Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-05-24
Attorney General Sturgis Probes Deep Into
Affairs of Lewiston, Augusta and Water
vile Street Railway at Continued Hearing in
Lewiston = Revenue of Road Has Dwindled
Alarmngly During Past II Months
GENERAL MANAGER SWEENEY IS
ON STAND ALL DAY THURSDAY

-t-.7' ~ kcnnehec 1ournal)
r..t.,.r. NJ. May 23.-Attorney
...,.ral ~tarei- prohcd deeply mo
,Toirs II the Lewiston, Augusta &
c,t,r,tI,e street Railway AT the Goa
..,,.d Icartnc a, the Chamber Of
,ommcrcc. Lewiston, Snd brought
,n, several interesting facts. Certain
4, IL mat tho company is facing the
enorm,us dcbt of $1,000. 900, that dur
,pr tho past T. months It's revenue
Ia. dvndlcd alarmingly. and that
q has occn told 10y its sponsors that
L mus, hereafter paddle its own e.
naucal canoe.
ATTORNEY General Sturgis had Man
arcr sweeney on the stand during
the entire day and submitted him 70
a cross examination TINT vas at
times almost grlling. Manager
Sweeney is the man that has. appar-
entity. hpcu chosen by the powers
that ho 10 lead the l.. \. & W. ont
OF financial bondage into Il land
towering with increased revenue md
re-ostnbllahcd public confidence
through the medium Of 7-cent fares
Attorney 6. :. McCarty of Lewis
ton. who represented the patrons OF
tho railway along the line u SABA
tls VAS first given an opportunity
~ be heard He stated that he de-
sired 20 give no testimony as 10 the
service, that was apparent enough
20 an He did wish 10 tio a hrt f
which he said he would have in :he
hands ~ the commission by Tuesday
oh
0sneral Manager Sweeney was then
e 1led and stated that ne became con-
rected with road about 10 wears ago.
That he has served as assistant man
ager aud had recently been appointed
manager. and that the subordinate OIL
sails were he same as formerly y sep
srate report of the L. A. & w. system
was made to the Public Utilities and the
report ~ tho Cumberland County Power
and Light Go does rot include the sIs-
ten be manages IN response to inquiry
as 10 the stockholders OF the l., A. x
". system and the Cumberland County
Power and Light, he said that they were
not Identical and that there was no gem
eral community Of interest between the
TWO iio told ~ the conversion OF com
mon stock amounting "a ssS"O into
preferred. 10y payment OF $40 per share
by the stockholders. Asked concerning
amy further pay mcnt, nc stated that
ho could not answer.
Nj Sweeney rctold the story Of the
construction OF the road by the North
cru Construction Co ana the subse-
ulcnt transaction which resulted in The
turning over Of the L.. 4 & w. system
of the then newly constructed lines from
Lewiston TO Mechanic Falls. from Sd
battus 10 Gardner ana from Watcryillt
to Augusta
When questioned ~ q the marke,
price Of J.. \ ~ " STOCK he WAS un.
able 10 saN he hid never heard any
quotations AMI had heard ot 10 sales
Nn tho '"""' preferred stock a divi
derd &c p.r ,rnr hud l".n pIid witt
thr exception ~ the lass. which hao
been stirprd As requested ~ the hear.
lnE on Tuesday inc exhibited a blue print
-hoWiur the traci5agc of the system
th tho tar' a'no+ designated thereon.
These loi rH Nerr created when the luc4
t.t hc'n ru' ,u'" operation aud there
1.i p",n Dr.. frv changes since. tn,
are basel approximately on dis
"H but consideration 10 local couli-
''N' "a ais" used That iho zones vary