The Republican journal., 1871-01-12
RAILROAD MEETING.

RAILROAD MEETING.
On the 9th, meeting Of the citizens of
Belfast in favor of a branch railroad from the
town of Brooks to Bangor, was held at the
banking rooms of the Belfast National Bank.
1t was attended by large number of the
capitalists and leading business men. Hon.
James p White was called to to the chair,
and t. B. Emery made Secretary. After
remarks by different gentlemen, it was de-
cided to raise a committee, whose duty it
should be to petition the Legislature for a
charter, to take all necessary steps for pro-
curing the same. and generally to have
charge Of all matters relating to the object
Messrs. William c. Marshall, N. F. Houston
!, and William 0. Poor were made said COM
mittee. After remarks and the submission
of views by persons present concerning the
route, its practicability, probable business,
&C., the committee was authorized to call
subsequent meetings, and an adjournment
was voted.
1t is sufficient to state, in reference to the
/
first, that it is done to secure the business to
Belfast and the Moosehead Road, which the
unprecedented action and bad faith OF the
Maine Central Road withholds from us.
Second, as to its practicability, Il careful in
vestigation shows that the winter business
will be very great, constituting, as it will,
| the great outlet to the ocean of all the i'm
mense region which railroads are making
tributary to Bangor. The distance of only
twenty miles will need to be provided for.
In view of these facts the citizens of Belfast
are ready to subscribe largely, the towns on
the route will loan credit, and railroad build
ers and capitalists who have investigated the
matter, are ready to contract for the road
and take its stock largely.
The question first to be decided is, will the
Legislature grant a charter We reply
how can it refuse The facts in the case
make up the best possible arguments that
can be neutrality-suspicious. that need only
to be stated to carry conviction with them.
We started to build a railroad that should
give us communication with the rest of the
world, and were securing what we wanted
on the most favorable terms. The Maine
Central interfered and by unjustifable and
corrupt means, as its present directors allege,
forced us from our purposes and desires, and
compelled q lease to them. They so manipu-
lated the matter rs to make our road ter
inmate at a point on theirs where we should
be completely at their mercy-at Burnham,
where we never desired to 60, and never in
tended to go, and but for their bribery and
cajolcry never would have gone.
Now, having comprised their ends, GOT
our road to terminate where it must bring
everything to them and take nothing from
them-having saddled the city and railroad
with large debts, which but for their repudia-
ton could be easily carried - they turn
their backs and say they have no further use
for us
Our appeal to the Legislature is not that
the Maine Central may be compelled to
amend its bad faith and carry out its contract
it is not for pity, compassion or charity
We ask for something even less than Justice
not that what we have been robbed of
shall be restored, but that we may be per-
mitted to 60 again diligently to work, and
aided by the light of this experience of cor
porate treachery, retrieve our i'll fortune.
We don't desire the Legislature to be the
Good Samaritan-we can take care of our
selves, asking only that the honorable body
shall not initiate the Priest and the Levite.
and pass over to the other side.
We make these remarks, because it is I'M
derstood that the Maine Central will oppose.
with all its lobby force, the charter that we
ask for. To the rank injustice of repuda-
ton OF its contract, it proposes to add the
ranker injustice Of denying even our right to
live.