The Republican journal., 1922-07-27
THE NEW RAILROAD PROBLEM

proyided that the Interstate Commerce
Commission should, ''as soon as practi-
cable" prepare and present plan for
the consolidation of the railroad proper
ties ssinto limited number of systems"
This the Commission has done, but the
Transportation Act also provided that
this plan, whatever it might be, would
he only tentative one subject to changes,
after public hearings thereon had been
held and all persons had had an opportu-
nifty to file or present objections thereto
The plan submitted by the Interstate
Commerce Commission proposes that all
the New England roads shall be CONSOLE
dated into New England system. This
ulan has, thus far, met with little favor
in the State of Maine. Many believe that
a consolidation of the Maine Central and
the Bangor and Aroostook roads would
work out in benefit to both roads and to
the people, but there are few who believe
that our roads should be tied up with the
Boston and Maine, the New York, New
dion with any great trunk line leading
out to the great commercial centers south
and west from the City of New York.
Governor Baxter realizing that the con-
solidaton proposed is the most import
ant railroad matter which has ever been
presented to our people, has appointed an
able and we'll balanced committee to con-
suit with the officials of our Maine rail-
roads, to hold public hearings in several
of our business centers, to formulate
some plan of consolidation and to present
this plan TO the Interstate Commerce
Com mis- sion for consideration.
Mr.. A. +. Lane, traffic expert of the
Great Northern Paper Company, and
chairman of the Transr ortation Directo-
rate of our State Chamber of Commerce,
has proposed a plan which is, at least,
worthy of some consideration. The
Grand Trunk has 80 miles of road in the
State of Maine and the Canadian Pacific
has l41 Mr.. Lane advises that these
roads should not be included in any pro-
posed consolidation, for the obvious rea-
son that the traffic of this State, and In
fact, of all New England, naturally seeks
a more advantageous outlet to the mar
kets of the United States. MIR. Lanes
plan, in brief, is as follows: CONSOLIDATE
the Maine Central and Bangor railroads
with that division of the Boston and
Maine from ST. Johnsbury, VT, to Sher-
brook. Canada" This would give Maine
a gateway to Quebec and Montreal and
connection with lines in the country north
of the Great Lakes.
"Consolidate the Worcester, Nashua
and Portland sdivision of the Boston &
Maine Railroad with the New York Gen.
trail Railroad" This would give Port
land and the consolidated Maine railroads
a trunk line having connections reaching
out in every direction.
The above consultations, Mr.. Lane be-
/ lieyes, would safeguard Maine interests
better than any other arrangement could
do. and it appears that it would serve all
New England as well, except the south
ern part of Vermont. This would be
easily taken care of by Mr.. Lanes fur
ther suggestion that the Boston q Maine
and New Haven and Rutland railroads
should be consolidated as part of the
New England plan.
If we interpret the Transportation Act
r-;ohtly II does not obige the railroads to
consolidate, but if they do SO they must
act in accordance with the plan finally
adopted by the Interstate Commerce
Commission. In other words, this Com
mission has no authority to compel the
Maine Central or any other road to merge
or consolidate with any other road or
roads.
Personally, we believe that our Maine
railroads should not consolidate with the
other New England roads because they
have plenty of difficulties of their own,
and it would be folly to add the greater
troubles of the Boston & Maine and the
New ! York, New Haven and Hartford
systems
We also believe that if our Maine rail-
roads were consolidated with the New
York Central the interests of the people
of Maine would be entirely secondary 20
those Of that great railroad corporation.