Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-10
HAS A REMEDY
Boston Chamber Of Com. on
The B. & M. Situation.
Pledges Faith in Cooperation,
Confidence and Contribution.
Would Avoid Inconvenience and
Losses Of Receivership.

put on us leel. AAu liiS bOSeS-
Chamber and the business men OF
New England should make every en-
deavor to bring this about. Ihis
was their comment on the portion of
Governor Walsh's inaugural which
dealt with the Boston & Maine.
Northern New England is good
railroad territory" say the directors
of the Boston Chamber of Commerce
in statement issued this afternoon.
Its industrial output is large and its
people know the value and use OF
capital and can be depended on to see
that investments in the railroad which
serves them yield a fair return II the
necessary readjustments are made.
and if they are convinced that the
road is managed solely in the interest
of stockholders and the people of New
England, and that it's operations are
characterized by efficiency and econ
omy.
Burdensome Contracts.
Contracts which are unduly bur
densome-such as the Pullman con-
tract and the American Express Com
pany contract-should be revised; and
in view of the present financial con-
dition of the Boston & Maine. the
community has every right to ask that
this be done-and done at once, before
the road is transferred to new hands.
I'VE agree with Governor Walsh
that such leases of other roads as,
looked at in the light of present con-
ditions, are inequitable, should be re-
adjusted. This may prove an impor-
tnr fao orr ,ernr of
the road should use every effort to
| bring this about, and the lessees
should be ready to meet the situation
in broad spirit.
1T is claimed, and generally con-
coded, that the amount paid by the
Government to the Boston & Maine
for carrying mails is less than what
it costs the road to carry them. The
deficit last year, before the introduce
ton of the parcel post, is stated by
the road to have been about $500, 600.
The Government has no right to make
the railroads carry mail matter at
less than cost.
THE road has received no payment
whatever for carrying the heavy par
eel post matter; and it has, on the
/ ohhti ii1ii, btCli dCplifeu VI ii DOi
ton of the income formerly received
from the express company-for a con-
siderable portion of the parcel post
matter was formerly sent by express.
we believe that the Boston &
| Maine, and the other roads of the
country, are entitled to the active and
energetic support of the Boston
Chamber of Commerce and all other
commercial organizations in their en-
deavor to have the amount paid by
the Government for transporting mail
and parcel post matter increased to a
fair and equitable amount Immediate
ly.
3. G M. New Management.
1T is settled that the Boston &
Maine is to be separated from the
New Haven. No one knows in whose
hands the future control and manage
ment of the Boston & Maine will be-
They should be New England men,
representing New England capital,
and of such character and reputation
that the people who put their money
into the road and the people who pay
the road for services rendered may
both feel assured that hereafter the
road Will be managed wisely, eff
ficiently and prudently.
New England never yet has lacked
the courage, the capital or the public
spirit to do whatever is vitality neces-
sary for New England-and nothing is
more vitality necessary to the future
welfare of New England than a we'll
equipped and welI-managed railroad.
cOn6natpd to,
stockholders and of the territory
served by it. We have a right to ex-
pect that those men to whom the peo-
pie of New England have been accus-
toned to look for financial leadership
will not be found unwilling to assume
leadership and responsibility in this
emergency.
The future owners of the Boston &
Maine, whoever they may be, have
the right to ask that the public show
It's Willingness to help bring about
such a situation that those who have
money TO invest can reasonably be ex-
pected to invest it in that road-such
a situation, in short, that the man
who expects other people to put
money into that road will be willing to
do so himself.
Whatever one may believe as to the
causes of the present deplorable con-
dltlon, we must realize that it is the
future that is important The people
of New England must ask for new
capital for the Boston & Maine road.
and 1t is necessary to create condi-
lions that will make this new invest
ment wise and prudent. The material
fact is that the income of the road at
present is not sufficient to meet its
operating expenses and fixed charges
to say nothing of providing a fair
return to It's stockholders.
Income Must Be Increased.
Its income can, and in our opinion,
ought to, be increased in the ways we
have already mentioned; but these in
creases will not be sufficient to bring
It's income up to the required amount
1t seems obvious that, as suggested by
the Chambers Committee on Trans
portation two months ago, there
should be readjustment, for the pur-
pose of increasing its revenue of its
| rates, whether they be freight passen-
| ger, express, mail, sleeping car or
other rates"
This Cha m bar faxvoral ~ =, =.