lines
| Of local prejudice. II has been my
| experience that this board strives to
| get at the exact legal rights in the
! matter regardless Of where the capital
| comes from, If Mr.. Gcrald's road is
| built il viii be built with capital
sought in the great money center of
| the country. not by local capita! or
| Maine capital. 50 | submit that it is
| almost unfair to urge that 1t is a
| question between local capital and
foreign capital
I'm all these matters it must be
proven that there is a street traffic so
as to meet the issue of finding public
convenience. 1t is not q question Of
connecting terminals. 1t is q question
of picking up the units which consti-
, tate street traffic. Not necessarily
wholly in the street but traffic from
house 10 house, from street to street.
from point to point on the same rail-
road. 1t carries the legal right. except
in the cities. where congested traffic
demands white posts. TO go upon their
right OF way and stop their cars at any
point and we also have the legal right
to make them stop that car and allow
us to get off wherever we wish.
Now this street traffic is made up
CT units. never traffic between termi-
mails Mr.. Gerald came before this
board and asked the right to build on
this basis. He asked to build from
point TO point. from Waterville to Oak
land. Did he ask for the right to go
from Waterville TO Augusta? No. He
used the legitimate application of the
statute to get the right to build and he
used the right. Now when he wanted
to continue to Augusta, did he ask for
an extension of the present line from