Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-09

% = .team railroad company and an cleo
trio railroad company. either voluntarily
or by order Of the pupils u.ili.ass com san
ton. such steam railroad company or
electric railroad company shall at reason
abie times, for reasonable compensation.
and under reasonable rules and condi-
tions. draw over their respective tracks
the merchandise and cars of the steam
railroad company or electric rehfoee
company as the case may be with winch
such pltysical connection Is SO estab-
lishei: r,royided such cars are OF proper
gauge are in good running order, prop
erly equipped and loaded ana otnerwise
safe for Transportation; provided furthes,
II the CORPORATIONS cannot agree upon the
times at which. or the rules and conoi-
lions under which, cars shall be Drawn.
or the compensation to be paid, tho PUBIC
utilities commission shall upon petitlon
Of either party and notice TO the other
and after hearing the parties interested;
determine the rate of compensation ana
fix such rules, conditions and PERIODS,
having reference to the convenience an, an.
public to be accommodated there Dv.
Any agreement entered into between any
two or more such corporations under
this section. or any order Of the public
utilities commission hereunder. shall at
ali times be subject to annulment. altera-
ton or modification by said commission
after notice and hearing.
Section 8. The duties imposed upon car
riers and the authority conferred upon
the public utilities commission by TINS
act shall extend only to an auxiliary serv-
ice by electric railroads. and said conf
mission shall not be authorized to require
any physical connection or service herein
provided for in any case where there are
existing steam railroad facilities which
can be with reasonable convenience used
by the persons who desire the above
named electric railroad service. When
ever any steam railroad freight car -
hauled onto the rails Of any electric rail-
T.. y, srtDlI n
to the steam railroad at the same juno
ton point where taken without other use
than that for which such car was taken.
1t shall be the duty Of said commission
in making any order for physical con-
nection and the service herein provided
for to reasonably protect each steam raft
road company from short hauling u
self. Nothing herein contained shall be
construed as requiring any common car
rier 10 give the use of It's tracks or ter
minal facilities to another carrier en-
gagged in like business.
Section 4. The term steam railroad
or steam railroad company as used
herein shall be construed to mean any
railroad or terminal company. however
chartered, using steam as ITS motive
power And the term electric railroad
or electric railroad company" as usea
herein shall be construed to mean any
railroad or terminal company using cleo
tricity as It's motive power.-(Approved
March 16, 1919
CHAPTER 40.
An Act to amend Section forty eight Of
Chapter fifty-sX of the Revised stat
utes. relating to inspection Of railroads
Of the Revised Statutes is hereby amend
ed by striking out all of said section and
substituting therefor the following;
Section As. The public utilities COM
mission. one member thereof. or some
competent person by said commission duly
appointed. annually. and at any other
time on application or whenever they
think necessary. shall carefully examine
the tracks. rolling-stock bridges. via
ducts, and culverts of all railroads; and
shall annually make a report to the gov
ernor of their official doings. therein stat
ing the condition of the road and rolling
stock. with such facts as they deem Of
public interest or which he may require
and all persons managing railroads shall
give the commission such information as
they at any time require. - Approved
March 10, 1917
CHAPTER 50.
An Act requiring the placing Of warn
ing signs at grade crossings.
Section I. Within six months from the
passage of this act there shall be placed
and thereafterward maintained warning
signs OF every highway or other way
within the state approaching a crossing
at grade of such highway or other wa y
ana the tracks of railroad. Such
signs shall be placed on each side of such
crossing at such distances as shall be
determined upon by the public utilities
commission and the State highway COM
mission which two commissions are here
ny required and vested with the authority
OF causing to be located and maintained
such warning signs: provided, however
that IN the compact parts Of cities and
towns where the conditions mentioned in
Revised Statutes chapter tifty-seven, sec
ton seventy-nine, exist and are observed
and at all other places where in the
no ad
missions such signs are unnecessary no
such warning signs need be erected
section 2 Such signs shall consist Of
a disc twenty-four inches in diameter.
the field thereof to be white with black
border line one inch wide, and with black
perpendicular and horizontal cross lines
two and one-half inches wide; the re-
verse side of such disc to be sulored
black. In each Of the upper quarter
ings shall appear in black the letter ar"
I'VE inches high. three and one-quarter
meme ihenes vice; lines one inch stroke. Such
tons beside the highway at a distance
or not less than three hundred feet from
me nearest rail of such crossing unless
Iva colioitlons IN the judgment of the
Two commissions named in section one
hereot make it reasonable to cause such
sign to be located at a lesser distance
from said nearest rail
Section g. The person controlling the
movement of any self-propeIled vehicle
upon passing any such warming sign 10
Gated more than one hundred feet from
a grade crossing shall reduce the speed
or such vehicle so that within a distance
OF one hundred feet from the nearest rail
OF such crossing such vehicle shall not
proceed at greater speed than ten miles
per hour upon or over such crossing. This
provision Shall be deemed TO require a
precaution in addition to those now pre-
scrlbcd by law or otherwise required
with reference to the duties of persons
on highway approaching a railroad
grade crossing.
Section 4. Any person violating the
foregoing section upon conviction thereof
shall be fined not less than ten dollars
and jurisdiction over such offenses Is
hereby conferred upon municipal and DO
lice courts and trial justices within the
state.
Section 5. The expense Of the erection
and maintenance Of each warning sign
mentioned in any section hereof shall be
borne by the State. bills therefor to be
approved by the governor and council.
and paid out of any funds not otherwise
appropriated.
Section C. Any person who unlawf,,IIy
removes throws down. Injuries or de-
faces any such warning. sign. shall bo
fined therefor not less than ten dollars.
and jurisdiction over such offenses s
hereby conferred, on each trial Justice
and municipal or police court Judge. re-
corder and clerk, In the State.-(Approved
March 10, 1919