Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-19

service was very poo1. - ASSioSAAs 49,
there either had to so to dinner at ,l.3o
A. n. or 13o P. NJ, and he didn't know
when he could get back. The roadbed
was bad and the service poor. The
school children were landed in Augusta
at such hours that they had to wait out
of doors for school to begin.
Supt. E. A. Gray of the Eaton Co.
said his operatives were bothered most
by the waits. Cars ran on such sched-
ules that to get to work on time they
had to leave homo very early and then
await working time. The same on leav-
ing. work at night. Finishing at p.
NJ, it was wait for $50 car. To get
to work at Z A. NJ. must arrive at $50.
Ever since the 7-cent fare went into ef-
| feet the cars had been late. Could get
record to Prove it. Think better sched-
ule could be made for the working peo-
| pie. mills. factories, schools and others
| Thought the Skin stops" not appli-
cable to places the size of Augusta,
Hallowell ant Gardiner to any appre-
ciable degree. but intended for the con-
! gested traffic in large city centers.
! Thought the cutting out of the con-
CEMENT stops in our small places IN
wise. In winter 1t would cause old pep
pie to walk twice the distance in all the
bad weather, an entirely wrong plan.
Charles r. Hall of the Vickery & Hin
Publishing House said Mr. Gray had
exactly voiced his views on the sebject
Mr.. Sawtel.e read letter of protest
from Eta H. Morrill,, who lives below
the car barn and who If the "skips''
were to be continued would lose present
employment.
The Electric Roads Side
General Manager Albert S. Sweeney
Of the L.. A. 6; w. then presented the
roads side Of the case. The road ex-
pected to increase it's revenues by the
increase to 7-cent fare, but conditions
had combined and the revenues were
falling off constantly. June showed 4
little increase. July and August a de-
creases and September a slight increase.
but October great falling off, some
time $1,000 day. We have tried so ia,
to keep faith with the public and i'm
prove the service and have spent all
our money on maintenance for that pur-
pose, from so to 80 per cent. over the
amount in 1917
We are facing added expense all the
time, with a coming wage increase and
we shall need before spring at ,e,st
"nV'"V over the revenues. l don't know
"nere we are going to get the money
we are trying to cut down all possible
ana keep agoing through the winter.
but we are really facing absolute sus-
pension of operations,
Regarding the Skip stops" we in
stitute that plan in the interest of
economy. Other roads have found ;,
saving or from 10 to rs per cent. by
thls plan. The government had also
insisted IN conservation of fuel by
the steam-using railroads. We use
largely electrical power but about 1r
per cent. is generated by coal. We
used our best judgment in locating
the stops. but wish it understood tina
That II the commission recommends
we will relocate or restore such
stops as may be considered reces-
sary. But remember, it is one nr the
ways in which the company can
economize
Inc conference then passed INTO 4
series OF questions and answers be-
tween the people present and Mr.
Sweeney. all calculated to bring the
conditions and how to remedy or
change them with the best results to
all concerned. Nc indications Of eva
sion on the part of the roads repre-.
sentative nor undue feeling against
the road appeared
:, 1t was suggested by Mr.. GRAY that
the arrivals and departures in Au-
susta bc changed to quarter IF and
quarter past the hour, for the accom-
modatlon of the workers and schoo!
children MIR. Sweeney said it was a
proposition worth his consideration.
He thought the noon trip between
winthrop and Augusta could not be
spared but that an extra trip could
be put in TO accommodate the people
from State street to say. Morangs.
Then the car could be swung over
across the river and make a trip for
the people as far up as Weber pond.
Asked about the demand fer the
train trip on the Winthrop line. ne
said their experience was that more
people asked for the car than patron
ized these extra trips. Regarding the
$50 r. NJ. FassaLboro car, he cited
two Saturday nights when the re-
ceipts were AZ cents and 81 46. later
admitting that they were on rainy
days He also said IL 1890 p. NJ car
has been put on that run. Supt Wey-
mouth had request for car for
people finishing work at 6 and + had
taken sometimes two fares. some
times six; Thursday night, it took
four. We can't operate trips unless
people patronizc the cars
Chairman Cleaves--Jn view Of the
large amount Of criticism of the road.
don't you think that if you strain a
bit and favor your patrons and make
a decided effort to better these con-
ditions, it would help do away with
that feeling lot? l know the road $
situation has its financial limits, but,
Mr.. Sweeney, if it was your boy OF
girl you would see the full force OF
all this.
Sweeney do. This action on the
part Of the road in this emergency is
not part of our feelings in the mat
ter-it is matter of stern necessity.
The people must ride and support the
road or we must stop operation.
We feel that we have been con-
servative instead of radical IN our
changes and they have been for the
best good of the road and The peo-
| pie. We will make the noon change
on the Winthrop line and fix he trip
I IN yNnhhnr TIo