Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-31
Morning Session

The morning session opened at the
armory at IL o'clock. 1t was naturally
a private session, and what actions
were taken were not given out for
publication. Ralph Friend of Water
vile, and a member of the city coun-
Gil, was chairman of the meeting. The
time was given over to the general
discussion of matters relating to the
welfare and growth of the various or
CARNATIONS represented. The meeting
adjourned at l o'clock, and the dele
gates went to the Royal Cafe, where
a fine chicken and duck banquet was
served by Manager Robinson.
Pullen's orchestra furnished a short
concert before the exercises, which
opened in the opera House at go. The
chairs on the stage were occupied by
Grand Lodge officers, by the Governor
and by prominent members of the or
ganization.
Mr.. Friend again acted as chairman.
On behalf of the mayor, who is out
of town for a few days. Mark Bart
lett, city clerk, extended a welcome
for the city. He spoke of Waterville
as being a city. whose growth was
the citizens of the city to no small
degree.
Governor Hainos was next introduc-
ed but owing to the loss of his voice
brought on by continual speaking in
the open air, he said that he would
be unable to talk to them as he would
otherwise have done, and asked the
chairman to read his speech, as the
physician had ordered him to refrain
from any strenuous effort for several
days. The speech the Governor pre-
pared is as follows:
"As a citizen of Waterville, which !
like to call the railroad center of
Maine, I am pleased to meet you rail-
road workers of Maine upon this occa-
sion. AS the Chief Executive of the
State / am pleased to meet you and
to say at the outset that you are to be
congratulated as the workmen of the
largest railroad corporation in Maine
and the one great railroad in New
England which is financially solid be-
You'd question, because it has no bond
ed debt, and is owned by it's stock
holders, which l am also pleased to
say, are the people of Maine, subject
of course, to some temporary loan.
Every employee should have re-
speot for his employer, and this is
lard to accomplish when the credit of
the employer is doubtful We are a
State of great area and small popula-
ton. We have about 742 900 people, not
much more than greater Boston, and
yet when 7 am riding on any of our
railroad trains l find myself Us well
served and | feel as secure, and | am
treated with equal courtesy and con-
sideration by all employees as / am
when I go from Boston to New York
or from New York TO PENNSYLVANIA,
which has the densest population and
is supposed TO be served by some of
the greatest railroads in the world. I
am always able to speak with the
greatest pride and satisfaction of the
Maine railroads
Tine last railroad commissioners re-
port shows that our railroad companies
are paying TO the stockholders an av-
erage rate OF dividends a little above
S'2 per cent, that is, of seven dividend
paying companies. While this is NOT
great to those interested, financially in
the stocks of these corporations, thew
must get great satisfaction from the
splendid service they are rendering ia
the people of Maine, and especially To
the great number of summer visitors
who come and go from our State an
nually. l find that there are nearly IL
600 people working for these railroads
and the average daily wage for 1919
was about 80. 80 per day. an increase of
o cents over the pay for 1912. and an
increase IN the last 10 years Of as cents
a day, excluding general officers. 7
also find the efficiency of the service
which you have rendered to your com
panies and to the public during the
year 1913 was so perfect and complete.
that out Of total number of 64s o4o
passengers carried, only 1 passenger
was killed and 81 injured; that of ali
persons killed by the movement of
trains, locomotives or cars. 5s wero
killed and 267 injured, and of these
20 We're killed and 30 injured Will,
trespassing upon the property of the