Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-20

Idl-SufS L "Ouius
Mike-And If you had two cows,
would you give me one?
Pat-Of course l would.
Mike-And If you had two pigs,
would you give me one?
Pat-You go to H! You know /
got two pigs.
The position of. the Boston and
Maine is
II That, while the management
of the Boston and Maine prefers to
be left alone to develop it's own earn
ing power under the Transportation
Act, it recognizes the. duty of the
commission to prepare plan of con-
solidation, and also recognizes the
fact that a road situated as is the
Boston and Maine may not be free
to realize the full benefits of the act
except through consolidation.
2. That, if consolidation must
come, the logical form to meet the
would be with an east and west sys-
ten-generally referred to as the
Trunk Line Plan-rather than the
New England Plan.
3. That, If there should be New
England system. it should comprise
all the roads within the territory
except possibly the Canadian lines
in Maine.
4. That the unusual situation in
New England warrants alternative
plans with reasonable latitude for
negotiation. -f%
Let me brieflysdevelop the reasons
for our position, as just stated. We
believe that the purpose of the
Transportation Act is to develop
strong transportation systems cap
n 70 100
and that the consolidation provisions
of the Act are an essential feature
in the accomplishment of that pur
pose. We believe that little would
he gained by the formation of a New
England system which cannot be
obtained by the present individual
properties, and that if it becomes
necessary to consolidate these New
England railroads, such consolida-
tions should be with roads of 'estab-
lished credit, and in such way that
consolidated systems would secure
the recognized advantages enjoyed
by long haul carriers as contrasted
with the handicaps incident to short
haul terminal operation.
ION the other hand, if there is
merit to the contention of the New
England advocates of New Eng
land system that such system
would have power to exact high
divisions, and provide maximum OF
routes and gateWa%s, 1t seems only
consistent to include all New Eng
land railways in such comblna ton
in order to secure to the fullest eX-
tent the benefits claimed for a New
ENGLAND system.
",rhe New England traffic is valu
fLa n
River IS we'll as to our Canadian
connections, and we have urged the
Commission to allow as much
latitude as possible in order that. If
consultations come, the assignment
of our properties to one system may
not deprive us of the stra te2ic ad-
vantage which the value of our traf-
fic may give in negotiations.
"Tne immediate interest of Maine
in the subject of consultations cen
tors around the "Maine-New York
Central trunk line PLAN While
this plan is naturally appealing to
many OF YOUR citizens, | believe 1t
can be shown that it is neither nee
essary for tie best interests of Maine
nol is it practicable.
In the hearings recently held at
Boston, some of the advocates of TINS
plan made reference to poor service
and inadequate car supply as argu-
ments in favor of the plan. While
others spoke in favorable terms OF
both service and car supply ana
still others were willing to testify
to the same effect if that appeared
necessary, the impression was given
that an independent rail outlet for
the Maine Central would remedyithe
situation in both respects: Now |
do not intend to minimize the serious
effect of car shortage and delayed
movement which sometimes occur in
times of heavy business or during
those seasons of tee year when
weather conditions in northern New
England make railroad operation
diiicult AID SOW. | do wish to say,
however, that in my opinion the DIFF
ficultics will not he remedied by the
Maine New York Central Trunk
Line Plan" anv moro than by the
Trunk Line plan proposed by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
which includes both the Boston and
Maine. Maine Central and Bangor d
Arocstock in their entirety in the
New York Central system.
CAS- to the impression OF made
ouate service and car supply: On
the 1lfSI OF July, 49,. ltit 81 INC VI
mechanical employees occurred.
There was also a coal strike
which. while settled in the fall of
1922. resulted in placing burden of
moving coal in January, February
and March which ordinarily would
have been distributed over several
months. 100000 tons Of coal We're
moved by the Boston and Maine
during these three months. As you
know only too well. II was necessary
that this be done to prevent suffer
ing. and to keep industry going.
During this same period, the
weather conditions as to low temper
AZURE and snow were the most
severe that the railroads had ever
experienced. 1t was necessary
precedence to coal and foodstUffs.
and necessarily the movement of
other freight was slowed down.
what was accomplished under
these exceedingly adverse conditions
should be a matter of pride rather
than censure. and I am sure that
anyone familiar with the facts will
take that view of the situation.
However. in the year commencing
July /, 1922. which included all of
these unfavorable factors. the Bos-
ton & Maine interchanged through
the Portland gateway total of 307,-
S94 cars, or an average of S44 cars
per day. Included in this total We're
SS,0S0 empty cars delivered to the
Maine railroads via the Boston &,
Maine, In addition to the empty
cars which normally route home
through the Portland gateway there
were delivered in this period 5000
empty cars on orders from the Car
Service Division, substantially all of
these being cars which would not
normally route through the Portland
gateway.
1T is true that during the past win