Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-24

OF the St9to Wer1 2ue8e0 N tuo okVeI
Of the Commission: First. operattng 81
motor vehicle Dec. 8. 1924. without
registration - required by law: Sec
hicle ON Oct. 10, Oct. - and Nov. IL,
1924; and third. operating q motor
vehicle on Aug. 80. 1924 In excess of
lawful speed
Attorney Charles b. Carter OF Lew
istcn presented the case OF the res
pcndents In the Public Utilities ac-|
ton. giving the circumstances re-
garding the alleged violations OF the
law. He declared that one or the
main purposes of the line Is, expedt-
ton from point to point bearing IN
mind the safety of the: passengers
and the laws Of the State.
Referring to the first Of the charg-
es alleged, Mr.. Carter stated that on
the afternoon of Dec. 9. 1924. the
White Line bus went to the Lewis
ton terminal to pick up its load and
there were Is people waiting to take
the trip to Augusta and WaterviHe.
The bus could not ACCOMMODATE tnat
number of passengers and so In or
der to giveAthe service required. the
company put to use a REQ bus which
had not been registered. The license
numbers were taken of from one OF
the company's registered cars and
put on the REQ bus. The REQ bus
then made the trip from Lewiston to
Waterville and return.
THAT was not; such breach OF
the law that 1t carried with 1t any
moral turpitude," Attorney Carter
argued. The company wanted to
serve the public and that Is the only
excuse for their being"
Attorney Carter said that on Oct.
IS last Mr.. Dufresne was picked up
on the charge of reckless driving at
Wateryille and brought into the Wa
| terville municipal court and paid a
| fine. Mr.. Carter said that that was
undoubtedly breach of the laws
, and regulations.
On October %, Mr.. Thompson was
| picked up for reckless driving be-
| tween Augusta and Waterville, was
| found guilty in the Augusta MUNICH
| pal court and paid fine. Chairman
! Quincy of the Public Utilities Com-
mission said that in that case, the
commission would give Mr.. Thomp-
son the benefit OF the doubt.
Mr.. Thompson was brought INTO
| the Augusta municipal court on Aug.
| Is last on the charge of driving in
| excess Ol IdWIuA spOCu'
Carter said that in that instance Mr..
Thompson was coming towards Au-
| gusta on Western avenue, there were
| three cars In front of him going at
| a very slow rate of speed, and MIR.
| Thompson drove out around the
three cars with presumably clear
road ahead. There was no accident
| or near-accident. At the Augusta
| House Mr.. Thompson delivered the
passengers and he was then taken
into custody by Captain Harold A.
Miller. who was then chief or the
highway police division. Mr.. Thomp-
son was found guilty. and paid fine
II was the contention CT Attorney
Carter that considering the service
rendered by the company with IT'S
buses travelling $500 miles eacn
week, the White Line concern has
been comparatively free from breach
es Of the law or from accidents.
Fred Z. Sawyer of Augusta was
called as the first witness for the
respondents. He testified that he
rides on the line every week, some
times two or three times during the
week, that the bus line has been Civ
ing the best service, being the quick
est possible way to so from Augusta
to Lewiston. He said that one day
last week when the roads were very
slippery he took the trip to Lewiston
in one Of the White Line cars and
that the driver used every care for
the safety of the passengers. Il have
never seen any cutting in or any
foolish driving" remarked Mr.. Saw
yer. IF the service should be lost
1t would be great loss"
"At what speed did the driver ap-
hc fi,,cy 20 a. clad
Chairman Quincy of the commission.
"He came down under perfect con-
troll" said the witness.
"The law requires that the APP
proach to railroad crossing shall be
made at not more than 10 miles an
hour" asserted Mr. Quincy. -, 49,
Mrs. Abbie Appleton Of Vassalboro
said that she uses the line to go to
Waterville or Augusta. She consid-
ers the drivers very safe, to the eX
tent she would never hesitate to take
child on the trip.
Other witnesses called by the de-
Tense to testify to the necessity and
convenience of the service and the
care and precautions taken by the
drivers Of the cars on the line were
Abel p. MARITIME. clerk at the Elm
wood hotel at Waterville; Frank AL
len and Roland Libby of lewiston:
Fred Lindsay Of Monmouth and Hen
ry r. Fassett Of Vassalboro.
Attorney Carter said that there
were in attendance many more Wit
nesses who would give testimony
similar to that which had already
been given. but in order not to
lengthen 1.-The hearing he would not
call for their testimony.
The decision of the commission will
nrof1c h1v no ro0dorod TO-DAY.