The Portland daily press., 1888-02-13
TIE BOARD oE TRADE.


i'm three years we shall have reciprocity.
There is but one class that can think OF In
Canada that will oppose it, and that may be
some manufacturing industries just started,
that have not the plant and facilities which
ours have and SO could not successfully COM
pete with us, except 10 a local extent, with
what we might be able to SEND there: but;
aside from that, know OF no class In the
Provinces that need object to It. Surely our
manufacturers all ought to be In FAVOR OF IL
for it opens vast field to them.
| do not know that have any suggestion
to make upon anything else that was DEN
nitely stated. Our Mayor gave some intlma-
ton of some hope that an arrangement
would be made by when Portland might be-
come an important shipping port for the
Canadian Pacific. trust If that thing is
possible it will be brougt about Tor u Is GER
taihly, as it seems to me, OF the highest Inn
portance to Portland.
came rather to learn what was going on
as my business occupies my attention large
ly and have no opportunities for inqulrlng
into these matters. hope this Board will
at future meetings discuss these things and
then take action. Let us know what the
sentiments of the Board are and II 1t is That
we should have an elevator let us go to work
and build it. Where there Is will there Is
way and | know Portland can do 1t. Ii Is
nothing to what they have done when 1t was
smaller city. The only thing we want to
be satisfied about is that it Is the best thing
to do and then let us do it. [Applause.l
John E. Dewitt was the next speaker. He
said;
SPEECH OF JOHN E.DEwIrT.
Mr. President and Gentlemen Of the Board
of Trade:
did not come down here tonight to speak
but am somewhat familiar with the profits
of elevators. Among the legacies from
former administration which fell to me to
look after was an interest in Chicago ele-
vator, orrather upon the land and the steam
engine that ran the machinery attached to
it, Because of that made some invesIiga-
ton as to the profits of that business there
and at Toledo and l think Mr.. Adams has
understated rather than overstated the
profits that have been made out OF the eleya-
tor business where the roads we're friendly
to the enterprise.
It seems to me that both tonight and at a
former meeting this question of an elevator
and other matters connected with the growth
of the city has been managed little differ
emily from what would manage it, If we
are to know what we want we should ask
those who know what we ought to have. If
we are to discuss the question of elevators or
anything of that kind properly it seems to
me we should have here the general mana
gers or the freight agents of tile railroads
that centre in the city. We should ask them
to meet with the people of the town and the
town and the Board of Trade and discuss
with them what is wanted and see whether
we are able. to give it to them. Some few
weeks ago was discussing the matter of the
Portland & Ogdensburg with a successful
railroad president in New York. and he said
that what Portland needs was to put the
Portland & Ogdensburg into the hands of
| some Railroad corporation sufficiently strong
| to build elevators and all other conveniences
| for shipping produce and other matters. 1t
seems ne had made study of this city.as his
corporation had had quite an extensive trade
| this way land he saidwith tn. facilities we had
| on the Cape Elizabeth side for disposing OF
merchandise there was no reason why we
| should not have populations of one hundred
| thousand.
There is another thing that has not been
| touched upon here that seems to me, in
| smaller way, is of vital Importance to the
| city We are almost the only city of this
size without a proper place of amusement
When merchant living east of this place
makes up his mind to leave home to purchase
goods, and his wife or family wishes to go
with him, they will naturally go to Boston.
because we have no place of amusement
here that would attract them to stay over
night. If little money was put into that,
our Commercial street merchants and retail
dealers, think, would find that trade would
stop here which now passes by. But agree
| also with Mr.. Adams, that 1t is not worth
| while to talk alone; whatever we are to do,
| we ought, as citizens, to be about it. 1 have
heard the discussion of the elevator ques-
ton, and for one should be glad to do my
best [Applause] When you want suit OF
| clothes you go to the tailor; when You want
| an elevator, it seems to me YOU should 60 to
the railroads and find out what they want
and then make the clothes to fit the man. Ii
| this Board of Trade is to act intelligently on
| that question, it seems to me they can do il
| better by inviting those who have charge OF
Transportation of merchandise to this city
! to meet with them and tell them what is
| really needed, and then see whether we can
| do it for them, If it is the best thing to do.
| lApplausel
Vice President Winslow said: Since our
last meeting, have been to New York and
made some enquiries about floating elevators
1 find that in New York that mode of ele-
waiting is all gone by, like the wooden ships.
Very many of them are hauled up, and can
be bought at low price. The stationary
elevators are now what they are using, and
there are only two floating elevators in use
there today.
The next speaker was Secretary M. n
Rich. He spoke as follows:
SPEECH OF NJ. NJ RICH.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Board
of Trade:
| suppose that the question will be asked
as it has in the past what's the practical re-
suit of these meetings? We have had three
| social meetings. We started year ago this
month. introduced the proposition of the
| necessity of more storage elevator capacity
| in Portland. and moved the appointment OF
| commission to consult with the principal
railroads running in here at that time to see
what could be done in the way of more ele-
vator capacity. We have considered the
matter, we have invited Mr.. Hickson to meet
| our commission and he promised to do it,
| and no doubt intends to sometime. We had
three subjects which were proposed to be
taken up at the meeting, elevators, manufac.
| lures and: building loan associations. The
| building loan association has become an as
sured thing. Our prospective argumenteiu
regard to manufactures has had the effect to
invite two or three manufacturers here al
| ready. One concern that had been cramped
| and crippled for the want of funds has at
tracted theattentionof capitalists and has re-
| ceived enough money to put 1t into operation
| upon good basis. There are two or three
| manufactures that are seeking our city as a
| favorable place for business and hope oul
committee on manufactures Will be advised
| to assist them.
As the.Mayor suggestedithe reason why the
| Canadian Pacific has not utilized the Port
| land g. Ogdensburg is because it has no facll-
| ity for handling freight and storing grain; Ii
we had that capacity have no doubt that
the first shipments of flour over that road
would have come by the way of Portland in
stead of going to Boston. 1t seems to me
| the time has come when the city ought tC
aid in utilizing its interest in the Portland d
| Ogdensburg road and while / favor holding
on to the road until the proper time comes
think we have now come to the point where
we ought no longer remain and perish from
dry rot. Suppose we should have an acci-
dent upon it like that upon the Boston q
Maine at Bradford. 1t would wipe out the
city's interest completely. hope. the bust,
ness men of Portland will look into 1t and
see if the time has not come when the city
should dispose of her interest to any corpora
ton that will take it and run it In the In.
terest of the city of Portland and do moi
think that any corporation ever will or can
afford to take it and run it otherwise.
On motion of Mr.. Walker it was voted
that an invitation be extended to the repre-
sentatives of the different railroads entering
our city to meet with the Board and consult
as to the need of better terminal facilities
and elevators.
4l.x.