The Portland daily press., 1870-03-18

OF the senators Irom cumberland county, in
reference to House Bill No. 131, calls mon us
to state for the information of the Legislature
the facts in regard to said bill.
On the 4th of February, 1870, at meetino of
this Committee, the following proceedings took
place. as appears by the records of the Com.
mittee:
The chairman submitted the drafts of two
bills to be presented to the Legislature in ar.
cOrdance with the vote of October 2Oth 1850
of which due notice has been published.
Voted, That in view of the fact that the means for
grading the entire line from Buxton to Meredith, are
now assured by municipal and private subscrint;ons
in Maine and New Hampshire that the hill nronnc
ing loan OF the credit Of the city OF Portland far
provide that no portion of the money received AZ nro
ceeds of the city Oan shall be applied to the nav
ment OF expenses for grading, masonry, bridging. or
any other purpose except for the and
~ equipment OF said line, and that the bill as drawn
be SO amended as to provide that no bonds or any
portion of the city credit granted in aid of said road
shall be called for used till the line graded ready
tor the reception of the r0n and that the amount Of
the city credit authorized to be used, shall in no
that sum applied exclusively to the track and equip
ment OF the line.
Voted, That Messrs Caleb R.. Aver, of Cornish,
ton, john B. coyie and VIM Il. FessenSen, Of Of Port
land, with the chairman OF this committee have
Charter Of the Company, as to allow it to take the
name OF the Portland, Rutland, Oswego & Chicago
10 10 ta hs one
of an act authorizing the loan OF the CITY credit on
the terms above set forth.
The bills in question, with application, proof
OF notice, &c, were sent by Mr. Gould, one of
our o committee, to II. H. Burgess, Esq, one of
the Representatives from Portland, by him
presented to the Legislature, and referred
to the Committee on Railroads, Ways and
Bridges.
A hearing was assigned for March 9th, and
notice sent to Mr.. Poor in New York, by Hon.
Thos. e. Twitchell, a member of the Railroad
Committee, in the words following:
AUGUSTA, March 1, 1870
Hon. John Il. Poor, Neau York.
Dear Sr:-The hearing before the Railroad Com
railroad, and P. & R. r. for city aid has been furth-
er assigned TOR Tuesday, March 9Th.
II you expect to be heard on these matters this
session think you had better try and be present
then. In haste yours truly,
THOMAS E. TwITcHELL.
1t appears by the records of the Board of Al
dermen of the city of Portland, that on Mon
day, the list day of February, VIM. L. Putnam
proposition is now pending before the Legisla-
ture to authorize loan CT the city's credit in
aid of the Portland and Rutland Railrord; that
the proposition was made without conference
with any city authorities; that in their opinion
there is no probability that the citizens will
-
city's railroad liabilities will be increased, and
that the only effect of the proposition would
DO to impair the city's credit and embarrass
the city in the negotiation of its bonds.
The Committee recommend the following
order:
Ordered, That the Mayor resist and demonstrate
against any legislation at any time during the pres
ent session OF the Legislature, having in view the
crease In any form OF the cys railroad liabilities.
Mr.. Moses Gould appeared before the Board
and made a few rpmarks IN 10 of
the railroad, and requested that the Aldermen
take no action on the subject till the return of
Mr.. John A. Poor to the city, or until such
time that Mr.. Poor could be notified. The mat
ter was laid on the table until the next meet
ing of the Board.
On the Oath Of February Mr.. Poor received
at New York a notice from the Mayor of the
proposed hearing, and instantly wrote him a
note of explanation, asking postponement of
the hearing, which was assigned for Friday,
the 4th day of March, at which time our COM
mittee appeared before the City Council in
convention, and Messrs. Poor, Neal and Far
mer addressed if at full length, in explanation
of the prospects of the enterprise and in favor
of the passage of the bill before the Legislature
and respectfully asked the City Government
to refuse the passage of the order introduced
by the Mayor in behalf of the Finance Com
mittee.
No action was taken at the meeting, but the
Board Of Aldermen adjourned to meet on the
evening OF Monday, March 9TH. at which time
several members OF the committee were pres
ent, and the order of the Mayor was not taken
from the table, with the unanimous declara-
ton on the part of the Board of Aldermen that
they would take no action adverse to the ap-
plication of the Portland and Rutland Rail-
road Company, as will appear by the certifi-
cate of the City Clerk, as follows:
CITY OF PORTLAND,
City Clek's Office, March 9TH, 1870.
hereby certify that on the 21st day OF February
nit. n order introduced in "a I'd ofM
and Aldermen of the city OF Portland, directing the
Mayor, in behalf OF the city, to appear and remon-
present session of the Legislature having in view to
increase in any form of the city railroad liabilities
The order was laid on the table and no further
ton has been taken upon the same. public hear
ing was given the corporators of the Portland and
Rutland Railroad Company in a joint convention Of
the two boards the City Council upon the 4th day
March inst, at which time the convention was adj.
dressed by Messrs Poor, Neal and Farmer.
Attest, GEORGE G, HOPKINS.
City Clerk.
The city election took place on Monday
March 7th, when the Hon. Benz. Kingsbury
Jr., was elected Mayor.
On Tuesday, March 9Th, Messrs. Poor, Rice
and Farmer repaired to Augusta. A full hear
ing was had before the Railroad Committee
and report unanimously agreed upon in favor
of the bill. Mr.. Twitchell, of Portland, one OF
the committee, took part in the hearing. and
being appealed to, publicly declared he knew
of no opposition. A large number of Sena-
tors and Representatives were present at the
hearing.
Mr.. j. W.. Waterhouse, one of the Portland
Representatives, on being publicly interrogat-
ed before the committee, stated to them that
he was not aware of any opposition whatever
TO the measure in question. Mr.. II. III. Bur-
CESS, another Representative from Portland in
charge of the measure, on being publicly in
terrOgated before the committee, stated to
them that he was not aware of any opposition
Mr.. Bonney was present during a portion OF
the hearing, and expressed to members of the
committee his concurrence in support of the
measure.
The bill was reported in the House on the
9th of March, and at our request the commit
tee reported in favor of printing the bill, which
report was accepted by the House, the bill laid
upon the table and printed.
After the printed bill came in, it went
through the ordinary stages without objection,
and passed to be engrossed in the House and
came down to the Senate. In this branch it
went through its first and second reading with
out objection, when, on the 14th of March,
when IL came up on its passage to be engrossed,
IT was laid upon the table on motion of Mr.
Reed, of Cumberland, none of our committee
being present at Augusta. On the morning of
March 10Th, not knowing the object of Mr.
Reed, dispatch was sent to him by telegraph
in the words following:
Him. yzomo. p pssd. PORTLAND March Is, 1870
Is it needful for our Committee to come to Angus
ia In reference to our Loan bill?
Please answer by telegraph this forenoon,
JOHN A. Poor.
Our committee were at that fine in session
foi1ow1ng:
~ AUGUSTA, March is, 1870.
Senate. 'NI n p u IN INC
Mr. Poor proceeded at once by the noon
IRAN OF tne 10Th to augusta, reaching there
facts to other Senators few had any knowledoe
OF the action of Mr.. Reed in the premises. and
expressed desire that reconsideration
should be moved. Hon. Samuel Hanson. San
ator from York, member of our COMMITTEES
was not In his seat at the time the indef;nite
postponement of the bill, returning to Anons.
ia on the same day. He Immediately assmred
US OF the prompt reversal Of the action of the
Senate on the motion of Mr. Reed, WIZ
Mr.. Reed was called. upon for EXPLANATION
lie declared his unqualified hostility TO every
OIL from whatever quarter it might come nro.
posing municipal aid to railroads, in whatever
form they might appear; that he would Kin
TINS Dill If possible by any and every means in
his power; that the bill in question was as free
from objection as any bill of this Character
and In opposing it he was in no way influence
ed by regard to any other project, basing his
opposition entirely upon the ground of hostile
W to municipal aid, and he declined to move a
reconsideration of the vote indefinitely most
poning the bill. P'''
On the assembling of the Senate on We'd
nesday morning Senator Hollan moved a re-
consideration of the vote indefinitely nostnon-
ing the bill, making the needful exnlapatinnS
Mr.. Reed moved to lay the motion on the IN.
BILE, but finally withdrew it, and the motion IN
reconsider prevailed. "
I'M. HI lo:l