The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-10-17

late evening train. it could only be
obtained by sacrificing one OF the
midday trains. but it seems as if we
ought to get along pretty we'll with
either the 1145 a. m or the l p. m.
Surely. ii seems an inequality TO
have two trains leaving SO near each
other and then there be no departure
for the next 10 hours. Perhaps the
greatest dissatisfaction with he pres
ent arrangement comes from our mar
ket and grocery men. Freight from
Boston now leaves that city in the
evening and is due to arrive at Wa
terville at 20 a IN Our train
which arrives here at S a. M. brings
no freight from the Boston train.
Last winter the marketmen interest
ed themselves and had this present s
o'clock train set back an hour giving
time to transfer Boston freight and
get it in here at 10 Il. m This made
splendid freight service, leaving Bos-
ton in the evening and arriving here
in the middle of the following fore
noon. At present, Boston freight
lies over in Waterville for "A hours,
and arrives here on the third day after
shipment instead of the second. The
railroad officials would probably be
entirely willing to change 10 the Gus
tom of last winter which would fix
us up very we'll so far as freight is
concerned This proposition, now
ever, meets with pretty vigorous
protest from banking and manufaC
turing interests. These people hav-
ing a large volume of correspondence,
find there is not time to get their
mail from train arriving at 10
O'Clock. and answer it in time for it
to leave at one At the recent hear
ing. this phase of the matter MAS very
vigorously presented.
A plan largely worked out by Post
master Mantor would meet the neces-
stiles of the freight situation and
without any material sacrifice as to
our mail or passenger service. In
fact. in many ways it would be an
Improvement upon all three consd-
erations Mr. Mantor's plan would
have our morning passenger train
leave at a m. as at present
Instead of the present departures
of the passenger train at ll.45 and
the mixed train at one. he would put
in passenger train leaving at 2
o'clock, and mixed train leaving at
about p. m. AS to arrivals other
than the 3 a. m. train above mention
ed. he would have a mixed train ar
riving at Il o'clock and the AS pas
senger as at present. The II O'Clock
inward train would bring freight from
the Boston connection, a very much
desired arrangement by our market
men. The p. IN. passenger depart
ure would make good connections for
Boston. and all points intermediate
except those between Wateryille and
Lewiston on the back road The Z
o'clock evening departure would con
meet with the Pullman, giving splen-
did passenger and mail service to
Boston.
The railway people may not follow
any of the above suggestions. II will
doubtless be stated by them that it
would neeessitate keeping the Skow-
hegan office open until I p. m. and
would require opening the olhee at
Hinckley and Shawmut in the even
ing. tpon this point, it might be
said that we could afford to provide
ourselves with tickets before six
O'Clock or use mileage for the I p m.
train. and that the people wishing to
use this train at Hinckley and Shaw
NUT could do likewise The point
may also be raised that a train leav-
ing here at : o'clock would have to
do the shifting at Hinckley and shaw
NUT in the evening, not as desirable
as under daylight conditions lpon
this point. it may be said thai tho
amount of shifting at these stations is
comparatively light at the present
time
The above connection with the Pull
man train is very important con
sideration for this entire territory.
1t ought. some way, to be brought
about
The above article is prepared with
the hope that our people may inter
est themselves in the matter and that
the railway administration may find
way to do something along the above
lines if urged.
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