The Portland daily press., 1875-01-12

L
they have Board of Trade, they have their social
gatherings for the purpose 1 have indicated.
would therefore submit this matter to the Board for
It's consideration the coming year. 3. %.
Ge9tlemeD; there is another matter TO which l
wish to call your attenrinn At the commencement
Oh the past year measures were taken to increase
our number of subscribers to the "Merchants' Ex-
change which is an outgrowth OF this Board, ana
part of the same. A committee was raised TO So
licit subscribers and some fortyour individuals ana
firms were added to the list. We read in ancient his
tory these words Sand yet there is room and when
what is furnished 10 the subscribers OF this in,
stiuti0n, for the price charged cannot understand
how any OF business men can afford to do with
out it. We have there a reading room with twenty
one 2D daily, and fifteen 90 weekly newspapers ,en,
telegraph dispatches, the gist of the same as they
have in Boston, for wbicl they pay some fourteen
thousand CSf4,OO0 dollars per year, giving the ior
eign and home markets, and news OF all kinds, our
stock boards and quotations, all marine reports, ar
rivals and clearances exports and imports BESIDES
ali of which is furnished to the individual subscriber
for Just half OF the expense of good daily news
paper, and to firms in proportion. In some instances
ten 40 times the amount of the yearly subscription
has been saved to the subscriber in single day. just
by being posted upon the markets in time would
submit this matter also for the consideration OF the
Board. a, e.
Gentlenien with your permission will say few
words in regard to the prospect for business IN our
city The time has arrived, in my Judgmeho Wien iaa
the outlook for Portland in business point OF view
is very promising. Our city is about TO take new
departure in the business world. Many important
enterprises which will aid us in our business mere
have been carried forward and completed. Our ship
is now ready for sea. With our steamboat conhec-
tions With the eastern part OF the state, WIN OF
John and the lower British Provinces, with Boston
and New York with q line of ocean steamships ply.
ing here six months in the year, and at no distant
day to ian here throughout the year win our
lines through to the West and the third IN process ~
construction, to be completed at any early uay WI" IN
the matter virtually settled that the terminus Oh ZIG
Grand Trunk railway is to be in this city, thus set
ting another important matter, that fofanu Is i,oI
opy to be an importing city for herself, but for many
n;f;as In ta f.
for business, Portland must step forward.
Many of those enterprises to which our city is IN
debted for her business position to-day were not ac
complshed without much labor and some opposltlon'
We have been highly favored here in that respect;
Whenever an enterprise mas been re G cv and
improve our facilities for business, we nave mere
what might be termed healthy opposition, soit OF
safety-valve. which is sure to come to tne Top II 'Ie
proposed enterprise is of any considerable value. IL
always uses the same stereotyped argument, anu eo
effect upon people has been most w0nueLi t :.
that it will increase taxes enormously, tnat IL
will drive away our population and business meh,
and finally ruin city. These arguments are sur
to bring out the good points IN the ploposeu eue
prise if it has any, and secure its success Many OF
the best metals, you know, are much mproveu ~
working; you tell their full strength until
you put them to the test. Gentlemen Will venture
TO saw if YOU would have our taxes increased JUST
give cold shoulder to all OF those enterprises anu
Improvements that go to develope the resources VI
the city, and if you succeed you will drive away our
population and business men, and then you Will
have the taxes about high you will wish to see
them; while on the other hand encourage tnose en-
terprises that are calculated to develope the re-
of the city, to improve our facilities Ior DUST
ness our commerce, our manufactures, our mecnan-
les, invite in capital and population, to deveope
taxable property and bring it into use, and then we
shall not only have property but population 10 TAX,
somebody pay the taxes and in TINS way our LAKES
would be reduced, that is 10 say, we snouiu ieuu0o
the percentage.
chants ami business men Gas general tnngI nave
stood together in carrying forward those
that have done much towards placing our CITY III
her present business position. 81,
Not many years since of our far-sighted cltl-
zens seemed to think that something should be
done in order to give the city Of Portland new NE
and vitality. They conceived OF the IDEA tnaG We
needed an opening from this city to the great West.
Steps ere taken, and that great enterprise now
known as the Grand Trunk railway, was undertaken,
carried forward, and completed. NO sooner was
this enterprise commenced than that same OPPOSE
ton to which have referred not only appeared up
on the surface inthis city, but in nelghbormg Guy,
with its usual arguments which insured the success
Gentlemen, what has been the result? 1t has
been the making of this city, SO to speak anu VIII
its late improvements, in reayng almost It's entlre
track with steel rails with its change OF gauge anu
rolling st OK to the expense OF more than nVe os
of pounds equal 20 twentS n itb al Of
the great railways east and west, thereby doubling
its capacity for business and with these increased
facilities it is destined to do much more for tnls CITY
in the future than it has done in the past.
Gentlemen, have stated that the terminus OF me
Grand Trunk Railw was virtually settled. NH NIL
give YOU some of my reasons for saying TINS. Inc
position of Portland is geographically Ilght 1of ths
terminus. We have one of the best harbors In TINS
country always open, water enough for any snip
that floats Portland is several hours sail nearer
Liverpool than Boston, and the distance from foIt,
land to Boston is just as tar as 1t Is back again. anu
all the discussions and rival routes TO tne contrary
will never make it any less.
Gentlemen [ do not think that this elevator ques-
ton, ION which the city council has just acted is IN
either the Grand Trunk Company or the Allan
Steamship Company have ever asked tins CITY 70
build them an elevator, but when the city OF Boston
saws to these companies that if you will make your
terminus in our city we will furnish you WIN an
the wharf and elevator accommodations you 9 hee9.
proposition, but Portland is our home. What nave
you to say to us? What shall we say to our peope
across the water about the position Portland taxes
in this matter. My idea is that we should treat
these parties kindly to say the least
Some few of our citizens would give us 70 under-
stand that these two companies Ito which nave re-
ferred) were of not much consequence to our Guy.
Gentlemen let look at the other side OF thls ques
ton for moment. What is this Grand Trunk Rail
way Company to this city? Is it of any advantage
to our people? Let refer to one or two items III
order to give you idea OF their Disbursements
They have paid to one of our manufacturing com
panies for materials aud machines within Tue las1
three years. seven hundred and fifty Thousand
75O,O0W dollars You will notice, t tsv
this ha, been paid to single company Again tney
have paid to their employees IN TINS CITY WitIn o me
last three years about one million OF dollars Ssl9V,
O0) disbursng here between three and four nunuIeu
thousand dollars yearly. We are talking ABOUT
making Portland manufacturing CITY. We
have manufactures we must nave something lol
them to do. What would you think OF TINS company
as a FEEDER as supporter of our manufactcres our
mechanics and laboring men? Iput this question
for your consideration.
What about this Allan Ste lmshp Company? Are
they any advantage to our people? Their disburse-
ments in this city for the last three years Tor a0o
provisions, coal, &c amount to over SIX nundred
thousand (S60O.O C0), disbursing among our people
nearly twice much ye 7 as the whole cost OF the
proposed wharf property put in condition i0r tne Ell
eyator. l put this also for your consideration. .
Gentlemen, l have referred to these few 1tems
that YOU might see that these companies do not come
begging, that they can do about as well Wltno9. US
as we can do without them. l have spoken OF our
fine harbor and water power, but who Will ever pc
lieve anything about its value to this clty aitea
reading such articles the one that appeared III I
Daily PRESS on the 10th ult, signed "Portiahu
think the writer is little unfortunate IN MS sigma
ture, Portland would not endorse ms ar,ic t
ANY one by reading the article referred to ana QUIZ
ers OF similar import that have appeared IN the day
papers of late would naturally infer that the pro
posed elevator was to be built up town somewhere
that the Grand Trunk Company did not know their
own business, that they do not intend TO Dullo an
elevator; that they have no use for one after II Is
built; that the proposed wharf foundation can never
be made to stand after it has been put in condtlo
and that there is water there for ships 70 lay III
in order to take in freight Is tins So, nder.
standEthdt they know more ABOUT tnis lhatCel CIau
all the business and engineers in the CITY, ana II
they will only give enough of the same kind there
will be no doubt about the success of the enterprise
Gentlemen. in conclusion let me say, that WIN tne
progressive and liberal policy that is now Delne pui
~,
improved facilities for business, with the new I'LL
pulse that has been given to the manufacturing IN,
terests, with the large increase in business OF an
kinds wit Elm the last three years, with one OF the
best markets in New England, and With united
effort on the part of our merchants and business
men there is no fear for the future of Portland; and
with these remarks and thanking you again Tor ths
renewed expression of your confidence, am now
ready to proceed with the business of the Board.
1t was voted that the remainder OF the OIL
GERS be elected on one ballot, and that the bal
lot be thrown by the chairman of the commit
tee, who prepared list of officers. The fol-
lowing are the officers who were unanimously
elected Vice Presidents, A. X. Shurtleff, Chas
LII. Haskell and S. j. Anderson; Directors, Il.
c. Hersey, j. S. Winslow, M. S. Dana, Ed
ward Clement, James S. Bedlow, 6. G. Tyler,
VIM. H. Miliken; Secretary, w. N. Rich;
Treasurer, Cnas. S. Forbes; Port Wardens,
John Hasty and Geo. w. Davis.
Mr.. C. P. Kimball declined a reelection as
Vice President.
The meeting was then declared open for bus
mess.
Mr.. T. C. Jersey arose and spoke regarding
the report of the committee on manufacturers
He thought the board should take some action
in regar to the matter of having another in
dustral exhibition. He spoke in high terms of
the committee who had charge of the exhbi