The Portland daily press., 1886-04-01
THE FERRY LANDING.
Yesterdays Proceedings Before the
Committee,

"A. u. hODlQSO0 WAS Lue lISb WltH0oo CdliSu
Is trial justice at the Cape and carpenter
and builder. Always considered the old
ferry accommodations as entirely inadequate
for the property and growth of the villages
at the Cape. In his judgment this location
would be of good advantage to those villages.
Had made estimates Of the cost of float and
drop suitable for this locality-about $500 for
the float and $500 for the drop.
r. M. Cole, George NJ. Stone, Rufus Deer
ing, Joseph A. Kendall, Montgomery S. Glib
son, Charles H. Randall, Daniel f. Emery
and Charles S. Deake all testified that in
their opinion public convenience and neees-
siry demanded the location of this way.
Ex-Mayor Charles T. Libby testified that
he thought it good policy on the part of the
city to favor improved means Of communica-
tion with its suburbs-that the city ought to
have a public landing on the harbOr front
that the growth and interests OF the city as
we'll as of its outlying nelghborhood require
and demand it at this time rather than al
some later day. The tendency IS all the
time for the value cf property on the mar p por
front to increase in value and proDaDiy TINS
proposed improvement can never De 50
cheaply made as at present -
Sewall C.. StrOut testified in much the
same line as Mr.. Libby
John f. Merriman and w. T. Studley, resi-
dents Of the Cape, were in favor OF the loca-
tion.
HI. Il Pittee, ship carpenter at the Cape,
submitted plans drawn BY hkr for a float and
drop. They were of the same dimensions as
given by Mr.. Dyer yesterday and he estim-
ated the cost to be about 1886 for the two.
A. A. Strout, Esq, said that he was obliged
to leave tonight, and asked leave to lntr5-
duce the testimony of witness for their side
although out of order. No objection was
made and he called James l. Libby, who tes-
titled that he was clerk for the Cape Eliza
beth Ferry Company for twelve years; lett
their employ a year ago last September. Al
the time that the company bought the ferry
there were running two sail boats and they
Immediately put on a good steamer. He
never heard any complaints from the citizens
of the Cape and always gave them all the ac-
commOdations called for. Many citizens had
told him that if this way, was laid out they
should still go by the bridge in good weather.
Witness had known people to walk around
by the bridge to save the five cents ferriage,
and many of them kept boats and rowed
themselves back and forth to save the ferri-
age, which was only three cents if purchased
by the dollars worth. The company has al
waysitold the citizens of the Cape that when
the company was notified that the public de-
manded team ferryboat they would put
one on. Witness said that he did not think
public convenience or necessity required this
way to be located. He understood that Mr..
John B. Curtis and Mr. Willard, who consti-
tute the old company, were willing now. to
put on double end team ferry boat and tur-
nish the landing themselves on this side:
When asked if Mr.. Curtis or Mr.. Willard
told him so, he said no, but other parties had.
The hearing was resumed in the afternoon
at o'clock.
Frank NJ Clement testified: | am engaged
in the lumber business upon Commercial
street, in this city, to the extent of 100000
per year. 1t is my judgment that there
should be a highway constructed upon the
water front of the city, leading out into tide
waters, and that the same would be very adj
yantageOuS to our business interests. |
have been engaged in business here for fiji
teen or sixteen years.
George L. Stevens testified: | reside at
Ferry Village. L am an expresSman, run
ming between Ferry Village and Portland. l
have been engaged in that business nearly
fifteen years. have at times experienced
very great difficulty in carting goods from
Portland to Cape Elizabeth. / should say
that for about two months in the year, per-
haps little more or little less, the road be-
tween Portland and Ferry Village is almost
impossible. Frequently have been obliged
to pick up my load in the city, and send it
across on the ferry boat, and then cart it
from the ferry landing upon the other side.
Almost every winter for two or three weeks,
| have been obliged to keep runners at the
Cape Elizabeth end Of the bridge, and trans
ing the handling of the goods several times
l keep four horses and average from two to
six trips daily. If the highway that is pc
titioned for was constructed | should be
compelled, by reason of the condition of the
roads, to use it almost continuously certainly
from two to three months in the year. In
going and coming in my business, there is
hardly day that do not meet from eight
to ten (and sometimes m0re,) other teams,
loaded with goods, bound for those villages
Prior IN tho rlIaainU of a
double-end boat upon the route, during that
part of the year when the roads have been
passable, have furnished conveyance for
parties who desired to attend lectures and
entertainments in the city, should say on
an average of four times week, but have
not done so since the running of the double
end boat.
Cross-eramine reside at Ferry Village.
On packages of goods coming from Boston
the cost of delivery at that place is from 10
to 30 cents more than for delivery in the
city, the cost varying according to the size
of the package. Furniture Is not delivered
at Ferry Village at the same price it is de-
livered in the city, unless that is condition
in the purchase of it. Furniture dealers are
apt to get their carting in one way or an
other When dealers sell goods for Ferry
Village they will make discount of % cents
per barrel ii the goods are taken at the
store, but so far as my knowledge goes,
dealers in town deliver goods free in any
part VI bu6 Guy. L kuOW Ol uTluS budI ClltttSC
25 cents per barrel extra for delivery at
Ferry Village, and | know some that de-
liver free. If there was landing see no
reason why goods should not be delivered
free at that village. The road around by the
bridge is almost Invariably in bad condition
every spring, owing to the deep mud and the
snow. | made complaint about the road to
the Selectmen several times, but never made
any complaint about it before the grand
jury. l think the selectmen did as well as
they could with the road, with the means at
their disposal. 1t is hardly ever that the
snow is gone on Commercial street as soon
as it is upon the bridge; there is nearly
weeks difference, | should say. Upon some
of the Wharves the snow disappears as soon
as it does from the bridge, but upon others
it does not Usually, when it is wheeling
upon Commercial street, it is wheeling in
Ferry Village. The difficulty lies between
Ferry Village and Knightyille, on the cross
road There we usually have from two to
six feet of snow when the dust will be fly
ing in the city.
Re-direct-In some cases l collect my pay
from parties at Cape Elizabeth who pur-
chase the goods l carry, and some times the
parties selling the goods pay me. In speak
ing of the portion of the road that is very
bad at certain seasons of the year, | refer to
Broadway.
Hon. Charles Mclaughlin testified: am
one of the petitioners in this matter, but
have never before been called upon to testi-
fy In regard TO IL. L nave been engaged IN
business in Portland between 50 and 40 years.
My business has been at various times from
quarter to three-quarters of a million of
dollars annually. | was formerly in busi-
ness on Commercial street, but now located
upon Central street. | am acquainted with
the business done on Commercial street. and
on that side of the city. think the location
of the proposed way necessity, and that it
would be convenience thesame as anything
else in the line of progress. Without going
into details, l would say that | consider that
it would be a great benefit to the public, and
to business interests, and everything con-
nected with it.
Cross E;rdnlindtiO7l-I have made no spec
ial examination to see what the expenses of
the work would be, or as to the amount of
damages that would be caused by the TAX
ing of property for the purpose of construct
ing the way.
Stephen Seaman testified: ] reside at
Knightville. | have been one of the asses
sors of Cape Elizabeth for nine years. The
number of inhabitants at the last census
was $500. There are HOO polls and 1900
scholars. In school districts Nos. and 6,
comprising Ferry Village and Willard Viii
lage, there are about 700 school children. The .
town of Cape Elizabeth has expended in
building ferry landing or highway at Ferry
Village something over $4,000. The upper
portion of the town is connected with the
city by Portland bridge, but the people of
the lower portion reach the city by the ferry.
think the establishment of highway and
landing upon this side of the channel, as
DrODOSpd W0uld he of great advantage to