Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-10-22

Btlt N-I, oCt. X, 1891.
Hon. J. ". Wakefield:
DEAR SIR Your letter of the Pa inst
IS more than kind If indeed il is not more
than just Ny answer TO Judge william
son wss simply the statement of facts
which already existed To Que whose long
and continued friendship | have highly
valued. and whose sterling character aas
commanded my sinceTc and profound re-
speCt.
You are right in saving that public man
should heed public sentiment. Yes. and
So should one in private life except to the
extent OF doing what he knows Ia be
wrong. Then he should take the respln-
slbilty 10 act honestly in the best light
he has and accept the consequences But
such a case rarely occurs except occasion
ally when the person acting happcuS to
have information which the public has
not, and therefore stands In better posi-
ton to See the facts aud situation.
The duties Of All official in this respect
were extensively discussed by Mr.. Burke
on the hu>ting>. and 50 cnnciu,4veiy that
| think the question has never ,luce been
publicly raised.
recolect we'll our meeting III Washing
ton and the great assistance | found 10 the
statistics YOU gave me, 10 getting tlit iir~t
appropriation which | secured IN the
House for the improvement Of the k"nrc-
bee river. which. If 10 be the most useful
is the noble-t. j. certainly what YOU baYe
called IT, one Of the uphle~, river. of the
north, and indeed IF tn" country.
The appropriation made At the time 10
which YOU alluie was So uru. In the last
Congress we secured so upo more The
plan however j, Ia appropriate sa35,ooo
so a. to furnish a channel uf sufficient
width and At least sixteen feet deep from
Augusta ont To the sea and this VIII he
done provided the project is per>i>tentiy
and skIlfuily pushed and advocated by
some one having sufficient experience. ac-
quaintancc and standing ip Congress to Sc
cure it. otherwise il viii have to wait or
entirely fail sS 50 many mrri orious cases
OF a similar character do.
The bIeakwatcr a. Bar liarhor j. in
condition quite analogous to the kennebec
Improvement Two appropriations Of $50.
600 each have been made for II in the last
two Congresses. The estimate Ia complete
the work j. $50 600 more. $1,000 have
been appropriated for Bagaduce river, but
1886 900 more will be required to complete
this much needed work SlO.pU0 have been
appropriated and expended during The
present season in Belfast harhor hut SAB
900 more will be required To carry out the
engineers plan which Is Ia make chan
mel five hundred feet wide and fifteen feet
deep al low water from the head Of the
harbor out by the steamboat wharf to the
deep bay.
While the average amount allowed in
the last River and Haroor hill was 40 per
cent. Of the sum recommended by tile chief
engineer Of the army. :hc Third District
~ Maine got ~ per cent. in one instance.
80 3 per cent. ia another instance. and
100 per cent IN all the Others.
There are also pending plans 10 improve
the kenueheC between Augusta and Water
vile, the harbor at Lincolnylle. the Falls
81 sullivan and other important places all
Of which should be done ~ rapidly a. pos
sihle. and let me assure You who have
shown - much interest in the keuncbcc
improvement that - long a. ! remain in
Congress all these matters. a. well as
others. will receive INV earnest efforts, and
the benefit of whatever experience and in
iluence possess there.
Your words of generous approya al keen
~ appreciate. They are much more than
| would have said of myself and such as
call forth my sincere gratitude.
Cordially yours,
5. L. MuIIkEN.