Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-14

iHeAHoerS VI the augusta Rotary Dy
Hon. Charles E. Quincy, chairman
Of the Maine Public Utility Commits
sion.
He said that before the war it is to
be assumed that the railroads were
bankrupt. insufficiently equipped, ne
elected and incompetent and unsafe
Tor the purposes assigned to them.
In 1920 to bring homogenity. Con-
gress passed legislation directing the
Interstate Commerce commission to
prepare plans for the consolidation
now in operation in the United States
in limited number Of systems.
Three underlying principles were
laid down by Congress. first that so
far as possible competition should
be continued, second that existing
channels and routes of trade should
be preserved and third that the
groups be SO arranged that they
might as nearly as possible render
service for the same cost.
For the purposes of this article it
is necessary to take into consdera-
ton only the two great railroad
zones Of the L. s, the one lying west
of the Hudson and extending as far
as Chicago and ST. Louis and known
as the trunk line territory" and the
other, the New England territory.
There is great difference in the
cost foperation in these two dis
tricts for several reasons. In the
first place, the trunk line roads have
long hauls. which makes a cores
pondingly less cost of hauling. In
New England however it is the re
verse. short hauls are the rule rather
than the exception. In New England
too, there is more track which is on
n grade. necessitattng the use of more
power to handle the same amount of
freight. Then the actual cost of OPP
Grating is higher in the more density
iuhabitated section of the country,
because of the need for more protec-
ton at crossings and in other similar
WAYS
For this reason. 1t costs more to
move raw products to this territory
and then to carry the finished pro-
ducts to market, thus affecting the
manufacturer by increasing the cost
of his goods
Mr.. Quincy said that it was at first
decided to separate the New England
lines into district by themselves but
that when the figures were laid be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Com
mission it was found that it would
require an increase of G6 per cent on
the rates of the New England roads
10 show a six per cent return on the
value of the property used in this
transportation, while the trunk lines
could accomplish this with an in
crease of only 3S IL per cent. AS a
sequence to this an increase of 40
per cent was allowed to the roads
north of the Potomac and east If
the Mississippi. which gave the trunk
lines even better than six per cent
returns while the New England lines
were still operating at considerable
loss.
IL is therefore desired to perfect
scheme whereby the financially
weak railroads may be united 20
stronger ones SO that the cost of
transportation may become uniform.
ne SDtdhtI tuNIi "SiiS VII " -
plaian the different plans as proposed
by Andrew =. Lane, the present fuel
director. Professor Ripley of Har-
ward college and Mr.. Oldham.
Mr.. Andrew p. Lane. traffic man.
ager OF the Great Northern Paper
Co. a student Of traffic conditions
and experienced in viewing the sub
ject from this angle. has proposed
that the New York. New Haven and
Hartford railroad be Joined to the
Rutland railroad. affording an outlet
from northern New York by way or
the Great Lakes. joining the Wor-
cester. Nashua and Portland division
of the Boston & Maine railroad TO
the New York Central. thus afford
ing a trunk line connection from
Portland to the west: combining the
Bangor & Aroostook with the Maine
Central and ST. Johns branch OF the
Boston & Maine giving connections
at Sherbrooke. thence by way or the
Canadian Pacific or the Grand Trulk
to the West.
collections are offered to this
Man. among which are the prepon-
derence of railway control by the
southern portion of New England
whose interests are not always com
cidental with those Of Maine. In ms
may say that the Ban
eor & Aroostook railroad Is at the
present time running without oe-
f,cit and was the only railroad IN
1901 in New England that operated
In that way.
"The Maine Central railroad is re-
facilitating itself and we hope may
soon run without a deficit. when II
b rapidly overcoming. The ROADS OF
southern New England are IN n
nancial condition that is matter OF
such common knowledge as to obVl-
ate discussion at this time.
Professor Ripley Of Harvard College
has proposed a plan which pears MS
name. may say by way OF d!gres-
sion that a railroad must have oreadth
AZ we'll as length. One question TO
be determined IS whether the railroads
shall be grouped into great continental
systems running from PACING 10 Al
lantic and from Canada to the Gulf
or whether they should be grouped 10
with territorial DIVISION VI
\ country.
Professor Ripley does say that II
New England is to be split up into
number Of disassociated properties the
New York Central by absorbing Wor-
cester. Nashua and Portland, would be
afforded a desirable line to penetrate
10 Portland providing for direct inter-
change Of freight from that city to the
49,. n.oHaasn- RinleY's own prefer