The Portland daily press., 1889-01-11
PORTLAND AND THE KENNEBEc.
Meeting Of Business Men at the
Board Of Trade Rooms Yesterday.

A meeting of business men was held at the
Board Of Trade rooms at II a. m. yesterday,
to consider the subject of establishing line
OF steamers between Portland and the Ken
nebec.
Vice President j. S. Winslow OF the board
was elected chairman, and Mr.. John II.
Hall, secretary. Mr.. Hall read this letter
from Hon. p .. vickery of Augusta:
AUGUSTA, ME-. Jan. 9, 1889.
Dear Sir-I shall not be able to go to Portland
TINS week as have TO go out of town in the morn
ing for a week. The citizens Of Portland do not
interests. There is not a wholesale dealer in
Portland but should feel personal interest in
the matter OF water communication with the Ken
nebec river. Portland dealers can just as well
furnish the towns OH the Kennebee as to let Bos-
ton and New York do ii. In my opinion ii is one
q OIL the best steamboat routes in New England.
why, II IS an extension of the Portland and Bos-
ton, and New York and Portland routes up the
kennebec TO Augusta. Those lines have vital
interest IN the matter In proof Of my CONFIDENCE
is put IN the hands of those who were to operate
the line contemplated year ago. do not mean
by that, Up put in bid for President or any other
office In the company, but if Mr.. Coyle, Mr.. Lis
comb and Mr. Libby will take hold of it, its sue
cess Is assured. as they are practical steamboat
scheme, and has always been so regarded by me,
and In the organization last year the control was
merged IN Portland gentlemen. a It should be.
MIR. COyle was 10 be business manager, Mr.. Lis
comb, treasurer, and three of The five directors
citizens Of Portland If we had matter here of
so vital Importance to this city as this scheme is
to Portland, our Board of Trade would be
called together at once and they would not
adjourn I'll success was guaranteed. For this
purpose IL ought not TO take six hours to raise
$4,000 In Portland alone. Suppose every whole
sale dealer takes $1,000 of the stock and does
not get a cent dividend, cannot they make the
line $50 benefit to themselves? 1t seems so to
me. Yet believe that the line would pay fair
dividend for the first year, and that the line
would, when fully developed, be one of the best
IN New England. don't see how any fair mind
ed, unprecedented Individual, Can think otherwise
Some stock can be secured here, but jus how
much cannot tell, and the same is doubtless
true OF the other towns on the river. have in
vested quite an amount In the Boston and Kenne-
bee route but that does not change my mind at
all in regard TO the Portland and Kennebec route
There is business enough for both. If you start
the scheme in earnest, and send any one here to
secure stock; viii aid him all l can.
i have entire confidence in the route and those
who take hold of t will make no mistake. l
shall be at home next week.
p. o. vIoKERY.
Mr. Nj. N. Rich thought the enterprise
would be good for Portland. He spoke of
the willion dollars worth of business done in
summer by the Boston and Penobscot and
Boston and Kennebec lines, portion of
which ought to come to Portland. Portland
can sell to Kennebec merchants as cheap as
Boston.
Mr.. j. w. Perkins would take small
amount of stock in the proposed line al
though he was well served by the Maine
Central road
Mr.. l.. A. Goudy believed in the scheme,
and thought merchants should make the in
yestment even If they expect direct divi-
dend or not, Tor the purpose of increasing
Mr.. F. II. Jordan thought there would he
considerable passenger traffic as well as
freight.
Mr.. j. b. Coyle said that he went through
this business last year, and could speak from
experience. He thought as an Investment
the plan would not be a paying one. Mr..
,Vickery is largely interested in Fort Pop
nam as a summer resort, and has 20 means
OF reaching it by public conveyance. A
steamboat line from Portland would directly
dement, him. Last year the general senti-
ment was on the Kennebec, that the Maine
Central accommodated them very well. There
were no complaints about the railroad. If a
new boat is put on the rates must be made
lower than those on the railroad. The Port
land Steam Packet Company would derive
willing to help 1t along, could not be the
prime mover. On the other hand, If the mer-
chants OF Portland choose to put their mon
ey in without expecting direct dividend, for
the purpose OF charging the scope of their
trade, he thought the investment might be a
good one. He spoke as he did to give all a
chance to look at the question in its different
aspects
Mr.. John 81. Hall said he found merchants
favored the scheme for the purpose of OPEN
ing new avenues of trade, not because they
thought it would pay
Messrs. j. +. Liscomb, Capt c. II. Chase,
Ira Croker, Hon. Geo. Walker, Il. Leighton,
all took the same line of thought as those
quoted.
On motion of M. N. Rich. committee was
appointed, consisting of j. s. Winslow, j.
Il. Hall and L. A. Cloudy to call on the Port
report at a meeting Monday, January 2lst.
when Mr.. Vickery is expected to be present.
There is.some talk Of purchasing the steamer
Northampton, now running on the James
river, which, is fast, seaworthy boat, and
can be bought for perhaps $4,000