Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-25
STATE HOUSE,
Hearing on Better Train
Service at Somerset jet.
Governor and Council Meets To-
day--Mrs. Royce Asks Pardon
State Board Of Charities Partial Re.
port-..hIghway Com. Meeting
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Regular Meeting of Governor and
Council Will Be Held at 10 A. M.
Wednesday, March IS.

A hearing of interest and Importance
was held before the State Board of
Railroad Commissioners Tuesday
morning at the State House on the
petition of DR.. e. d. Humphreys of
Jackman and 81 others asking for bet
ter train service on the Canadian Pa
cific railroad at Somerset Junction. The
petitioners were represented at the
hearing by A. K. Butler of Skowhegan
and H. l. Goss of Bingham. The Can
adian Pacific was represented by its
attorney, E. C. Ryder, and Asst. Supt.
III. c. Grout of the railroad. Hon. Seth
M. Carter of Lewiston appeared for
the Maine Central.
Mr.. Goss opened the hearing by
stating the demands of the petition
ers. He stated that Somerset Junction
Is in the heart of the numbering dis
trict, where with proper accommoda-
tions for travel the public would be
greatly benefited. In his estimation
there are about 100 inhabitants around
Jackman, and about 500 men are en-
ployed by the lumber operatives. with
the present arrangement" he stated,
"a. traveller leaving Jackman at 3 A.
M, would have to wait at Somerset
Junction until the next morning for
train on the Maine Central. Better
connections than this are surely need
ed" He thought that if the Canad-
ian Pacific could arrange to stop it's
express train at Somerset Junction, or
If the mixed train could be put back
would be satisfactory.
Il, TT T,s..
testified that every fall and winter
hundreds of workmen travel to the
southern part of the state and he
spoke of the difficulties one expert
ences going from Jackman to Bing-
ham, distance OF about rs miles. He
thought that IL the Canadian Pacific
would stop its express trains by flag
at Somerset Junction the people in
that vicinity would be satisfied.
Nelson Bartlett of Jackman. hotel
proprietor, was next called upon, be-
ing followed by w. S. Moore of Show
hogan. Both men felt that the rail-
road should give better service to the
residents of that section,
II. c. Grout of ST. John, assistant
superintendent of the Canadian Paci-
fic, gave information as ito the make
up of the trains on that route. He
stated that the ticket sale from SOM
erset Junction to Jaekman in January,
1912, was is sales and two returns, and
in January, 1913, 80 sales and one re-
turn. The railroad objects to stopping
upon signal at Somerset Junction, be-
cause OF confusion which there has
been at the station about Tagging the
train and also because the train cam
not run on schedule time if the stop
is made. The business he considered
too small to warrant keeping the sta
ton open all night.
Commissioner f. Keller of Rock
land asked Mr.. Grout If he considered
it reasonable for travellers to be OBJ
liged to be on the road the best part
of two days to cover a distance of
10 miles.
Attorney Ryder asked that he might
be allowed to submit a brief of his
case to the railroad commissioners
and stated that he would have the
brief ready within a few days. The
board gave him permission. Mr.. Ry-
der stated that the nature of the brief
would be to show that the State Board
of Railroad Commissioners has no
Jurisdiction over regulating the sched
ule of trains on the Canadian Pacific
Railroad. At that point the hearing
was closed.