Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-30

books at "a per mile substituted.
While the announcement did not spe-
officially state that the road would in
crease its rate the withdrawal of the
books at the former rate makes the
advancement of a quarter cent per
mile automatic when the new schedule
goes into effect.
This Immediately attracted not only
smaller ticket spectators but bank
ers of national reputation and dur
ing the past week there probably Is not
a station on any branch of the Maine
Central Railroad that has not dis
posed of mileages sold in the ordinary
course of business. Many small deal
ers in the transportation books in
this state have already reported the
"cornering'' of hundreds Of the books
at the . cent rate and are preparing
to do a tremendous business when the
summer traffic season opens in few
weeks.
1t is reported on excellent authority
that the ewes of the big bankers of
this city (Boston and New York. were
also turned on the proposition to clean
up a little easy money on the rail-
road deal" and that the country sur
rounding the lines of the Maine Cen
trail has been secured most thorough
ly by representatives of the big bank
ing houses in search OF the 1000 mile
books.
lust what this means in the total re-
CENTS of the Maine Central Railroad
during the past week and what it will
represent in round figures before April
cannot be determined, but even the
most conservative estimates place the
sum in excess of $oO0,oOo. ana TINS
is a tidy little figure for the railroad
to have in it's Golfers for the opening OF
the big summer season.
And by the same token 1t represents
a stable sum of money for the bank
ers and spectators to have TIED up III
Maine Central mileage books IN the
event of failure on the part of the rail-
road to carry out its policy as an
nounced. for in that event, while the
books would be salable at their race
value the venture would prove rather
a moor investment for those having
few thousands sewed up in the deal
The announcement of the road has
caused a public unrest in this vicinity
and this feeling bids fair to spread 10
all parts of the state and may be COM
municated to the travelling public from
other states which use the Maine
railroad to any extent. The local feel
ing in the matter was expressed fully
in a resolution introduced before the
Republican general caucus, held here
Friday afternoon, by Edgar e. Rounds
calling for the insertion of a plank
in the Republican State platform reg
ulating the passenger tariff rate on
the Maine Central Railroad and reduc-
ing the tariff to cents per mile. This
resolution was amended so as to re-
late to all railroads operating in the
state and was then adopted by
unanimous vote of the convention
That similar action will be taken In
other parts of the State is predicted
Should the plans of the railroad as
announced to be carried out 1t is be-
lieved that the question of passenger
traffic rates will assume a place of
importance in the coming State cam
paign heretofore occupied by the pro-
hibitory law and kindred measures and
that in the outcome of the collections
much will depend upon the attitude OF
the various parties in relation to it,
However, there are those who be-
lieve and are not at all backward in
stating, that the announced raise in
rates by the withdrawal of the 1000
mile books from sale on the LIST OF
April is nothing more nor less than a
bargain sale of the books for the