Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-04-08

new rails Wa 10 pounds 10 the yard
Weight OF the old rails was IS pounds Il
the yard. Said the ties were cedar, six
inch face, eight feet long. he bellvet
ties OF that quality and rails Of tina
weight we're desirable In rebuilding thu
road. Said the ties, laid, cost abou
e1.60 each, and sixty pound rail coult
be bought for $40 90 ton.
Mr.. Wheeler said the people Of thu
two villages desired to present evidence
OF the need of the road between th,
towns and that they had witnesses, mo-
only from the villages but from sur
rounding towns and he wishes to intro
duoe them first 90 they could depart fol
home II they wished.
The commissioners announced u
would be unnecessary to introduce suct
testimony, rs they recognized the desire
for and need Of such road.
Testimony was then introduced tc
show inefcienoy of management and
indifference OF employees.
George L. Curtis, treasurer OF the
Norway Savings Bank, testified to the
roads indifference to schedule time and
OF a car remaining standing one-hali
hour on Main Street, without apparent
reason. He also stated he had known
the car to leave the track six times In q
day.
Howard Maxim, who had been an
employee OF the power plant, testified In
regard to break downs, also In regard to
the proportion of juice taken from the
station to run cars which was about ten
per cent
Stephen o. Jefferson, of the Carroll.
Jefferson Shoe Company, testified as to
the number of bands his shop employed
who resided in South Paris which at The
present time was about As, but had been
as high as 90. he also testified as to
lack of power furnished by the Oxford
Electric Company. This company runs
by steam in the winter when the shops
must be heated and BY electricity In sum.
mer. They could furnish no juice dur.
ing the summer of 1851
W. E. DeCoster, postmaster at Norway,
testified in regard to indifference OF EN-.
ployees. Asked in regard to the price
paid at the present time for carrying
the mail, said 1t amounted to about
s700 per year.
Frank r. Seavey, proprietor of Beal's
Tavern, testified as to the uncertaiDity
of car transportation for his patrons.
Ernest j. Record, late clerk of courts,
testified as to the need of the road for
fsaternal and social gatherings in the
two villages, and it's indifference to
catering to their needs. Mr.. Record Is
~ i1h
all of which are located in Norway. He
said there were 29 members of Council
residing in South Paris and A OF the
Chapter, to say nothing of the Ark
Mariners, the number of which he did
not know. With regular and special
during the winter they wanted
special transportation about once week.
George q. Eastman, of the South
Paris firm of Eastman & Andrews, whose
store is located at the end Of the track
in their village, testified that conductors
of the road frequently left passengers
who were running to take the car.
Byron W. futile, proprietor OF Hotel
testified along the same line
as Mr.. Eastman.
George R. Morton, General Manager
Of Paris Manufacturing Company, South
Paris, said they had from twenty to
thirty men working in their plant who
resided In Norway and depended on the
street railroad for transportation. Mr..
Morton was connected with street rail-
roads in the earlier part OF his life for
about nine years and his opinion was
asked about rebuilding. He thong BIT
lighter rails and hemlock ties could be
used, thereby lessening the expense.
Major j. Waldo Nash testified to the
lack of cars in connecting with the
Grand Trunk Railroad, especially at the
evening trains and on Saturday nights
" ben there had been unusual numbers
On account of excursion prices.
Stuart W. Goodwin testified to the
uncertainty of the schedule and lack Of
accommodations.
Mrs. Bessie Pierce of South Paris who
has worked eight years in the Brown,
Buck Compsny's store, testified to the
of transportation on the
,ars and to the profanity and uncivility
Of the employees.
Mrs. Howard Shaw coroborated Mrs.
Pierce's statements.
W. B. Russell testified privately to the
and lawyers Of both sides.
The Oxford Electric Company put on
only one witness, Mr.. William E. Atwood
Of Portland, auditor of The Maine Rail-
way, Light and Power Company. His
testimony was entirely on the financial
side of the company. In reply to ques-
lions, Mr.. Atwood stated that the COM
pany's outstanding stock amounted to
about Sl57,0OO The company was au.
to issue S250,000 worth Of
bonds. About SITE, 200 worth have been
sold. A part of these were sold for "
and a part at 90 l.2. The company has
a surplus Of of about $50, 900 distributed
in the business, about s., 900 being cash.
A sked If the s25, 900 of the electric road
was in this surplus. Said he did not
know, but supposed 1t was.
10 the closing arguments Mr.. Drum
mond confined himself to the statement
that the road was a bad investment and
that the funds were not available for re-
Mr.. Stsarns summing up the docu-
meptary evidence that had been sub
mitted the Com mission. that profit had
been made during the years Of operation
and might be made again, closed from
this point.
The decision will be handed down In
due process of time.