The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-08
discussion. The commi tee started out
to give hearing upon the petitions for

law regulating Sunday traffic. These
are the petitions to which over l2,00O
signatures have been obtained. Prof.
Francis B. DEMO of the Bangor Theolog-
zeal Seminary was first speaker. He adj
yocated the desired legislation because
he believed that the employees of rail
road and steamboat lines were now
forced to work on Sundays against their
wishes and that the practice of running
Sunday excursion trains led to rowdyism
and drunkenness on that day. Prof.
DEMO understood that there had been a
good deal of drunkenness on Sunday ex-
cursion trains running out of Portland
to the White Mountains. He was told
that many of the excursionists carried
bottles which they left empty in the cars
and by the track. Prof. DEMO said that
in 1871. during the great strikes, the
roads which had the most trouble were
those which made their employees work
on Sunday.
Seth Garter, Esq, representing several
of the larger railroads called on Mr.. @.
w. T. Cooling, the genial manager of the
Casco Bay Steamboat Company to speak
for that line. Mr.. Cooling told of the
patronage of the boats on Sunday by all
classes, including clergymen and summer
visitors anxious to reach the city to at
tend church. The excursionists proper
were orderly people, and the number of
families bound to the shore for a days
recreation was noticeable. Indeed, the
number of baby carriages caused remark.
General Manager Daniels of the Harps-
well Company spoke in the same general
line as Mr. Cooling. His company also
had to make special provision for carry
ing the baby carriages on pleasant sum-
mer Sundays.
Hon. j. P. Bass of Bangor said that he
believed seven-eighths of the Bangor
people would oppose the law. He spoke
of the number of business men who
travelled Sundays in order to reach the
resorts where their families were staying
and to whom the excursion rates were a
great boon. Mr.. Bass had been over
the mountain division of the Maine Cen
trail on Sunday, and had not seen any of
the disorder alluded to by Professor De-
MO.
MIR. Carter, for the roads, said that he
knew of no complaint from the men. 1t
should be borne in mind that the eXcur-
sion season was a short one. Mr. Carter
had never heard of disturbances on Sun
day excursions on the Maine Central.
Mr.. VIM. G. Hoffman Of Auburn, rep
resenting the Seventh Day Adventists,
opposed the bill. Mr.. Hoffman read from
his Bible several extracts to enforce his
argument that people should be left free
to select such day for day of rest and
recreation as they pleased. He claimed
that the proposed legislation was in the
line of union of church and state, and
said that if it had come to point where
pastors had to have laws passed to secure
Sabbath observance, they had better go
to God to find out what the matter was.
Mr.. Hoffman's address, with its Scrip
tural quotations, resembled a sermon
more than the usual style of address to
legislative committee. MI. j. W. Hesel-
tine, a Second Adventist, also opposed
the bill and then branched off with de-
scription of the abuse of the Adventists
in Arkansas and the Southern States.
Rev. J. S. Williamson of this city said
he knew there were manysemployes of
corporations who wanted the proposed
law but were afraid to make their posi-
ton known for fear of discharge. MI.
Williamson had seen at the Union sta
ton in Portland some people feeble in
the legs" among Sunday excursionists
from the mountains although he did not
doubt that the great majority of them
were sober and respectable people. Mr..
Williamson also knew something about
the running of boats in Casco bay and
did not think many of the Sunday trips
necessary.
Charles e. Wing, ESQ.,, believed that
the way to get people to 60 to church
was for the pastors to occupy their pull
pits every Sunday in the year instead of
taking long vacations. He opposed the
bill.
Gen. Boynton of this city showed him
self a theologian of no mean ability. He
disccssed the origin of the Christian
Sunday and claimed that recreation was
its purpose. Nothing rested that lived.
A storm rested. Man needed recreation
and should have on Sunday the
opportunity often denied to him
on other days to enjoy e
beauties of nature and the pure air which
were part of Gods gifts to him.
Hon. Herbert M. Heath, who had ex-
amined the bill prepared by the friends
of the movement, spoke particularly of
roads liable for accidents occurring on
Sunday. Under the present statute no
damages may be recovered for injuries
received on that day. Personally, Mr..
Heath, would like to see all trains for
hidden on Sunday but he recognised that
that was now impossible. The pro-
posed bill forbade excursion trains but
allowed the running of such necessary
trains as the railroad commission sane
toned. Reduced rates on Sunday were
prohibited. A copy of the bill has been
handed the committee.
Bar Harbor's Great Fight.
The Judiciary committee struggled
with the Bar Harbor water question this
afternoon and evening. The controversy
was described in the PRESS of Monday.
E. G. Jordan, Esq, of Portland testified
as an engineer. He was witness for
the Eden Water Company, which wants
charter to enter the field now held by
the Bar Harbor Company.
A Treaty of Peace.
As was predicted as possible in the
PRESS some time ago, the Phippsburg
people have settled their differences, and
the division fight will not come off.
Indictments Dismissed.
NEW YoRk, February 7.-Seven indict
ments against Ferdinand Ward and four
against James D. Fish, found in 1885,
and which have been hanging over them