Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-30

ferred to. on Nov 81, 1912, and which
is maintained by the Maine Central
railroad.
In making particular reference to
the position of the engineers, the
board does not lose sight of the fact
that the contentious of the firemen are
| based along the same lines.
The brotherhoods further contend
that regardless of the first proposition
as outlined above. and they have Of
fered evidence upon these points, that
the Bangor e Aroostcok Railroad Co.
can afford to. and should, meet their
demands. with regard to its financial
ability.
The brotherheods further contend
! that the working conditions which at
tend engineers and firemen on the
Bangor & Aroostook lines are I'M
favorable and hazardous as compared
with those lines operating under the
standard agreement.
The board is satisfied that both par
ties to the controversy will not seek
its assistance as arbitrators at the
present time as the attitude Of the
railroad company opposes either ar
bitration or mediation, and the auth
orized representatives of the brother
hoods will consider arbitration only
under the terms ofIhe Erdman act
heretofore referred to, or under federal
regulations, and both parties refuse to
accept the State board of arbitration
as arbitrators of their difficulties; and
the brotherhoods further state that
thew have haar cton6 10
enter into arbitration under the fed
eral law
The board feels that the situation
now existing between the Bangor &
Aroostook Railroad Co. and the strik-
ing brotherhoods threatens the public
welfare. In compliance with the pro-
visions of section 4, chapter 229 of the
public laws of 1909, and the spirit of
your excellency's letter to the board
above referred to. the board has made
what 1t considers a fair and COM
paratively complete investigation into
the effect of the strike. and particu-
larly in Aroostook county. To this
effect the board has examined repre-
sentative and prominent business men
either Of that county or doing bust
ness there.
In the strongest terms Mr. +. L.
Cleveland of Houlton, president of the
Aroostook County Potato Shippers as
ISOLATION, who has resided and done
business in that county for So years,
and who. is an extensive shipper of
potatoes Ia all parts of the county,
states that the effect of the strike up
to the present time has been of most
serious importance to the potato deal
ers of Aroosteak county, TO the lum
Der interests, paper industry, and gem
eral business: that idle cars and the
inability of merchants and dealers to
move their goods over the Bangor &
Aroostook lines, so necessary to that
movement, has already occasioned
them large losses of money and pros
pectiVe business; that in some instan-
ces considerable orders for goods from
out of the county have been cancelled,
and that q prolongatfon of the strike
will be attended with serious and even
disastrous financial results upon the
citizens of that county. including the
enormous potato growing industry it
self. He states that there are yet to
be shipped $1,000 car loads of potatoes
HUN AIo9SlpOh Guilty ItpA
about one half of its annual output.
J A paralysis, even temporary, of the
freight service Of the Bangor & Aroos-
took Railroad co. must mean, in his
opinion. a loss difficult to calculate in
figures at this time.
Along this line, and as emphatieally,
Mr.. Cleveland is borne out by the tes-
tinony and opinion of other prominent
and reputable business men of Aroos-
took county who are conversant with
its affairs and its needs. These gen.
tlemen state that a present loss not
only obtains, but that the future loss
of business must necessarily be great
as buyers il they are unable to have
their existing contracts fulfilled with
i'll good season, will naturally turn to
other markets in the future for their
supply.
: Mr. Fred \. Gilbert. a life long res
ident of Penobscot county, and pecu-
liarly familiar with it's lumber and pulp
industry and that of Aroostook county.
regards the strike situation as parti-
cularly serious and that a prolonga-
ton of II must be attended by large
losses of money and great ineonven-
fence to the business Industries of the
two counties. In the opinion of these
gentlemen last above named the effect
upon those who depend upon their
supplies through carriage over the
Bangor & Atoostook railroad into
northern Penobscot and Aroostook
counties, will be oil. most serious con-
sequence, attended with financial loss
es and a much limited ability to tran
saet their business as under normal
conditions.
The effect of the conditions existing
upon the manufacturing interests of
yet another county, Piscataquis, may
be shown by letter addressed to the
chairman of this board under date of
the 25th instant, signed in behalf of the
American Thread Co. by Edwin NJ.
Hamilton. its manager, and of the fol-
lowing tenor:
The American Thread Co.,
Milo Spool Mills,
Milo, Me-, Jan. %, 1918.
Mr.. Frederic Bogue, Chairman State
Board of Arbitration and Cancellation,
Penobscot Exchange, Bangor, Me.