Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-04-15

so SAYS PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN RAILROAD CASE.

Il WON toouou u0CIo0-Ok otIlCtiy u btoto-
ment-in the case of the complaint
against the Oxford Electric Co. for dis
continuance Of street railroad service.
The document Is long one, and the first
portion of it is devoted to . statement Of
the history Of the matter and the claims
OF the parties to the controversy, matter
with which people generally are quite
familiar. The commission then says:
"Whatever may be the real cause Of
the existing situation, no one will dis.
pute that it is critical, both for the
company and for the people Of these two
Villages, who very much desire and very
much need street railway service. II, as
stated, the company Ia without funds
and without the means OF raising funds
to make necessary repairs, and If the
condition of the roadbed, track and
equipment is such that the service can
not be rendered without repairs, 1t is
useless to expend time In an effort to
determine the cause and reason for q
condition which exists and which un-
lchanged prevents service. The thing to
do is to devise some method by which
necessary repairs may be made and ser
vice of q sort given by this company to
these two villages.
"The representatives of the company
gave az an estimate $50, 900 as the amount
necessary to repair and put the railway
property in q condition for the safe and
convenient operation. This involved the
laying of about 5000 sleepers, costing
1850 each laid, and q mile and half Of
10 pound rails, which Mr.. Gordon
thought would cost $40 ton. We find
that Mr.. Gordon was In error In quoting
the price upon steel rails, our informa.
ton being that the present price Is from
$45 to $50 a ton. This reconstruction
would, of course, result in roadbed and
track, W hich would be good for probably
twenty years, and from strictly en-
cheering standpoint would undoubtedly
be in accord with the best practice, but
the complainants cay that 1t is not neces-
sary to engage In such expensive recon-
struction, that the patrons Of the road
would be content with service which
could be given by replacing the present
rails upon proper foundation, and that
such reconstruction ought not to o@t
more than half the sum estimated. But
even this lesser sum the company says
1t is not able to raise without assistance,
and at the hearing suggested this situa-
ton and its solution, viz: The company
is unable to take down for sale any OF
its present issue of bonds. 1t must
therefore issue some form of secondary
securities. If 1t took second mortgage
bonds to any broker or banking house
or to individuals they would not be an
attractive investment and could only be
sold, II at all, at very great sacrifice.
On the other hand, if certain people of
Norway and Paris would take half of
such an issue the company could then
90 to broker or banking house and say,
THE people of Norway and Paris are
behind US in this particular transaction;
they are interested; they have shown
their interest and confidence by invest.
ing their money, and you may we'll be
assured that you are running no risk in
uniting with them and with US in this
ENTERPRISE The company says that
under these circumstances they would
undoubtedly be able to find q market for
half of the securities necessary to pro-
duce the amount required to make the
repairs. The company also suggested
| in this same connection that 1t would
elect to it's board of directors one citizen
of South Paris and one citizen OF Nor
way, who might thus be intimately In
touch with the business of the company
and represent their fellow citizens who
bad made an investment In the COM
psny's property.
"Acting upon the suggestion that the
existing rails might we'll be used, the
Commission has taken the matter up
with two practical street railway men,
who say that these IS pound rails IT
properly laid upon new sleepers will
carry the traffic of this street railway
and that while fast service and absolute.
ly good service may be impossible 1t will
at all times be safe service and as good
as that given in many small communities.
1--WE are not at this time going to make
an order either way with reference to
the resumption of service by the respond.
ent company, but shall retain the matter
for further action. At this time and
mon facts presented to US at the hearing
"a very brief outline of which we have
siyep) we recommend that the respond
emit company and the people OF Norway
and South Paris get together and deter
mine approximately how much IL Will
cost to rehabilitate the street railway
along the lines we have just suggested,
and whether the service which can
thereafter be given will be reasonably
satisfactory. That when 1t Is deter
mined what amount will be necessary
that the company issue Its second mort
gage bonds 10 that amount, and that
when the public has subscribed for one
half of such Issue the company make an
effort to dispose OF the balance at the
same price paid by the public and which
shall produce the amount needed. That
the company carry out it's suggestion OF
Offering to elect to its board of directors
one citizen of South Paris and one citi-
zen of Norway. That an effort be made
to see if the holders of the present issue
of bonds can be induced to permit an
amount to be set aside each six months
sufficient to pay fair return to the
holders of these second mortgage ponds
That this plan be discussed and per-
feoted as soon as possible.
eve also desire to discuss briefly an
other matter which was brought out at
the hearing. 1t was suggested by the
4 complainants that the Grand Trunk Rail-
way. as lessee of a branch line running
frem South Paris station to Norway viii
lsge, desired to be relieved OF the car
riage of passengers, express matter and
baggage, and that IL this service was
abandoned by the steam railway the
electric road could very easily obtain
this revenue. This branch line Is owned,
as we understand it, by the town OF Nor
way, who leases it to the Grand Trunk
system, and very naturally with the
electric railroad shut down the people
of Norway would not be inclined to
assent to an abandonment of service oy
the steam railroad, inasmuch as this 4
now its only means of public conveyance
between the two towns. On the Other
hand, if the street railway service wa!
resumed the people OF Norway woulc
probably not object to an abandonment
of service, and while this Commission
cannot and does not forecast either III
mower or it's action with reference to thu
, abandonment of service, we are willing
to saw that we should feel warranted II
going as far as was reasonable and proper
in helping to adjust and straighten ou
this disagreeable situation. It is I sait
that it costs the Grand Trunk $20,0U0
wear to maintain freight, passenger, ex
press and baggage service upon thu
!. branch line, and that 1t receives but
small percentage OF this amount. Wnii'
the railroad officials have taken up tn
matter with the Grand Trunk we are no
ant;ralv satisfied that they have pushes