Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-23
d loop service on state and Water


old loop service on state and Water
streets.
The bill for the change Of location oi
tracks Of street railway companies
which was introduced by Representa- :
tive Williamson OF Augusta provided
that anon petition nf 10 or more citl-
zons or taxpayers Of any municipality
setting forth that tracks are located
ineonvenieatly for the public the Sc
lactrlen may change the location ana
order the company to make the alter
atoms. Frank l.. Dutton of Augusta
appeared fer the proponents of the
measure and Herbert VI. Heath for TIE
rcmorstrantS.
John r. Graham nt Bangor presi-
dent Of tho Lewiston, Augusta x Wa
tcrviile st. Rv.. General Manager 1vcrs
Of the same road Charles +. Libby OF
Portland. president of the Portland
street Railway, and \. K. Gould. gen
eral manager OF tho Aroostook Valley
Railroad were all present in the in
tcrrStS Of the various street railway
s.Strins. and after the presentation Of
the case for the petitioners they Went
into conference for few minutes with
Mr. DUtton. the counsel for tile pro-
pOnentS. The result Of the conference
va" the reporting to the committee oi
Il NV draft. which provides that the
enahge % location is not t. be made
to 4 street other than the one upon
which the original location is granted
and also provides that the municipal
officers nav make such decision in
regard to expenses as may seem equi-
table, subject to appeal.
The second hill, introduced by Rep
roSentatiyc S,ichan of Augusta. pro-
Vides tilat no corporation granted n
right or location in the public streets
of the city of Augusta shall discontin-
un such location and orders all loca
tions 50 discontinued to be restored
and full operation Of such service te
he restored. Provision is also made ior
Injunction proceedings against the cor
pardtion 50 offending. Judge Benedicr
+ M3her appeared for the proponents
of the measure and Hon. Herbert N
Heath for the remonstrants Witnesses
for the proponents were Ernest l.. Me
Lean, city solicitor of Augusta, City
Clerk Elmer f. NcW'bcrt. George 4
Cloltier, Arthur Tetreault and J. @.
Blanchette. The witnesses for the re-
monstrants Were General Manager
Harry Il. lvers and Supt. Leander +.
Taylo" of the L., \. & w. st. Ry.
Frank l.. Duttnn explained in de
tail the provisions OF the first meas
ure considered, the act relating to the
change q location of tracks Of stree :
rairoads. He said ttat stree; rail
Wa% law had been built IN from one
session to another gradually and was
made BY It's namers largely in the
interests of street railroads. \ con-
crete Illustration pf the evil which
the Law was intended to remedy was
shown on Western avenue in Augusta.
where the track after passing SeWall
street divergod from tie middle of
the road to one side and was located
next the sidewalk and higher than
the grade OF the sidewalk, preventing
the proper drainage of the road. He
thought there should be q law so that
the municipal officers should have
some control over the location of the
tracks.
Mr.. Heath speaking IN opposition
said that practically every law that
hal been made in regard to street rail-
roads had been drafted by either him
or Mr.. Libby of TIE Portland Rail
road Co. The rights OF the people
had been safeguarded in the laws
relating to street railways because
they We're close to the people while
steam railroads We're allowed to 60
pretty much where thty We're placed
The general law. however, only pro-
vides for the location being undel
the direction OF the municipal OH
GERS during construction. There wa!
no provision Of law by which lnea
items could be peremptorily chal.ge'
after they had bean Cncc constructed
In the concrete instance m"ntlone
b. Mr.. Dutton the street railway ma
taken the present location on Nester
avenue against the desires of tn
company and at the demand of tn
residents of the street. He sugGeste
that a conference might save the tim
Of the committee and the conterenc
follow ed with the results alre ady mef
tioned.
Judge Benedict +. Mahcr coEducte
the ease OF the proponents OF IN
measure regulating tue use of flght
ard locations ir the public streets q
Augusta a yery breezy mannb, th
entire hearing being devoted to IN
controversy between citizens OF An
eeusta and the Lewiston, Augusta
WatcryiIle St. Ky. IL regard to TN
use of the tIacl.s on state street an
the tracks on Water street leading I
the I'd, arda mill, which We're par
OF the original loop established b
the old Augusta & Gardiner Roat
He began rs giving an extensive his
tory Of tho street railway situatio
In augusta. He declared that he
cause - the discontinuance of thi
service the residents OF the n"pul"2
Ward and the substantial t1tizer
of Ward We're unaccomiHodl'e
while extensions of ,he line haa give
ADEQUATE service to the residents
other sections Of the city. TIE mei
chants Of Water street above ifidt
were diecyimirated against By the lar
Of ear service 81 ttat point