Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-06-11
Reserve Decision
Continued from Page one)


the existing facilities should be pro-
tected and that the present service
between designatd points is not in
adequate.
Inc opposition was led off by At
T torney Charles B. Carter of Auburn
representing the White Bus Line
thompson and Dufresne, proprietorr
II was the contention of Attorney
Garter that the bus line should only
serve territory hitherto unserved and
that no bus line should be given au.
thor1ty' to skim. the cream off the
transportation business. Mr.. Carter
doubted II the state or communities
would be willing to pay out $500, 00g
Tor Keeping the highways of the state
open in winter for bus travel. ever
though the Maine Motor Coaches
Inc, had offered to pay 100000 to-
wards that project.
Attorney Henry j. Hart of Ban
gor, counsel for the Bangor e Aroos-
TOOK railroad, pointed out that the
railroad service today Is given at a
loss, but as the railroads are public
servants they cannot abandon any
part of their lines without authority
from the Public Utilities Commits
ion. He said that the Bangor ard
Aroostook railroad gives adequate
service between Dover Foxcroft and
Sangerville where the petit:onins
company seeks to operate.
Col. George E. Fogg of Portland
representing the Maine Central Rail-
road, argued that the place for the
motor bus is in cooperation and CO.
ordination with the railroads and not
IN competition with them. He said
that the petition of the Maine Motor
coaches, Inc, shows that the routes
proposed parallel the three steam rail-
roads operated in the State, practically
parallel every electric railroad and
about all the present existing long
jitney routes.
Alfred Sweeney of Lewiston, gener-
al manager of the Androscoggin &
kenneces electric railroad, told of the
losses of that railroad during the sum-
mer months due to auto competition.
Attorney ]. Burton Stride, counsel
for the Biddeford & Saco electric rail-
road, pointed out that that railroad
| makes an average of so trips daily
between those two cities. that it's pres
| ent investment of $4,000 in tracks
should be protected, and that any new
service cannot fail to cut into the rev
| enue of the company.
Other attorneys who voiced their
opposition to the proposed bus routes
were: Everett MaXcy of Augusta, for
the Central Maine Power Co. and the
Oakland, Waterville G. Fairfield street
railway; Clyde +. Chapman of Belfast
representing Mclaughlin Bros, oper-
ating bus line between Belfast and
Bangor; and Elvin L. Thompson of
Portland, representing Carter e. Mile
son, operators between Portland and
Naples.
Ths Petitioners Case
Attorney Charles d. Bartlett of
| Bangor, who with Attorney George L,
Eaton of that city represented the pc
titioners, contended that the public
should be given the choice between
| present facilities for travel and the
latest development, the motor coach
He said that the desire of American
people to travel by automobiles is al
! most mania.
The proposed bus service, he
argued. would not cut into railroad
travel as much as would be expected
for it is the belief of the petitionin9
company that it will be able to in
travelled before ard will also induce
bus travel from those who own
their own automobiles.
He said that he did not believe ii
could be seriously argued that high
ways of the State cannot be kept
open for travel in the winter, and
he said that certain dividends of the
letitioning company could also be
added, il necessary, to the sum that
TIE company will pay toward the
re Ject of keeping highways open in
winter.
He told how some years ago the
stage coach iiles were superseded
by the steam railroads because the
latter were more convenient. The
electric railroads came next, and the
, steam railroads could not prevent
the electric railroads from getting
charters for routes. Today we have
the automobile aud those who pre-
| fer to travel ~ auto bus should be
81, en- that opportunity, he contend
| ed.
"Ahe tie pubEc going to be denied
| the privilt sc of choice?" he asked
| viii the Commission say to the peo
| PIE of a certain community you
| have a railroad and you shall no,
| travel by motor bus and to the PEG
pic of a secold community YOU al
ready have !;itney bus route and
! YOU cannot ride in the best motor
| bus manufactured.
I'VE have attempted to go into
the cost of the proposed service" ne
said. We feel safe in launching the
routes at a fare of s IL cents pei
mile and we believe it would pc
surprise to some of our opponants &c
see what our profits will be operated
over identical routes at ) L. cents
per mile"