by way of application of the system, to make travel in ordinary passenger cars comfortable. We are pleased to be able to state that the consolidated Car Heating Company, whose system is generally in use in this State and in New England, recognize the importance of a perfect circulating system and are constantly making improvements thereon. At a hearing given by the Board, on the twelfth day of August last, to all interested in the matter of heating passenger, mail and baggage cars, J. S. McLeod, the inventor, and now the president of the "Car Heating and Ventilating Company," appeared and explained a system of heating and ventilating passenger cars, by a circulation of air forced through a coil of pipes in the smoke-box of the locomotive by pumps operated by steam from the boiler. His explanation of said system was exceedingly interesting and if found practicable, may become a substitute for the modes now in use. A strict construction and enforcement of the statutes of 1889, would compel all railroad corporations to remove all common stoves from their cars, whether used or not. In this climate we do not think it would be wise to be entirely without means of heating cars in case of a disconnection of the locomotive from the train. True, auxiliary heaters other than common stoves might be provided for such emergencies, but being merely for temporary use, corporations providing them would be subjected to an unnecessary expense and inconvenience. We therefore recommend a change in the statute in that respect. ELECTRIC AND HORSE RAILROADS. Under special charters, several companies have been created, and electric and horse railroads have been constructed and put in operation in this State, within the past two or three years. Much of the general statute law respecting railroads, is not applicable to these roads, and having been granted special rights and privileges, said companies, in some in stances, have claimed to be exempt from all the statute enactments, which have been deemed necessary for the protection and safety of travel on steam railroads. That the above mentioned roads are railroads within the meaning of the term, there can be no doubt; but being located on other located ways, all statutory enactments relating to location and crossing of other ways, by railroads, cannot apply. By the construction of these railroads across the tracks of steam railroads at grade, such crossings have become doubly dangerous to public travel. The Board of Railroad Commissioners having limited jurisdiction, has no power to make or enforce any regulations respecting such dangerous crossings. As many of these railroads are now being constructed in our cities and large villages some statutory regulations should be enacted for the better protection of the public. NEW RAILROADS. During the past year, about forty-two miles have been added to the railroad mileage of the State as follows: The Dexter & Piscataquis, now a portion of the Maine Central, a line running from Dexter to Foxcroft, a distance of 16.54 miles. The Kennebec Central, a narrow guage line of railroad running from Randolph, opposite the city of Gardiner, to the National Home for disabled volunteer soldiers in the town of Chelsea, a distance of five miles. The Augusta, Hallowell & Gardiner, an Electric Street Railroad, a line running from and through the city of Augusta, the city of Hallowell, the town of Farmingdale and to the city of Gardiner, a distance of seven miles. An extension of the Bangor Street Railway, through several streets in that city and to and through the city of Brewer, a distance of 3.95 miles. Also the Somerset extension from Embden to Bingham 10.06 miles. LEGISLATION. Section 14 of Chapter 51 of the Revised Statutes provides that "A railroad corporation for the location, construction, repair and convenient use of its road, may purchase, or take and hold, as for public uses, land and materials in and upon it; but the land so taken shall not exceed four rods in width. unless necessary for excavation, embankment or materials". Section 16 of said Chapter provides that "Any railroad corporation may also purchase or take and hold, as for public uses, land for borrow and gravel pits, necessary tracks, side tracks, stations, wood sheds, repair shops, and car, engine and freight houses". Each and all of the objects above mentioned, were deemed essential to the maintenance of the roads and the business carried on by the corporations. It is as essential to have the necessary material to construct and maintain a railroad as it is to have conveniences to carry on the business, or officers of the road after it has been constructed. To construct or mainThese cannot always tain a railroad, gravel pits are essential. be found on the line of the road or within the limits mentioned in Section 14 above quoted. To procure such necessary material, railroad companies are often obliged to go a mile or more outside of the located limits of their railroads. Unless they can purchase a right of way thereto, they cannot avail themselves of it. Even if such right of way can be procured by purchase, it often becomes necessary to lay the track to such pits across a highway. There is now no provision of law that permits them so to do. Section 18 of said Chapter, provides that "Any railroad corporation under the direction of the Railroad Commissioners, may locate, construct and maintain branch railroad tracks to any mills or manufacturing establishments in any town or township, but not within any city through which the main line of said railroad is constructed, without the consent of the city council, and for that purpose said corporation shall have all the powers and rights granted, and be subject to all the duties imposed upon it by its charter". It would seem to be as important to provide means to maintain the railroad as it is to facilitate the business of the road. Both are essential and equally so. We would therefore suggest that said Section be amended so as to include said pits, to reach which such spur tracks may be constructed. We would also suggest and recommend that Section 60 of Chapter 51 of the Revised Statutes be amended so that the annual returns hereafter made by each railroad corporation to the Railroad Commissioners, shall cover the year ending June 30th, instead of September 30th, and that said returns shall be made by September 1st, instead of December 1st, as now provided. These being the dates fixed by the statutes of nearly all the other states, and in accordance with the requirements of the Interstate Commerce Commission as to returns made thereto. Railroad corporations are constantly subjected to loss and annoyance from the wanton destruction and mutilation of crossing signs, whistle signs and mile posts along the lines of their railroads. These are all erected for the protection of the traveling public and the guidance of employes on railroads. It may be deemed necessary to enact some statute fixing a penalty for the wanton destruction of same. RAILROAD MAP. Accompanying this report will be found a map of the State, which the Board has caused to be prepared during the past year, showing the location of the several railroads. The work has been done under the supervision of Wm. A. Allen, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Maine Central Railroad. Great care has been taken in preparation, to accurately show the railroad system of the State, as it now exists, and we trust the work will give general satisfaction to all interested. |