The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-05-15
formerly sent over the two separate
Operation Proved Satisfactory.


lie interest that in 1890 they were
allowed TO consolidate. and the East
ern railroad then went out OF exist
ence as separate corporation. In 1887
the Boston & Maine was permitted,
without any material opposition, TO
lease the Boston IL Lowell railroad.
I'm 1893, II took control OF the COnnec-
ticut River railroad; in 1895. OF the
Concord IL Montreal railroad, and in
1900 OF the Fitchburg, the absorption
OF these lines, and OF those that they
in turn controlled, producing for the
Boston & Maine "A practical monopoly
Of all steam railroad transportation IN
New England north OF Boston, Worces-
ter and Springfield and east OF the
Connecticut river, TO the boundary
line OF the Dominion OF Canada.
when the Fitchburg railroad was
leased, there was a contest Whlch oc-
cupied a large part Of the time OF the
Massachusetts legislatuprc up TO the
very close Of It's 1900 session, In the
early part of July. am quite certain
that no considerable portion oi us Gus
toners would like TO 80 back TO the
SEPARATE conditions Of operation thal
existed previous TO 1900.
"By It's lease OF the ConnectlcuI
River railroad, in 1893, and OF the
Concord a. Montreal railroad In 1872
the Boston a. Maine completed lt9
lines OF connection within itS own
control from Boston, Worcester ana
Springfield with the great Canadian
routes to the Wcst-the Grand Trunk
and the Canadian Pacific. These TWO
Canadian routes are the ones over
which the so-called 'differential west
bound freight rates apply from Bos-
ton & Maine territory; ana as huch
has been said at these hearings ABOUT
these dfferential rates, 1t may be wei
to explain what they are, ana no"
they came into existence.
Many years ago the Grand trunk
railway, in connection with the Gen
tral Vermont and other lines leading
to Boston by way OF the Boston
Lowell railroad, insisted that by rea-
son of It's greater difficulties in trans
portation and the longer time re
auired for the transit OF goods over
its lines. II was entitled to give to It's
customers lower rates on certain
western freight than those establish
ed by the so-called standard ana
more direct lines to and from the
same points.
Serious Rate War Followed.
"The standard lines declined to per
NIT this differentiation and long ana
serious rate wars resulted. Finally,
without any definite agreement DelhG
arrived at, the standard lines SUBMIT
ed to condition that they could not
change, and the Grand Trunk was al
lowed to keep in effect rates between
New England and the West 10 cents
hundred hrst-cass and proportlOnally
upon the other classes, below the
standard line rates.
when the Boston Il Maine became,
through its leases above referred TO
the arbitcr OF it's westbound rates out
of New England. 1t continued these
differentials and also applied them via
the Canadian Pacific line. As time
went on. 1t was discovered that these
difIerentials were giving To the Cana
dian lines an undue proportion OF the
traffic between New England and the
West and, with the assent of all lines
interested and not at the dictatlon or
the New Haven or any other road, II
was arranged that the differential
should be reduced from 10 cents to
) cents rst.class, and proportionaHy
upon the other classes, and this basis
of differentiation is now In effect.
when the Boston 4 Maine, in 1900,
leased the Fitchburg railroad, II be-
came possessed of direct and stan
dard line between its territory and
the West, In connection with the New
York Central system and other routes
west of the Hudson river. II the line
of policy that has been repeatedly pre-
diCted i'm the course Of these hearings
had been followed by the Boston 4
Maine, IL would from the moment 1t
became possessed of standard line
over which IL could charge full stand.
ard rules. have withdrawn all of its
differential rates by way OF its Gan
adian connections. but it has pever
done anything OF the kind.
Something has been said here
about the withdrawal OF differcntial
western rates from stations upon the
New Haven railroad near or contigu-
Gus TO. Boston 4 Maine terminals,
and that this was done upon the re.
quest of the New Haven road. At NO
time. I'm recent years. through the ali.
sorption of locals. or otherwise, have
the diffcrcntial rates of the Boston 4
Maine been applied from stations in
the New Haven's territory.
Shippers Given Advantage.
1T is. however. true that shippers
at these stations were until recently
/ given the advantage of Boston x
| Maine standard rates. and that the