The Republican journal., 1873-03-13
Letter from Mr.. Hichborn.

Mr.. EDITOR rarely notice what is said of
me in the newspapers, feeling that in nine eases
in ten men in any way connected with puhlIc
matters suffer more by bandying and DENYING
than by silently bearing. So Of any enterprise
with which I am connected. And T am only
induced to say word on the question of brido-
ing Belfast harbor by the Bay and River Rail
road. simply from All evident misunderst and
ing; whether Il necessary misunderstanding I
am unable 10 say.
In the first place the railroad was surveyed
and mapped across the harbor of Belfast at the
foot OF Main street. and nowhere else Nor
was it ever contemplated by any member of the
Bay and River company to bridge the harbor
lower down, but always feeling that it might
be found best to go higher up. At the time of
the survey the engineer, not the directors, fixed
the place of crossing, saying that he found it
the shortest and most convenient place at the
foot Of Main street; and the place. too, where
the citizens of Belfast would prefer to have if
cross, as many of them had formerly petitioned
to have bridge for ordinary travel built across
the harbor in the same place.
Should the road ever reach Belfast, all the
circumstances will be taken into the account,
and certainly none more 50 than the business
interests of the city. Self interest would GER
tainly indicate this, if no higher motive is to
control. Would it not, then, be wiser to seek a
better understanding of motives and intentions
and if possible have the city meet the road and
road meet the city, in the spirit of confidence
and concession; securing thereby q repeat, in
the event of building the road mutual satisfac.
ton and mutual advantages?
After careful study of the business interests
of our portion of the State, | am fully con-
WINGED that the business of the entire shore Sec
ton, from Calais to Portland requires the
building of the Bay Il River road. To accom-
plish it will require yet further effort and further
sacrifice, on the part o: the few, if not of the
many. And a blind lmputation of motives. or
bandyng hard words of men or of towns, can
serve no possible good, and only render more
onerous the labor of those seeking a public
good. n. q. HICHBORN.
Stockton. March :.
We give the letter Of the President of
the road in full Now let US see where
the ''bind imputation" belongs It will
be noticed with how much distinctness
and rositveness Nh Hichborn locates the
bridge AT the foot of Main street, saving
that it was there fixed by THE engineer,
not the directors But we find on refer
ence to the engineers survey filed with
the Clerk Of the Courts, as required by
law that the engineer and the President
OF the road do not agree as to the location
In his report OF the survey of the Bay &
River Road thus filed, Capt Bnckland
says
We cross Little River Just above the present
travel bridge, thence in direct line to the Til
den place, and curVing 10 the left, follow along
the shore of the bay to the wharyeS in the city
of Belfast where connect with the survey
OF the Belfast and Moosehead Lake X. r. Curry
ing along the wharyes the line crosses the Pas
>agassaWakeag, or upper part Of the harbor,
from Simpsons loharf IN 4 djrect line to tie
northern STORE.
Thus would cut off every wharf in the
city at which freight is landed, save that
OF the Sanford steamers, 1t is more than
an eighth Of a mile below the foot of Main
street, which is 1t Haraden's wharf Per
haps Mr.. Hchborn, lin the spirit OF con
lldence and concession" can explain this
wide difference. Either the President or
the engineer is ignorant of the ocati on of
that bridge There might be a mantle OF
charity or of doubt broad enough to cover
the former, but for The fatal admission
that ''the engineer, not the directors, fixed
the place of crossing" And in the face
of this contradiction and cross purposes,
are unnecessarily suspicious and alarmed
about their harbor, Would it not, then,
be wiser to seek a better understanding
OF motives and intentions ?" asks our cor
respondent To this conundrum we re-
turn an unhesitating answer, in the words
OF Artemas Ward, ait wood"
Alluson is made to a desire of certain
citizens to bridge the river at one time
That intention died an early and sudden
death A half-crazy dwel!er on the east
ern side started the project, procured
many signers, mostly non-resdents, and
went before the Legislative committee
He was met by q delegation Of our peo-
pie, and in il very short time had leave to
withdraw Such was the history of that
scheme, differing from the present one
mainly in the fact that Mr. Hichborn's
predecessor knew where he wanted to
cross.