Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-07
BOardof Railroad Commits
siOnerS Gives Decision
On Amended Petition Of Augusta
and WaieIViI!e Railway.
Public Convenience Requires The
Building Of Said Railway"


find Thar public convenience r+GvireS
the construction If its road. which de-
cisi0m was rendered at = meeting of the
bpnri ned at the State House Monday
for the purpose Of giving { ne.rinr o..
az amendment to the Icti;ion:
State q Ma.re-!n Eo4~d Of RAILWAY
COMMISSIONS rs.
Upon the foregoing petition. notice
having been given as ordered. the board
met At The time ana place mentioned,
in said order ana CAV Il h",ring t.
al parties interested.
II. N. Heath appeared FIR tie reti-
TONER.
Seth II. Carter appeared for the
Mdinc Central Railroad.
Charles +. Johnson appeared for the
linguistic. Oakland &, Waterville Street
Railway and for John r. Butterfold.
i. L. Hassett appeared for the Wis
casset, Waterville & Pennington Rail
way.
II. Z. Cock appeared for the town Of
Winsl0w and for certain citizens OF
Nassalhoro.
w. c. Phlhrook appeared for the
town Of Winslow.
A. NJ. Goddard appeared for the city
Of Augusta.
This is petition of the Augusta &
Watcrville Railway asking the board
to approve its proposed location and
find that public convenience requires
the construction Of its road. This is
opposed by the Augusta. Oakland &
Watcrvi!lc Railway. The last named
railway runs from Augusta to Oakland
Ind is on the west side of the kcnne-
Doc river. The proposed location of the
augusta e WatCrVille Railway is on
the cast side of the kennebec river,
ana will not compete at all except for
through traffic between Waterville and
Augusta by way of the WaterVille &
Oakland Railway. The towns Of Oak
land and Sidney are separated from the
towns of WinSloW and NaSsalbOrO by
the Kcnnchec river which people can
nett her ford nor bridge. and so far as
street railway trafiice is concerned, the
towns on the east side cannot be ac-
commcdatcd in any way by the street
railway constructed on the west sue.
The ONLY competition that can be con-
cciyed Of between the two companies IS
i'm rylation to the through traffic be-
tween WaterVillc and Augusta. Among
the earlier decisions made by TINS
board. after the street railway laws
went into effect. and which excited
some criticism at the time, was the
matter Of the Portland Extension Rail
way from Westbrcok to Gorham The
board felt compelled to deny the char
ter because the through traffic was al
ready cared for by the Portland &
II. o,,I
local traffic on the proposed lire be
tween Wcstbrook and Gorham to call
| for 4 street railway. In the matter Of
the Portland & Brunswick Street Rail
way, commissioners report Of 1901,
pare 113. the board would have denied
| fr charter fer the railway between
brunswick and FrCepOrt alone, because
| there was no local service to call for it.
| but they allowed the charter because
| it was found THAI there was local
| traffic between FrccpOrt and Var
mcutE which required Il street railway
in the matter of the Augusta & TOguS
| Railway. commissioners report. A. ID.
| 1860. pa1e 100, which was opposed by
| the KcnneDcc Central Railroad Co.,
| running from Gardiner to ToguS, the
| commissioners put their decision strict
| ~ uprn the ground Of local traffic
which required Il street railway from
| ToguS to Augusta. In the matter Of the
| Lewiston, Winthrop & Augusta Street
| Railway charter, commissioners re-
| port. \. d. 1902, page 11S. the commas
-inncrs again put their decision strict
IL upon the necessity fer local trafiic
| train i'm the matter of the WatCrVlllc
| /. Oakland Railway. commissioners re
| ,ort 4. d. 1902 page 80. which was
ou,o..G by the Maine Central Railroad
| ro.. t!,c commissioners decided that the
| through traffic between Watcrville and
oa1,Iand was not to be considered, but
that the local traffic was the determine
NV factor. Tie decision Of the board
In the latter case presents the reasons
which apply 50 fully to this case that
NC >ppy herewith portion;
'rhc electric railway often gives ser
Vie which the steam road cannot give.
Electric Cars arc run Sngly and often
Whiic the steam cars are run in trains
ana necessarily less frequent. The
steam cars have only one general sta
tiOn in one town. while the electric cars
run through the streets and take pas
sengcrs at more convenient points. The
electric cars stop for passengers when
ever ana wherever it is found neces-
sary, 50 that while the steam road
runs trains in sufficient numbers to
carry passengers, the electric railway
IS more convenient for people between
two points who want to take the cars,
or for reoplc who want to stop between
stations"
1t will be seen. therefore. that the
commissioners have not deviated from
the principle laid down in this first de-
cisiOn in the matter of the Portland
Extension Railway, which is, that cleo
trio railways must primarily be con
sidored as serving the local traffic and
not the through traffic. We are salts
fled that this is the true policy for the
State Of Maine, and in this case we
ADOPT the same rule. We do not see
how street railway from Waterville
to Oakland through Sidney to Augusta
can serve the people who reside in the
towns Of Winslow and EassalborO, and
we can see nc reason why we should
now change our p0licv and deprive the