Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-16
\ A Commune alton.
Editors Kennebec journal.

hSSSCio SOu nave hIIuly
printed in the Journal regarding the
proposed abolishing of the Rines Hill
crossing. l have no financial interest
whatever in the Electric road and
never, had nor do l expect to have
do own one share in the Maine Cen
trail Railroad. l ride over this most
dangerous crossing in the State Of
Maine in electric, steam and gasoline
cars. as we'll as by carriage or on
"Shank's Mare" probably as often as
any one, therefore am perhaps as well
equipped with good understanding of
the situation as any voter in the City
With this introduction thus desire to
have little heart to heart talk with all
persons who believe in the progress
and betterment of the town.
Being an Augusta boy and having
lived here for over fifty years. from
the standpoint of a common citizen and
taxpayer, l feel keen interest in the
welfare of our Capital City. am very
sorry that anyone should feel like com
way oppose what seems to me to be
the most favorable proposition that is
likely to be offered to the City. To
NY II SIlOuIu IltNe d
acceptance as far as the citizens of
Augusta are concerned. l realize a.
well as anyone that the City will not
get all that she asked for nor all that il
desired, but 1t seems as though it Is
all that we can reasonably expect al
this time. and my motto has always
been III one can't get cake. talk
gingerbread"
believe is it generally conceded tina.
our wise forefathers made a grave
| mistake when they built their roads up
| over instead of around the hills of oul
| fair City, but there is no question that
| the hills are here and here to stay
Now we have an opportunity offere'i
us to greatly improve the most inn
| pOrtant of our steep grades. do away
with the most dangerous and oni.
crossing over which there has ever
been any general widespread alarm,
make at least one safe and sane APP
proach to the upper and lower regions
or business and residential sections oi
| the City, and yet, in order to kill til.
measure entirely, certain parties come
forward and say. "Oh, no. we ought t.
| wait few more years and presto, as i
ny Hld6N, tllS SAoo9AAoN e~AA Se.AN
all at one SIAM"
Although there is lot of Sush abou,
only having the interests of Augusta al
heart, it would seem that the principe
object of these kickers was simply DC
lay, delay, delay so as to finally Kill
the whole proposition by further vagut
promises of great changes and inn
provements to come in the sweet BY
and by.
For more than forty years my wor'i
! has made it necessary for me to g
onto Water Street. But having been
born on the East side of the river AMI
having living there for some years
have only had to be brought face to
face with the railroad crossing prob
lem for about thirty years, and hay
ing lived in different parts of the CITY
on the West Side l have come III
against freight and passenger trains
from all quarters l footed it back and
forth, up and down, Winthrop ana
Bridge Hills six times day for what
seemed ages to me, and l think know
| what it is to be obliged to wait a.
these crossings when one is tied to tn
bell rope and has just so many minute:
| to get to dinner or supper and back
| when one is living a long way from III
| Job We did not then have the con
| venience of an overhead crossing thai
! now exists to help out foot passenger
going Winthrop or Oak streets. When
7 commenced driving to and from m,
work my daily travel was largely over
| the Bridge hill crossing, and many Il
| the time when blocked by freight
train | would start for Rines hill cross
ing only to find either another train
stalled there or the same train pulln ?
out, so to be blocked at all points.
With the proposed change this state
of affairs will not exist and there will
be one way clear for teams where
none now exist Now there is no rea-
son under heavens why an overhead
crossing for foot passengers cannot
be established at Bridge hill the same
as at the railroad station at very Sigh:
expense without recourse to the LegiS-
lature, then the quick going as well Is
heavily loaded teams can all use Rinee
hill The intermediate kind. the ones
with time to spare. can take their
choice of hills at their pleasure.
AS to the Engine Companies being
blocked on their quick runs to fires, i,
has always seemed to me that the
principal Engine house should h"
located near Hartford Square, which
would be much nearer the center of the
town, and thus avoid that mad rush
down SO steep a grade as Bridge Hill
considering that so large a per cent. Of
the runs mean a quick abrupt turn
onto Water street, either to the North
or South and the wonder is there have
not been many upsets, turnovers OF
other accidents and even loss of life
from this hazardous undertaking Now
that we have a new steamer additional
danger is threatened. Locating the
steamer near Hartford Square what
clear, safe and pretty run it would
make down the easy grade promised by
the abolishing of Rines hill crossing.
Can it be that there is any person of
ordinary intelligence in this city who
really believes that the Maine Central
Railroad intends to spend upwards of
half a million dollars to abolish all of
these crossings during the next few