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• *Ferry Service Shutdown Due TonightAUGUSTA (ifV-The Public Utilities Commission conferred today on the ‘Casco Bay transportation crisis but there was no indication of any new state move before a PUC deadline for discontinuance of much of the island ferry service.Chairman Frederick N. Allen said he has had no request for a further extension of the deadline, now set fo rmidnight tonight. The PUC order originally was scheduled to take effect Aug. 14 but was suspended 10 more days atthe request of Gov. Reed.Reed at that time ordered negotiations looking toward possible state purchase and repair of Casco Bay Lines, Inc., island wharves. But no terms were reached on which Reed and the Executive Council could agreewith CBL management.The unsafe condition of many of the wharves was the reason for the shutdown order. CBL saysit cannot finance needed repairs.The council adjourned Tuesday after two days of special meeting without a specific arrangement for even emergency service in the event of a shutdown.The consensus of the council was, however, that some form of emergency service must be provided to islands which CBL can no longer serve.The situation has been building up for more than a year, since the PUC ordered a wharf inspection. As a result of the engineers’ report, the PUC closed the wharf on Little Diamond Island and placed restrictions on the use of most of the others.Wharves on Long Island were closed in June this year, and the PUC ordered its wharf safety standards in force.The latest order will close all the remaining wharves except Jones Wharf on Peaks Island, the Stone Pier on Chebeague — not used now by CBL — and the Cliff Island wharf.Allen said the commission isstudying the application of a 1959 law which authorizes the PUC to make a finding that private ferry operations in Casco Bay are no longer feasible.This would be a preliminary to action by the governor and council to have the Maine Port Authority take the ferry company property by eminent domain and arrange for service, presumably by contract with a public or privatenneratnr.
Newspaper Details
Biddeford Journal
Biddeford, Maine, US
Wed, Aug 23, 1961
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Judith R.
USA 10 May 2018
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