The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-25
THE MAINE CENTRAL MEETING.
Success of the Eastern Railroad.

THE MAINE CENTRAL MEETING.
Success of the Eastern Railroad.
A Solemn Occasiom-The Maine Party
ask for n PoIicy-No Response by the
victors-The Eastern Managers Vote
2I,376 shares and the Maine 1860
Hurried Adj ournment.
Those who went to Waterville yesterday ex
pecting to see a crowd and fight, were among
those who are disappointed. There was no
crowd, not more than three hundred, stock
holders and spectators being present, though
of shareholders there are 636 and of shares 3d.
1856. On the arrival of the Augusta train it
| was given out by the Eastern claquers that the
whole thing had been arranged by the Eastern
managers at Waterville. They had resolved
on quiet meeting and predicted that 1.-THE mi
nority would not dare to say word. The as
sembly at the town hail was very quiet, indeed,
almost solemn. On the part of few gentle
men there was that anxious expression of coun-
tenance that squad of soldiers might have
when expecting an attack from an unlocked
for quarter, or tmid men standing about on
ground where it was known score of Guy
Fawkeses had been at work for weeks. On the
faces of others there was that fixed resolution
which only men wear who are assured of de-
feat but have resolved to die game. The greet
ings were not cordial. On the whole, to the
parties in interest, it was disagreeable occa-
sion and only enjoyed by the few spectators
who climbed to the top of the ladder-like seats,
| apparently to be out of harms way should
anything happen. Three or four ladies be-
longing to the Society of Friends were among
| the stockholders but even their always-in style
bonnets and sedate CARDS did not add an iota
| to the solemnity of the occasion. Directly OPP
poste President Morrill's chair, in bold.letters,
stood the motto, "Behold! How good and how
| pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
| unity Elsewhere were the notices: "Chari-
| ty," "Truth," etc. These seemingly inappro-
pirate sentiments called forth few vaDid or
ghostly jokes, but on the whole, the crowd didn't
| appear happy, few with hands full of stock
and victory in their grasp apparently fearing
that something unpleasant would happen, more
evidently anxious to set unpleasant things in
motion, aud the greater part fearful that the
|
according the programme.
At II o'clock President Morrill, called the
meeting to order and Hon. j. 81. Drummond,
Clerk of the corporation, announced that he
had ascertained by certificates of stock and
proxies that quorum was present
Gov. Morrill, then presented the report of the
Directors and Treasurer for the year of 1874,
which, having been printed and circulated, was
not read. The affairs of the company under
President Morrill, had been managed SO pru-
IDENTIFY ard honestly that no one had ugly in
quiries to make respecting the expenditure of
| money, or severe criticisms upon any liue of
policy. The general sentiment among the
| stockholders was that of approval of the adj
ministration of Governor Morrill, and his asso
| ciates
Mr.. Joshua Nye of Augusta, moved that the
number of directors be fixed at thirteen, and
that a committee of three be appointed to re-
ceive, sort aud count votes for that board for
J the ensuing year.
Mr.. Charles A. Dow of Waterville, inquired
if it wouldn't be better to have smaller board
and thereby save the additional expense. The
stockholders wanted dividends. but to get them
the expense must be reduced.
TAT that very moment nearly dozen paid
retainers of-well-no matter, Mr.. Dow, 60 to
Augusta next winter and we will show them to
you and you'll see whose they are.]
The vote was. taken and half dozen yeas
| against single s'no" decided for the thirteen.
The President appointed Messrs. Joshua Nye,
| of Augusta, Charles HI. Haskell Of Portland,
and George D. Whittle of Salem, the above
committee.
BY this time the ballots were well circulated,
| one headed by Gov Coburn, whose name was
| on both, and the other by Gov. Morrill,, which
was the ticket representing the Maine stock
holders, or the minority. Before the ballotng
begun President Morrill, said that he observed
| that his name was on one of the tickets. He
had declared year since that he would not
serve another year; it had so been given out
by the press, and he hoped that no one would
| vote tor him.
The committee then took their places in front
| of the platform, and as the voting was begin
ming Gen. John Marshall Brown CT Portland,
rose and said:
| Mr.. President: ask your indulgence and
| the indulgence of the stockholders present at
| this meeting. 1t seems only right and proper
| in view of the fact that two tickets, varying SO
materially in their character, are being present.
| ed for our consideration here, that some one
| NAV have the privilege out of respect to HIM
| self and respect to the gentlemen VINO nave
been associated with him, to say something.
find on entering the room two tickets.
| Upon one of them the names OF gentlemen
| who have been connected with this railroad and
| the roads connected with it from the inception
of this great enterprise. hnd upon the other
| ticket pre- scented to Us the names OF some who
| have no material interest in this corporation,
| and some who have had no connection with its
beginning or its growth.
| have asked myself why is there such d.
vergance here? Upon the one ticket we find
| the names of the men who, in the early strug-
giles of this corporation put their shoulders to
| the wheel, and by whose energy this has be-
come magnificent property, and by whose in
| dustry this enterprise has been maintained and
| by whose financial ability its credit has been
| sustained-who 10 its greatest depr. sion came
cheerfully TO its support and put their hands
into their pockets ana GaIrea periS
find that most of these gentlemen have
been dropped from the other ticket. l see upon
| this ticket the name of a gentleman whose
family has been connected with this railroad
| from the beginning born almost with its birth.
deyoting the best energies of an active business
| life to the successful administration of its
affairs. / do not find his name upon the other
| t;cket There are others whose names have
been dropped-men of ample pecuniary ability,
men whose purses have ever been ready to help
| this corporation in distress. Their names are
not upon tho other ticket But upon the other
ticket find the names of men of undoubted
integrity of character, we'll known in the COM
munity, but not as connected with the property
which we own in the state of Maine to-day.
They are representatives of railroad corpora
ton which has had no existence in this state.
| Now. gentlemen, these are the two tickets.
| One of them represents and is supported by
four ifths or fve-sixths, ! might say nine
| longing in the state of Maine. On the other
side you have ticket which Oh is supported by
| vote bv gentlemen who are the authorized off
GERS and agents of the Eastern railroad of Mas
| sachusetts.
| do not ask the gentlemen, it. is not necessa-
| nv for us to ask how this has been accomplish
| ed. am not here to make any allegations
about misrepresentation of corporate funds; 1
am not here to say that gentlemen have their
positions and owe their positions on that ticket
| to their betrayal of their friends. / make no
| such allegations.
do not ask how they have acquired this
power, but ~hy they have acquired it, why
come into Maine and obtained the control of