Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-10


smashup on the tracks.
! He spoke of the beginning of the
enterprise, the Aroostook Valley
Railroad. Some time ago he started
this electrical line. ana since then
has built a few miles on both SIDES
! of the line. He stated that the 80
miles of road was operated by cleo
tricity from a power plant and that
because the road was operated by
electricity was the only reason he is
! in possession of it today.
Mr.. Gould is a strong believer IN
electricity as the motive power Tor
railways. The only power feasible
| to make a railroad a success, IS
electricity" he said THAT is the
matter with the railroads today;
they are all operated by steam"
| He pointed out that today with the
union wages and the prices OF coal 1t
F, Is impossible for steam railroads TO
make money, and he pointed cut how
railroad stocks which were once con-
| sidered as secure as any in the coun-
try. had gone down. In contrast to the
high cost of coal and steam power. he
i showed that the price of electricity
is but one and half cents per kilo-
watt as it is supplied to the railroads.
Our little plant is doing success
full business" he said. 1--WE have not
advanced our prices while the price of
everything else has gone UP. We are
keeping along just the same as in
1907 when the prices were reduced
He stated that the plant is now light
ing practically the whole Of Aroos-
took and the business is growing ev-
cry year.
He told of the plan for putting an
extension on the railroad line and OF
it's possibility for success. going as it
will through one of the best forests
in the United States. Then there are
several water powers to be developed
within few miles of the railroad so
that they not only have the business
but also have the power right at hand.
| Mr.. Gould quoted from an article
in the Electrical Journal showing
what electric locomotives will do, and
showing that the cost of operating by
electricity is only about one-fourth of
that of the steam locomotives. The
cost of maintenance of a 300-ton cleo
trio locomotive is 10 cents mile, con-
trasted with the cost of so cents a
mile for a steam locomotive.
/ He stated that he had been INFORM
ed by Mr.. Lee that the only reason
| why in New England the steam rail-
roads are not electrified is on account
of the high cost of making this
change.
/ In closing his address Mr.. Gould
again reiterated his belief in the sue
cess of electric operated railroads.
Judge Cleaves on industrial Trans.
portation.'
Judge Benjamin F. Cleaves eXecu-
tive secretary Maine Associated In
dustries, spoke in part as follows:
j IF the manufacturers of Maine
were asked to express in sentence
what their transportation needs were.
I think each would answer, Lower
rates, and an entirely different char
acter of SERVICE
Upon each of these topics much
more could be said than could be
crowded into the period of time
which | feel is at my disposal The
manufacturers realize that the in
crease in rates has been to a con-
siderable extent beyond the control
of the railroads, but we are not en-
tirely convinced that the management
is absolutely free from responsibility
for some of the conditions which
made it necessary for the very alarm
ing increase in rates.
! Before rates can be decreased
sufficiently to give the manufacturer
the measure of relief to which he is
entitled. there has got to be some
thing more accomplished than mere
~ reduction in the wages of labor
This reduction is of course of maj
consequence, and in my Judgment
must be accomplished. Very much
of railroad labor is now being paid
more than similar labor in other
lines. Other industries have been
obliged to cut wages, and l can con-
ceive of no real reason why railroad
wages should not be decreased. but
4 there are many conditions which ex-
list which must be remedied before
the railroads will be able to so
function economically that rates can
lie properly reduced. What | have
in mind was expressed better than l
can express it in a resolution adopted
by the Advisory and Executive Com
mittees of the National Industrial
Council last month. The language
of the resolution was as follows
Whereas, Uninterrupted and eff
ficient operation of the railroads of
the L. S. is essential to the return
and maintenance of the prosperity of
this country; and
Whereas, There is imposed upon
the transportation systems arbitrary,
uneconomic costs of operation, as
well as an ever-present menace of
/ interrupted operation; and
Whereas, The Congress of the L.
S. is now investigating the causes
thereof, now. therefore.
Be 1t Resolved, BY the National
Industrial Council, in semi annual
conference assembled. that a special
sub committee of the Advisory Com
mittee be appointed by the Chairman
to appear before, and present to. the
appropriate Congressional Commit
tees the views of this Conference,
and TO urge that the following at
firmative principles be recognized in
the further recognition of our rail-
road systems, namely:
% The deliberate interruption of
r r. Service being socially destruc-