The Portland daily press., 1875-03-30
The Island Pond Nuisance.

Sixteen miles from the Dominion border
in the state of Vermont, county Of Essex,
on the line of the Grand Trunk Railway, is
Island Pond. To be sure one may search
the last census of the general government in
vain for the thriving little village; but, after
somewhat protracted search, we have ascer-
tained that it appears in that volume as the
town of Brighton, with population of 1885,
of which 900 is native and the balance of
foreign birth. Island Pond is village made
by the Grand Trunk Railway. In 1850
Brighton numbered 1913 souls, aud in 1860
945 including customs officers. To that point
the Atlantic & st. Lawrence Railroad Com
pany extended its line. There it was met by
the Grand Trunk Railway Company. Con-
sequently there, sixteen miles into Vermont.
it located some of its shops and car houses
there Uncle Saln's officials located custom
house. The town is the child of circum-
stance, and since the customs officers have
got it into their heads that they have right
to interfere with and detain the through
business of the Canadas bound to Portland
or elsewhere, the town has become an an
noyance to thousands of people who wish, in
very decided language, that the aforesaid had
never existed or that the customs officers
would be content to draw their salaries and
not otherwise interfere with the business of
the general public.
Such, however, is not the fact. Sixteen
miles into the territory of the United States,
these officials act upon the presumption that
they are standing upon the very border and
there by their vigilance, are thwarting those
who would defraud Uncle Sam of his just
revenue. If this were the case, if the official
corps at Island Pond were upon the border,
and there examined every SEAL and there re-
quired shippers to enter their goods, there
would be a slight preteXt tor their interfer-
ence with millions of dollars worth Of mer-
chandise. When. however, merchandise has
been hauled by railway sixteen miles into
the United States without an examination or
entry there can be little or no additional dan
ger in permitting the same to continue LAO
miles further in the same sealed cars to point
where it is to be reshipped and where the
owners have agents who can attend to its en-
try and re-shipment at the same time, and
thereby avoid needless delay and expense,
Why has this mischievous and altogether
needless regulation been permitted, as we are
informed by telegraph it has? Doubtless
Secretary Bristow has been informed by the
jealous officials at Island Pond and Mr.. Bipg-
ham, Special Agent, that the revenue is de-
frauded by the present system-that sealed
cars are broken open, and lumber and other
merchandise upon which no duty has been
paid, has been taken out and peddled along
the line of the Grand Trunk. This is the
old story which was told when the late Sen.
ator Fessenden made arrangements with Sec
retary Chase to have the cars opened here
and the entries of the merchandise made
at this port. 1t is the same story
which these ambitious officials have
told many times since in order that they may
be retained at Island Pond. At last, by thu
influence Of Senator Edmunds, it is SAID, thu
Treasury Department has been made to be
lieve the fiction, and hereafter business in.
terests to the amount OF several millions
annually, are to be annoyed, delayed and put
to additional expense.
Undoubtedly it is for the interest of the
revenue officers at Island Pond to show tia
they are doing large amount of business. 1
they did not there might be some questions
as to their continuance now that so large
force is not required to check the smuggling
incident to the high duties of the war period
Consequently they are willing to impos
greater burdens upon industry and commerc
that they may be continued in the public ser
vice.
We can hardly believe that Senator Ed
munds, with full knowledge of the facts
could use his influence to perpetrate so nn
just regulation upon the business public
We assume that he could not have fully real
| lied that the Island Pond regulation is lttl
less than an outrage-that he has been i'm
posed upon by the representations of "part
bummers" who desire above all to retail
their places.
We trust that Secretary Bristow will hav
this matter fully Investigated and not be le
| by the interested representations of one side
| to allow few officials at railroad village il
Vermont to impose burdens upon bushes
which are no less than outrages.