The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-10-24
Steam Communication between Portland
and Machias.


ing steamboat communication between this
port and Machias, touching at the intermedi-
ate ports.
Jonas H. Perley, Esq, enc of the Vice Pres
idents of the Board of Trade, presided. In
calling the meeting to order he made some re-
marks upon the importance of opening the
trade of the Eastern part of the State to Port
land merchants; and of the necessity of a
steamer on the line from this city TO Machias,
stating that one of our eminent merchants had
offered to subscribe for onefourth part OF
what good steamer would cost. He then
called upon George w. Drisko Esq, editor Of
the Machias Union, to state his views upon
the matter.
Mr.. Drisko spoke Of the Importance Of such
communication being speedily established and
said there was good deal of interest excited
at Machias and the neighboring places upon
the subject. There was a population Of from
$4,000 to $4,000 who needed home market
for their own productions and to purchase
their own supplies, and they would prefer to
come to Portland.
Mr.. Drisko spoke of the places at which such a
would be taken in a good steamer on that
route. He said the people of that section
would subscribe for stock if they could be as
sured the stock would take care of itself
Hon. George F. Talbot was called upon. and
he remarked that the interest of tie people OF
this city in the project was not so much as
what win the stock pay? as in the new sources
OF trade it would open to tile merchants here
Liberal men will have the object in view to
extend the trade Of Portland and developing
the resources of the Eastern part of the State.
Portland desires to become the commercial
city OF Maine, and this is the course to be pur-
sued. 1t should be liberal. A large and good
steamer should be put upon the route The
reason why the steamer Rockland failed was
because it was too small, and did not run
where business could be made. ots..
Mr.. Talbot spoke of the business and the
travel. The Mt. Desert pleasure travel was in
creasing year by year, and it would be very
large for people would seek this, the only spot
on the Atlantic ocean, where the mountains
slope down to the sea.
Mr.. Talbot said he fully agreed with Mr..
Drisko in the sentiments that gentleman had
spoken
Mr.. Perley fully agreed with the gentleman
who had spoken. There was large portion
of the State that had never been reached 10y
Portland merchants until the establishment OF
the Eastern Packet Company the present year.
j. w. Lyman, Esq, Of Machias, being called
upon, made some statements as to the amount
of goods transported annually between Boston
and Machias by sailing vessels. A large por-
ton of this business could be secured to Port
land by means of a good steamer. Boston, he
said, was jealous of Portland, and the ylner-
chants there were fearful that their Eastern
trade would revert to Portland. The pedlar
law would be repealed next winter, and an
other year the Eastern part Of the State would
be swarmed with clerks and runners from
Boston. To counteract this there should be a
steamer from Portland, and Portland mer-
chants should sell goods at low prices.
Gov. Washburn was called up. He said
that two years ago he saw that steamer to
Machias would pay, both ways. He was &C
quainted with the counties Of Hancock and
Portland through this source. He spoke also
upon the Importance of the fisheries Of these
places and of the necessity of Portland's getting
and keeping them, and then by means of the
Grand Trunk Railway supplying all the West
ern States with fish. N .E Il
To bring the business of those two counties
Hancock and Washington to Portland, moth
ing was wanting, said Gov. W., but good
steamer on the route from this city to Ma
chias. Establish this route and numerous
others would internk with it by means Of
smaller steamers-as from Ellsworth and other
like places.
Capt Cyrus Sturdivant gave some account
of the small business first done by the Portland
Steam Packet Company on the establishment
of that line between this city and Boston. He
said he had looked into this matter and had no
doubt steamer Of the size of the Regulator or
the Lady Lang would accommodate the freight
and passenger traffic on the line from here to
Machias, and would pay. He thought if one
third or one-fourth of the stock was taken up
at the eastward the remainder would be taken
here. s4A utatiial
Mr. Drisko gave some statistics as to the
stage travel from Machias and neighboring
places. There could scarcely be a donbt that
2 a boat would pay on the first year. This was
the opinion of merchants and packet masters
who were well acquainted with the amount Of
travel from Machias.
Mr.. True said he had obtained charter for
such company. Before obtainingit he had
made enquiries of merchants and others at the
Eastward and was satisfied, from their repre-
sensations, it would be paying concern. ~,
Capt. Stur1ivant said if boat was not plac-i
ed on this route now, next year onewould be
placed upon the route from RockIand to
Machias, which would be in the Boston in
terest.
On motion Of Mr.. Talbot the Chairman was
authorized to appoint committee of three
persons from this city to secure subscriptions
to the stock, the Chairman to announce such
committee through the columns of the papers
Of this city. a8 tEoE ,Hfr6a
Mr.. Drisko, from the Machias delegation.
reported that they had had conference and
had agreed upon the following gentlemen to
constitute committee from his part of the
otate for the same purpose, WIS. II. Talbot
OF East Machias; William E. Pencil Of Ma
chlasport; George Weber Of Machias. sse
The meeting then adjourned. 40.
IMPORTANT MEETING IN BEHALF OF THE
FhEEDMEN.-A meeting having been called
Dy the agent of the american Freedmen's
commission" in behalf of the freedmen of