Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-05


business for the new road. Figures
as Is mileage had been furnished by
Mr.. Maxfeld, showing saving by the
proposed road.
Mr.. Ryder-How much would the
Mattawamkeag & Eastern shorten
the route of Houlton and Bangor?
Don't think it would any.
Ryder-And l understand that line
is the only line claimed to be neces-
sary.
Discussion then followed over the
exact meaning of the question, Mr..
Andrews then saying that the only
shortening would be between Ban
croft and Houlton.
Barnes-You have said. If built
from Houlton to Bancroft 45 miles
would be said? Yes.
Q.-And 40 from Pressure Isle?
Yes.
Q.-Then if whole line is built, the
saving is there? Yes.
A letter from Murray Bros. Ban
gor, giving estimates of cost of con-
struction of the proposed road, was
excluded by the commission. The es
Inmates were sd 900 to $4,000 per
mile. with sum added for contractors
services and equipment.
Engineer Holmes, recalled. in re-
ply to a question by Attorney Hart,
testified that there We're ID houses in
Webster through which the proposed
road will run.
Charles Murray of Bangor, testified
that he had an experience OFFS years
in constructing railroads. He had
conversation with Geo. ". Maxfield
in regard to the construction of the
Eastern Maine railroad this summer.
He thought it would cost $4,000
mile to build the Eastern Maine rail-
road.
And YOU think that 1t would cost
the same to build the MattawamkeaS
and Eastern railroad" asked Attor-
ncy Barnes.
II do" replied the witness.
"And it wouldn't make any differ
ence in the cost of building this rail
road whether there were Is houses in
a town or not"
1T would not
Ex- Representative Pitt +. Averill
of Prentiss testified that he had been
q farmer all of his life. The people
in his town depended upon the Maine
Central for transportation but the
railroad was eight miles from the
town. The farmers in his town rely
mostly on potatoes and the soil is
adapted to the raising of potatoes,
but the crops cannot be raised at
profit because of the hauls to the
railroad stations.
Alfred y. Chambers Of Haynesville
was called as the next witness. He
testified that he had been in tic
lumber business for Is years and had
operated in Southern Aroostook
county. He was also familiar with
the farming lands of the southern
part of Aroostook county. Haynes
willie is Is miles from the railroad.
Potatoes cannot Re raised at a profit
where they have to be hauled to the
railroad station.
Frank A. Pea body of Houlton tes-
tifed that he was one of the incorpo
rators of the Mattawamkeag and
Eastern Railroad company. Eighty
thousand dollars has been subscribed
to build the road and $4,000 of this
amount has been paid in.
On cross examination by ATTORNEY
Hart, the witness said that the road
was incorporated to convey passen-
gers and freight.
Fred F.. Hall of Houlton. treasurer
, of the Fred f. Hale company, testi-
fed that his concern handled baled
hay. potatoes. fertilizer and automo-
biles He was familiar with the
places through which the proposed
new railroad would run and the land
in those places was adapted to the
raising of potatoes. The haul should
be under six miles to make it profit
able to raise potatoes.
On cross examination by Attorney
Blatchford. the witness testified that
he was the vice president of the
Mattawamkeag and Eastern railroad
and had subscribed for 40 shares of
stock, paying 5000.
George n. Bean of Hodgdon.
farmer and urnberman testified that
his place was six miles from a rail-
road station. He subscribed for ~
shares of the stock OF the Mattawam
keag and Eastern railroad. paying
5000 to l.. @. Ludwig Of Houton, the
treasurer.
Attorney Barnes was announced
that the evidence in behalf Of the
petitioners had been presented.
Attorney Hart said he could not
understand why the financiers of the
Eastern Maine railroad were not here
today to explain why it was neces-
sary to build the Mattawamkeag
and Eastern railroad before the
Eastern Maine railroad was con-
structed.
No evidence was presented in OPP
position to the application. and the
commission took the matter under
AMUSEMENT