Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-03
Railroad Investigation

The Public Utilities Commission Sat-
urday issued an order that the COM
mission. on its own motion, institutes
an investigation Of any and all per
diem car charges, demNrage charges
and free time allowances in connection
with the loading or unloading of freight
at Bath by the Maine Central Railroad
Company and the Lewiston, Augusta &
Waterville Street Railway, and of all
contracts, agreements, tariffs or Gus
toms connected Herewith and that
there forthwith be served on the Maine
Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville Rail-
way a copy of the order certified by
the clerk Of the commission.
The order states that the Maine Cen
trail Railroad Company, public utility
under the jurisdiction of this commits
sion, in it's tariffs on file with the COM
mission provides in substance that
when a carload Of freight arrives at
its destination, the consignee is al
lowed 4S hours time in which to un-
load the commodity from the car with
out any demurrage charge or per diem
car charge during the 4S hours, and
without difference in the custom or
privilege in consequence Of any such
car belonging to the Maine Central
Railroad Company, or being foreign
car" on the tracks of this railroad COM
pany. And the same rule or custom is
in force with reference to the loading
Of an empty car for shipment.
The second section states that the
Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street
Railway is a public utility under the
jurisdiction of the commission and has
freight rates. charges, rules. regula-
tons, etc, and nowhere therein is set
forth any other or different rate, GUS
tom or charge than that Of the Maine
Central Railroad Company.
The third section of the order says
that there exists at Bath an actual
physical connection between the tracks
of the Maine Central Railroad Compa-
ny and the Lewiston, Augusta &
Waterville Street Railway. by means
Of which cars loaded with freight
and standing on the tracks of
the Maine Central Railroad Compa-
ny may be hauled onto the tracks of
the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville
Street Railway for delivery along the
line of the street railway company by
means Of which empty cars may be
hauled from the tracks Of the Maine
Central Railroad Company for loading
along the line of the Lewiston, Augusta
& Waterville Street Railway and re-
turned loaded for shipment via the
Maine Central Railroad Company and
that various persons. firms and corpor-
atoms Gncluding the Bath Box Com
pany), a corporation located and hav-
ing factory at Bath desire to use and
are in fact using, such physical con-
nection and the above named incident
privileges and advantages in the con-
duct Of their business.
The order further states that the
Maine Central Railroad Company ant
! the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville
Street Railway are severally requiring
these persons, firms and corporations
at Bath to do the following things, viz
| When a loaded car standing on thu
| tracks Of the Maine Central Railroad
| Company at Bath is taken therefron
by the Lewiston, Augusta & Watervill,
Street Railway to its own tracks fol
delivery to the consignee the steam
railroad requires the street railway t.
! pav per diem charge of As cents o,
each such car from time Of deliver,
thereof to the street railway unit
such car is returned to the steam
railroad either loaded or empty, an,
wholly without regard to the 48-hour
free time" for unloading mentioned ii
the tariffs; and further. the steam rail
road company allows no free time" TO
loading cars taken by the street rail
way company onto it's tracks but in
stead thereof makes the charge Of 4
cents for each car each day the sam
as IL of the tracks Of the steam rail
road company; and the street railwa!
company, having taken any such ca
onto its own tracks. and set the sam,
for loading or unloading, allows n,
free time" for the same but charges
IS cents a day for each day the car Il
being loaded or unloaded without re
gard to the time when any such loaded
car reached Bath for unloading or whel
any such empty car was set and read,
for loading, and returned loaded to tn,
tracks Of the steam railroad company
| The utilities commissioners in clos
ing say that whereas the per diem rate
toll and charge. under the circum
stances set forth, il deemed to be un.
reasonable and unjustly discriminatory
| and that the regulation and practices
| of the Maine Central Railroad Com.