The Portland daily press., 1895-02-08
sEEFsTeAK AND COFFEE.
How Mr.. Frank Jones's Square Meal in
Sorrento Made a Summer Resort.
Especial to the PREsa).

! How Mr.. Frank Jones's Square Meal in
Sorrento Made a Summer Resort.
| Especial to the PRESo).
| Augusta, February 1.-THE Sorrento
Sullivan divorce case came up before the
comm ittee on towns this afternoon. For the
plaintiff, the gay little village of Sorrento,
whose ambition is to become great summer
resort, there appeared as counsel Arno
King. Esq. of Ellsworth and Hon. A. L..
Lumber of Houlton. For the respondent.
Sullivan, there appeared Hon. Herbert NJ.
Heath and Henry Boynton, Esq, of Sulli-
van. A large delegation of Sullivan people
were present. This. it will be remembered,
is the case in which Hon. Frank Jones.
Secretary Daniel ). Lamont and other
prominent gentlemen are interested, mas
much as they own summer homes in sorren-
/ tot and are in favor of making it town by
itself. Mr.. Jones has been the leading
| spirit in the building up of Sorrento, and 1t
is understood that he is also leading spirit
in the movement to separate Sorrento from
Sullivan.
In ops ming the ease, AIR. King told of the
improvemen rs maaelat Sorrento during the
last twenty years. improvements costing
many thousands of dollars and paid for
mostly by people. from away who own
property at Sorrento. Mr.. King traced the
growth of the summer resort business In
Maine from the time when the summer
visitor was content 10 go to an hotel and
walk about the country or sail along the
shores until today, when the summer resi-
dent owns his home in Maine and brings
with him his horses and carriages to use
while he needs good roads. Mr.. King said
that the other side would nor deny that the
summer resort business was one to be en-
couraged. He said it would be shown by
witnesses that the town of Sullivan had not
dealt generously with Sorrento. Roads were
the fundamental difficulty in this matter.
but there are other needs of this summer
colony which can best be served if they are
allowed to manage their own affairs. The
people who have made Sorrento what 1t is
have little in common with the people of
Sullivan, They ask to take nothing from
the town it did not already have when they
came 10 Waukeag rock and began making
on ground then nearly worthless a thriving
summer resort.
Mr.. Jones was present and was the first
witness, the knowledge that he was to
| speak, being the cause of quite gathering
get good dinner and comfortable bed at
Bar Harhor hotel had led to his discovery
of Sorrento. Mr.. Jones was very hungry
one day. He had failed to find comfort at
his inn at Bar Harbor and so, when stand
ing on the wharf. he learned that little
steamer lying at the wharf, ran toa place
called Sorrento, where they had cafe
famous for good dinners. Mr.. Jones got
aboard and so he found Sorrento. He told
the committee that the Porter House steak.
coffee and broiled chicken which he ate on
thatsoccasion were most delicious. lt9 was
Immediately thereafter that Mr.. Jones
awoke to the appreciation of the beauties
and possibilities of Sorrento. Mr.. Jones
told of the difficulty over the roads, and
said that If Sorrento had been town by
iteself it would have had four times as many
cottages as at present. He would guarantee
that if Sorrento was set off in five years it
would be prosperous and pretty town.
Mr.. Heath, when he began to cross-ex-
anime Mr.. Jones. indicated the way in
which the Sullivan people will maintain
that Sorrento can get around its present
dific ulties. Mr.. Heath asked if the needs
of Sorrento could not be met AS we'll by
village charter as by separate town gov
eminent. Mr.. Jones seemed somewhat re-
luctant in his answers, but when pressed by
Mr.. Heath be SAID that he feared that il
would lead to double taxa ton.
Vim. H. Lawrence. manager of the COM
pany which has bu lit up Sorrento, was the
next witness. ss
Mr.. Lawrence told the story of the diff
culties as it had been already narrated.
On the cross examination of Mr.. Lawrence.
Mr.. Heath went into the affairs of the i'm
provement company Mr.. Lawrence said that
the shares worth SIS each had been listed on
the Boston Stock Exchange. and at one
time had sold as high as $40. but of late
there had been deficit in the affairs of the
company and there is mortgage of $780,
600. The men interested in the company
also own the electric light company and
water company. Mr.. Lawrence did not
think it would help these companies were
Sorrento made town. Mr.. Heath
also brought out the fact that the
town has put valuation of only small
portion of its cost on the Sorrento property
This evening. the remonstrants presented
their case. maintaining that the burden OF
proof was on the Sorrento people, and
that they had not made out case but had,
on the other hand been fairly treated.