Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-25
RAILROAD CONSOLIDATION.

The meeting held at Portland on Monday
evening in relation to the consolidation of the
Portland and Kennebec and Maine Central
railroads was organized by the election of
Geo. W. Woodman as Chairman. We copy
the following from the report of the proceed
ings in the Press.
On taking the chair Mr.. Woodman referred
to the progress of Portland since the con-
struction of the Grand Trunk, and thought it
due greatly to that enterprise. The question
of consolidation he was familiar with. He
had been in the Legislature when it had been
proposed ard fought against it and seen it de-
feated every time. He thought twas not the
people who asked for this measure, but few
interested parties. The accomplishment of
this object would prove fatal to the interests
of Portland and Bangor and all the other cit
les of Maine.
Mr.. Mussey again addressed the meeting,
and referred to the effect the consolidation
movement would have in depriving us of our
lines of ocean steamers. The Canadas would
find another outlet, and the steamers which
are now Portland's pride, would seek some
other port.
Mr.. Poor was the next speaker. He re-
ferred at great length to the strides the
Grand Trunk was now making, and showed
how they would rebound to the benefit of Port
land. He gave lengthy history Of the man
ner in which the Kennebec Railroad came in
to the hands of its present owners, and dwelt
much upon the establishment of the broad
gauge in the Canadas and this State. He
thought it the duty of this city to maintain its
plighted faith with the Grand Trunk. This
road was built on the broad gauge, and if we
now change the gauge of the roads in this
State we shall be guilty of meanness and
treachery. He understood one of the terms
of the contract made by the directors of the
Maine Central and Kennebec roads to pro-
vide for change of gauge between Danville
Junction and Bangor, and called upon Judge
Shepley to know if this was the case.
Judge Shepley responded that he was not
willing to be examined as witness by Mr..
Poor, but that he was willing to tell all he
knew about the contract. At this point Mr..
Poor yielded the floor and Judge Shepley ex-
planned the nature Of the contract, the princi-
pies of which are the same as already publish
ed. He ridculed the idea that this move
ment was in favor of Boston. The men who
had entered into it were all citizens of this
State, and many of them of Portland. He
thought that Mr.. John b. Brown and ii. N.
Jose had too much personal interest in this
city to sell out to Boston, or to do anything
which would have tendency to injure the
interests of Portland. He deprecated all by
gone discussions about grades and showed
how the Kennebec road had built up the in
terests of Portland. He thought uniformity
of gauge on the railroads would have ten
dency to facilitate the business of the State
rather than injure it.
Mr. Poor replied with a somewhat personal
speech, censuring the present chief stockhold-
ers of the Kennebec road for the undetermined
manner in which they had obtained possession
of it, and the means they had attempted to
adopt to increase their power. He thought
Mr. Brown and Mr.. Jose even if they were hon
est, were liable to be mistaken, and strongly
insinuated that some of them were working
in the interests of Boston capitalists. II the
directors of the Kennebec road were in favor
of uniformity of gauge, why didn't they adopt
the broad in preference 70 the narrowf lie
said he was in favor of the broad gauge, but
! being asked by Judge Shepley if the gauge of