Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-21
STATE HOUSE.
Lewiston, Augusta &
Watervi|Ie Street Ry.
Result Of Inspection by Board
Of Railroad Commissioners.
Rhodes Scholarship Examination In
Senate Chamber Today.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and coun'
Gil Tuesday, Jan. %, at 10 A. N.

The following statement of the ply
steal condition of the Lewiston, Au-
yusta & Waterville Street Railway,
which will be of general interest to
people Of this section of the State, is
contained in the annual report of the
Board of Railroad Commissioners, and
shows what has been done in the way
OF construction and improvements
along the system owned by the above
company during the past year:
The Lewiston, Augusta & WaterTille
Street Hallway. purchased by authority
Of the I'D Legislature, April "A. 1907.
the Lew iston, Brunswick & Bath Street
Railway and the Augusta, Winthrop &
Gardiner Railway. and extended its
system from Washington street and
Minnt avenue, in the city of Auburn,
through Minot and Poland to Mechanic
Falls, a distance of nine miles. The
rails on this extension are of 40 pound
weight, the ties are standard, two feet
on c,nters with double ties at joints.
The rails are laid broken ionted with
Weber joints. The road is bonded with
twin terminal bonds.
The overhead construction is 90
grooved trolley wire with aluminium
5000 feed cable. The storage system
has a capacity of $50 ampere-hOuFs
The maximum grade is five and one
half per cent with a compromising
grade. There is one bridge ~ feet
span designed to carry two 10-ton
standard freight cars. loaded. The
abutments are first-class concrete
The bridge is laid on a grade to con-
form to the grade at each end.
The Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath
Street Railway division of this SyS-
TEN is handicapped by many heavy
grades especially between Lewiston
and Bath. requiring a large amount OF
electric power in operation. Some OF
the grades have been relieved slightly
by raising the grade line in the hol-
lows and filling in trestle bridges.
Still further improvements are con-
templated by relieving the SUBMITS and
raising the says.
The policy Of the new organization
is to bring all it's lines to high stan
tl;ird of perfection as rapidly as POSI-
BILE With this end in view rails of ~
pounds per yard are being used upon
all new lines and gradually replacing
the light rails originally laid. This has
been done upon the line to the FAR
grounds and about one-half of the
lines of this road have the 7o-pound
rail. Wherever the streets are paved
q girier rail weighing 80 pounds 10
the yard has been put in There is
double track in fine line and surface
upon Main and Lisbon streets, Lewis
ton. and extending across the bridge
and Cor some distance in Auburn.
The lines upon Auburn streets and
out to Lake Auburn have been well
kept up and are well lined and sur
faced
The Sabattus line, which will con-
Stitute part of the line from Lewis
ton to Gardiner, has received a good
share Of attention and is materially inn
proved
In Bath a standard girdcr has been
laid i'll the paved streets. and new 1
rail. fastened with Weber joints, has
been la;d upon the south line, 50 called.
Upon the whole, the entire system IS IN
a very satisfactory condition ana Will
be gradually made better by the re-
placing of all light rails by the stand
ard 10-pound rail-.
The bridges upon this road show CYL
dence Of careful oversight by the main
tcnance department.
Very ftNP up-tO-uate, SEMI
cars of large seating capacity. equipped
with four 40-horSepowGr motors. are
used upon the rural lines and con-
tribute greatly to the comfort of the
patrons Of the road.
The Augusta Winthrop & Gardiner
Railway division of this system, from
Augusta to Togus. and from Augusta to
Winthrop, are of modern construction
l,@,
ough ballasting to make them as
smooth as the ordinary steam road.
AS previously reported, the line be-
tween Augusta and Gardiner is laid
with a light rail end has several heavy
grades to contend with. SO that we can
say that it is in very good condition
for 4 road so constructed. UndouDt-
eddy some changes will be made when
il becomes a part of through hne.
The crossings Of the Maine Central
Railroad at the foot of the steep hills
known as Louden and Rines hills are
still a menace to the travelling pubic.
which VIC still hope may some time and
somehow be removed.
This company has under construction
n road from Gardiner to Sabattus and
from Augusta to Waterville. the work
are completed the new company will
have line of railway extending from
Waterville to Bath and connecting with
other lines, SO that it will soon be pos
slble for person to travel by electric
railway from Watervlle to Boston and
beyond The missing link will be COM
pleted next season.
announcement was made Monday
forenoon at the Office of Hon. S. W.
tarr' insurance commissioner for the
stare that a certificate had been is
sued from the office authorizing the
Columbian National Life Insurance co.
of Boston to do casualty business in
the State in addition to the life bust
ness which the company has hereto
fore conducted.
The automobile registration business