The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-16
The Bonding Sy tenn and the Cara
clan Pacific.

The Bonding Sy tenn and the Cara
clan Pacific.
To the Editor Of the Press:
win you kindly permit me through your
columns i to correct wrong impression
which your recent editorial conveys in re-
gard to my testimony before the Senate COM
mittee In Boston, to state the objects of the
Castine Railway and Navigation Company,
and to fairly criticise the conclusions you
have come to?
You say am in favor Of interfering with
the bonding system. There is no bonding
sys tenn which allows the Canadian Pacific
to transport goods in bond across the State
of Maine for shipment to Europe from Pro-
vincial Ports
The Canadian Pacific desire that privilege
to be granted. Our Secretary of the Treas
ury refuses to take action upon it. The Sen
ate committee invite the people to be heard
in the matter and give their opinion as to
what laws it is necessary for Congress to pass
to protect our interests.
Ike Portland delegation protest in the
strongest possible terms against any change
in the present bonding system, additions to,
or subtractions from the present laws Now
the right to transport across Maine in bond
for shipment from Provincial ports of any
kinds of goods by the Canadian Pacific is
not in the present laws.
My point to which you take exception is
that European bound freight originating on
United State, soil should b. shipped from a
United States seaport. That does no impair
the usefulness Of Canadian roads to Port
land or any United States seaport Why
should you object to that?
In the resolutions presented to the COM
mittee, l favored granting the bonding
privilege across the State on all goods the
final destination of which is in Canada,
East or West / favored their going to Hall
fax to establish fast mail and passenger
route to Europe to ship Canadian or Asiatic
freight from Halifax to Europe, and in re-
turn for this claimed that European bound
freight originating on United States soil
should be shipped from United States sea-
port.
There is no citizen of the United States or
Canada who can object to that on any equi-
table grounds it seems to me.
i Now this Is broad national ground and
simply ask congress 10 pIolect un VI Jul
seaports, then Castine presents from among
the rest. her superior natural advantages as
the United States terminus for the Canadian
Pacific Railway and for the following rea-
sons she will become the terminus.
The Canadian Pacific will get the longest
haul ON their own road consistent with the
shortest through route to Europe, they will
diverge United States freight from their road
at Brownyille SO miles from CaStne, contin-
uing on with Canadian freight to Halifax,
they will pro rata own less mileage on the
,Castine railway to the sea than by any other
connecting road
Castine is in the centre of the sea coast of
Maine, at the mouth of the principal river,
and the head of the principal bay, in just the
right location, and with abundant natural
advantages to become the commercial city of
Eastern Maine. Bangor is 80 miles north as
the distributing point near the business Gen.
tire of the State.
Castine will be the winter outlet for the
interior and Bangor. 1t is the proper point
at which to connect the railroad with the
steamboat, on the direct line between Ban
gor and Boston or New York. Let Congress
protect all our seaports by denying the bond
ing privile through Maine on freight origina-
ting in the United States, and then the Cana
dian Pacific cannot haul that freight to Hall
fax by aid of Dominion subsidies, thus over
coming the natural advantages of our ports
and building up theirs at the expense of ours
with our freight.
With our seaports protected Castine will
take her chances with the rest.
1t would be dangerous policy for us to
grant the bonding privilege on this class of
are willing to increase the haul if they are
paid for 1t, and if the Dominion are willing
to substitute the Canadian Pacific to divert
trade from our ports to theirs, they will sub
sidize the Grand Trunk also, and they can
pass right by Portland, come on to
fhn nin frat Cuct or i cfn
hire running rights to Vanceboro as the Ca
madam Pacific do from Mattawamkeag, and
thus reach Provincial ports, or via Lewiston,
Maine Central and new shore line to be
built to Calais, and Grand Southern now in
operation to st. John. Or. for subsidy
Pacific this class of freight at Sherbrooke,
Canada, and turn all your export business to
st. Andrews, st. John and Halifax by one or
the other of these routes.
Under existing laws this is impossible.
Portland is protected by the Grand Trunk
privilege across the State ON this class of
freight, let the Grand Trunk enter the
Provinces and Portland will be left.
You seem to be afraid of offending the
Canadian Pacific by protecting our ports and
that such protection will drive, them round
through Quebec and lnterc0l0nial or Ed
mundston. Don't fear. Our Northwestern
merchants wouldn't stand the delay from the
deep SHOWS on those long Northern routes,
to escape which the Canadian Pacific built
the short line across this State.
The Canadian Pacific or the Dominion
government cannot be offended at the
ground ! take, as it applies strictly to
United States freight and grants them every
privilege for their own.
There is no man in Maine who favored
granting the Canadian Pacific charter across
this State stronger than L did, but when
6iUnrfinO
United States freight to Provincial ports l
remember that l am citizen of the United
States, and | know that the natural advan-
tages of all our sea ports combined cannot
government to do that and simple and eff
fective way and a just way too is the one
propose.
Live and let live.
Why cannot our government subsidiZe
steamers from our ports? One line could con,
the Canadian Pacific at Castine also, and
have plenty of western and northwestern
business, and leave enough besides for New
York and Boston. The United States is
growing, and the old State Of Maine Is com
ing IN 0r he1 ana
Dominion and British subsidies, Canadian
and Asiatic freight and through passengers
will support the British steamers from Hall
fax.
The Canadian Pacific Railway does not
comeunder ouriurisdcti6n except as 1t crosses
our State, and in this territory, and nowhere
else, our Congress has a right to say what
shall be done with United States freight.
The Castine Railway and Navigation Com
pany proposes to build from Castine to Ban
gor. to become, as you say, a great highway
OF commerce, and we propose to do 1t by at
fording every facility at its command to all
connecting roads and steamers without dis
elimination, to reach the interior and the
coast, and that there may be no obstacle in
the way of trans continental business, we
propose to build and own road from Ban
gor to the Canadian Pacific. When this Is
done Bangor will supply eastern Maine, and
the long railroad will meet the big ship at
Castine.
This is the same effort here that John A.
Poor put forth for Portland.
Yours very respectfully,
A. NJ. DEVEREUX.