The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-25
For the Journal.
To the Voters of Belfast.

You Will soon be called upon to give in your
votes for men to manage the affairs of your city
Tor the ensuing year, and it is very important
That you should select men of integrity and ca
paclty. There is one enterprise thatthose who
compose the next City Government will have
the control Of in great measure, that is of
more Importance to you than all others. and
that is the Railroad enterprise.
BE not deceived, fellow citizens. Many cf
the men who have done all in their power to
kill the road now come up and say that they
are satisfied the road has got to be built, but
that they want different set of men put in to
manage 1t. They dare not come out and put up
a square anti-Railroad ticket, for they know
that they would be buried 50 deep that they
would never rise again. They pretend that they
nave given up their opposition to the road, hop
ing that they may deceive some of the true
friends Of the enterprise. I hope every Rail
road man will be on his guard, and not let its
enemies get 10 Il position where they can kill
the road, for they will surely do it if they can
You can judge what they would do, by what
they nave done. They have taken every means
IN lhelr power, fair and Unfair TO kill the road.
on the road, and refused to pay their own as
sessments, but advised others not to pay. As
an instance, Capt. Sanford who subscribed for
Five Thousand Dollars stock in the road, au-
thorlzed his Agent here some four or five weeks
ago to draw upon him for his assessment Ger
tain men here, after learning the fact, advised
him not to pay, telling him that they had not
paid and that hardly any one was paying, &C.
lie therefore countermanded the order he had
given his Agent. Upon being informed, how
ever as to the facts, he promptly paid his assess
| ment.
They also went to The Banks here aud 10 ia
dividuals, and advised them not to let us have
any money, SO that the most of the Directors
had to put in their individual names to get
money to keep the road alive while the injunct-
ion was pending. They also tried to frighten
the contractors away, by telling them that they
would not get pay for their work.
Now, fellow citize as especially those that
are true friends of the enterprise, will you be
so deceived as to aid in any manner to put these
men, or any one whom they support into po-
sitions where they can strangle the enterprise?
They have got defeated in every effort they
have made to kill the road and this is tleir last
hope, Come up, then, all truefriends Of the en-
terprise and show them that you have no conf
dence in them.
! The present Board of Directors have had
hard time, as l have said before. They have
! with one or two EXCEPTIONS become person
ally responsible in order to procure funds to
prevent the work from being suspended and
the contract forfeited. The work is now being
prosecuted with yigor. Some three hundred
men are at work on the line From 2 to
miles of the road graded, of the hardest
portion. One Of the bridges is well under way
and the stone for the others Is being got out
and hauled. BY the time the ground opens the
road will be about graded to Brooks village,
and we hope to see the cars running there by
July or August next. The cost of grading per
mile for the whole road, according to The estl-
mate of our Engineer, is $40, 90. Calling
six miles graded (and there was about ) IL
miles by actual measurement at the END of Jan
uary) 1t would amount to SG3 5I6,0 90. The con
| tractors have received about SAT 10000. Now
recollect they are at work on the hardest por-
ton of the road by far, and that the sum per
mile specified is for the whole line, and that
| they have nearly months work done not es-
timated when their payments are due, and you
will see that the company Is fully protected
against any contingency.
The road Is now located to Brooks village,
and the town has paid 81, 500 90 on their assess
ment. 1t will soon be located through, and
would have been before now If it had not been
that negotiations have been going on with the
Maine Central road in relation to leasing our
road to them, and for some other good rea-
sons.
! Some OF these men complain that they are
not represented on the Board Of Directors
Now, fellow citizens, will tell you fact that
is not generally known. Mr. Hayford has offer
ed q number of times (the last time within
few weeks to resign his place, as President OF
the Board, in favor of prominent gentlemen
here, if he would accept it, and agree to take
hold and do all ne could to put the road
through. Messrs. Lancaster and Colburn have
also offered to resign to give place to other Of
their friends If they would agree to take hold
of the work in good faith. The Board has also
| appointed Committee at two different times,
w INV lte tHeSc SculItilIcu " illccl luc DOdIu
and make known what they wanted aud see If
the troubles could not be reconciled. III all
| these offers they have been treated with con-
tempt,-they not even condescending TO send
an answer. What we do more?
| There Is Il call for Caucus Of the citizens,
without distinction of pa rty, TO meet at
Peirce's Hall on Thursday evening next for
the purpose of putting in nomination men who
are "for the Railroad first, last, and all the
time" 1t Is hoped that every voter Who Is
true friend of the road will be present An cx-
position Of the affairs of the Corporation may
/ be expected TkUIu
| BELFAST, Feb. %, 1869.
/ Affairs at Rockport.
| RoCKPoRT, Feb 23, 1868.