The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-23
BATH IRON WORKS.
Interesting Meeting of the Board of
Trade Yesterday.

to See the Works in Portland-They Do
to Bath-The Whole Matter To Be In
yestigated by Mayor Baxter and Pres
ident Winslow.
The meeting of the Board of Trade in
reference to the Bath Iron Works was
held yesterday. The meeting was called
to order by President Winsiow at l a. m.
Linwood F. Jordan, ]. R. Libby and
Henry L. Jones were elected members
under suspension of the rules.
The transportation special committee
reported in regard to protection OF cana
dian railways in Portland resolve oha'
the Board looks with alarm ON any ao-
tempt to curtail our transportation prlVl-
Ieoes and asks our representatives IN Con
oress TO onpose such unfriendly inter-
ference with facilities so vital to our
industrial and commercial interests. Inc
report was accepted and resolution
passed.
President W1nslow then said that
committee from the city government had
been appointed to confer with the Board
of Trade in regard to the reported con-
templated removal from Bath of the
Bath Iron Works, and that he had
called this meeting in reference to that
matter
In the absence of Mayor Baxter, called
to Boston, Chairman Guptill, OF the
Board of Aldermen. stated that the COM
NV ha Nv WAS pl'nS
ready to confer with the Board and join
with any committee they might appoint.
President Winslow said before proceed
ing further he would read a letter from
the Harbor Commissioners. The letter
stated that the next work to be done by
the government in our harborswill be to
dredge channel way 300 feet long and
25 feet deep from the Grand Trunk
wharves to Union wharf, where 1T Will
meet deep water again. It's merits Will
be that it will benefit SO many interests.
1t will allow loaded steamship to reach
the upper harbor at any time of the tide
and will make the Dry Dock great site
for the Iron Works if. they should come
here, accessible at all hours.
President Winslow then said he
thought that great care should be taken
TO make sure the Iron Works would leave
Bath before we reached out extensively
to get them here. We take interest IN
the growth of the whole State-of winch
Bath is a part-and we don't want to
| injure the interests of any place IN 1t.
Councilman Webb said the feeling OF
the city government is simply to place
| ourselves in such a situation that Il the
Iron Works do move away that Port
land may be listed advantageously SO
| as to secure them. He thought all chat
was wanted now was the appointment OF
| a committee from the Board to join with
the CITY committee to ascertain II the
Works really meant to leave Bath, and
if SO. under what conditions they would
come to Portland.
City Solicitor Larrabee's opinions ac-
corded with those of the gentlemen who
nreeeded him. He hadn't yet seen any
thing to convince him that The Works
would leave Bath, and that we should
have evidence that they meant to leave
before Portland does much in this mat
fer. 1t would be injustice to Bath. He
thought small committee OF three
from the Board should be appointed to
discuss the matter with the city govern
| ment committee as to what could
prudently be done by Portland If the
Works should really move. He had
serious doubts in his mind whether, if
any money was to be raised. it ought
not to be put into industries already
esta blished here and developing them
instead of using it to gall in great
plant at great expense.
Mr.. Charles Fobes agreed with the
speakers. He thought if the removal
of the Iron Works to Portland accom-
! plished nothing else it might make use
| for the Dry Dock, ana it would be we'll
for citizens to encourage the movement
on that account. But he wanted it un-
derstood that while he was loyal to Port
land, as he believed his fellow citizens
| land. Bath gives Its business to the
| metropolis of New England, not to Port
| land. He hoped it would be borne in
mind that we don't want Portland to
be used as lever to compel Bath to do
what the Works want her to do for them,
but if the Works decide to leave Bath,
then it is we'll to see what inducements
should be held out to bring them here.
| Mr.. Guptill said prominent Bath man
told him that General Hyde and Son do
not control the Works. The corporation
who owns and runs them have great real
estate interests in Bath, and have no IL
tention of removal, and that this act OF
Hyde's is a great big bluff.
Mr. Geo. W. Brown, of the Beiknap
Motor Co., said if the Works come mere
they would benefit his company, and all
other industries greatly. What would
| Bath capitalists and owners in the works
| care for their Bath real estate If mil
| lion dollars should be contributed from
outside. The Works are now considering
the New London proposition. Portland
has the best harbor. and chance for