Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-11
THE DEPRESSION
In Aroostook Caused by
Strike Continues.
Business Men Much Disturbed
Over Present Conditions.
AouIion Feels Effects Very Hard and
Her People are Kicking.

Houlton, Me-. Feb. 10.-(Special).--
The business depression which has
existed in Aroostook county for the
past three weeks on account of the
strike of engineers still continues.
The main question with people in
this section is when will the strike
be settled? And, as Mr.. Todd, presi-
dent of the B.. & A, has absolutely
refused to arbitrate the difficulty with
the men. there seems to be little pros
pect of settlement
The officials of the B. & A. con-
tinue to assert that trains are run
ming all right and that the men who
are taking the place of the strikers
are doing the work we'll and are as
efficient as the strikers, yet, Sunday,
it took crew IA hours to run a
freight train of 10 cars distance of
20 miles, from Caribou to Fort Fair
field Junction, which shows that
something is radically wrong.
The smaller shipping points are
feeling the effect of this uncertainty
cannot get any assurance from the
railroad agents as to whether a car
load of potatoes taken from a house
will be turned over TO the NJ c. r.
r. at Northern Maine junction in
three days or week.
The entire freight service is no i'm
provernent over the mail service On
Saturday. the first mail from the west
TO reach Houlton was at4 P. NJ, and.
Monday, it arrived at 3 p. NJ The
business from towns west of Houl-
ton is entirely cut off. as there lie
only one hour between trains and as
the only train on which people from
that section can come to Houlton has
not been on time since re present
schedule went into effect Hnthfon has
lost all of that trade.
The only relief from the present
disastrous condition which Aroostoek
county is in the midst of, seems to
be in the hope that the legislation
now started will develop something
to assist the county and that imme-
diately. 1t was the Legislature that
created the Bangor & Aroostook Rail-
road for benefiting Aroostook county
and the State of Maine and it is now
that Aroostook county looks to the
Legislature to help Aroostook county
and restore TO her the normal condi-
tins in her mail and freight service
and unless this Is done and done
quickly it will take years to undo the
vast damage that has already taken
place.
Bangor. Me, Feb. 10-The Commercial
says: The Bangor & Aroostook Railroad
moved lots of freight on Sunday, but
beyond that there was nothing of general
interest in the strike situation that had
developed since saturday.
Monday marked the third week of the
strike of the engineers and firemen. The
new men are rapidly becoming better ac-
quainted with the road. and are giving
satisfaction. They will, in accordance
with the notification sent out from the
office of the general manager, Saturday.
be given permanent employment with, the
B. & A. SO long as they shall continue TO
do their work in satisfactory manner.
Owing to the large number of freight
trains in service on the Bangor 4 Aroos-
took Railroad and the extreme cold
weather accompanied by a high wind.
there was a slight accident at oakheld.
Sunday afternoon; a switching engine in
putting a caboose onto extra freight train
III hitting the extra too hard and slightly
injuring two men, E. b. Smith and d.
Buckley, who were in the eaboose; their
injuries consisted mostly of cuts. There
was very little damage to the equipment,
the services of the wrecking train not
being needed.