The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-22

| "a GAe'AO Ill UAltS ElldbtCI. 4Ao opOANO btAoh1
Of his personal interest and sympathy.
Harbor Commissioner Farley was call
sd upon and read the following state
ment in behalf of the board of harbor
commissioners:
HARBOR COMMISSIONERS STATE
MENT.
| No part of the work that we are calling
upon the government to do has been
made necessary by neglect of the harbor
or by any obstruction to it's currents.
There is as much water in the harbo- as
thore ever was, and though sufficient for
the wants of the past will not answer the
demands of the present and future.
| We have no bars or shoals at the on
trance of the harbor, such as obstruct
| New York. Boston and most other ports.
Though recent years have witnessed
a great change in the character and size
Of ships, the largest of them may enter
oar harhor on the lowest tide and have
water enough all along to allow whale
20 play under her keel.
/ We ever hear of vessel lying off
Portland harbor waiting for high water.
| One only trouble is the inability to reach
the wharves after tho harbor has been
entered. This difficulty is easily removed
and the sum required to put us in con-
dftion to accommodates anything that
floats is Insignificant as compared with
the s., 90, 5000 now said to be needed 10
bring Boston harbor up to date.
We state upon our owp knowledge that
representatives of other cities have ex-
pressed desire to bring their ships to
| this port, but have been compelled to
turn away for want of room.
Ex-Gov Robbie was called upon. He
expressed his interest in Portland and
his belief in the Importance of this move
ment. He thought it very pertinent in
quiry, what would Portland amount to
without o harbor?" 1t certain,y-would
not amount TO much. 1t is thereupon
imperative that this harbor be taken
special care Of He spoke further of the
time on the part of Portland citizens to
make our harbor meet the demands of
mercantile growth aud the competition
of other cities
/ Mr.. Henry Fox was introduced as one
of the original oorporators of the Board
Of Trade, and one of the harbor commits
sioners. Mr.. Fox expressed the hope for
entire success in the movement and said
that the statement. of his colleague. Mr.
Farley, expressed his views.
Mr.. S. B. Kelsey also one of the
harbor commissioners, spoke in a similar
way and urged the necessity of providing
for the constantly increasing tonnage of
| vessels.
Mr.. Greensmith, general manager of
the Portland company, was called upon.
He said that of course anything that
brings vessels to the harbor helps the
Portland company. The movement had
his neartiest sympathy.
Mr.. A. M. Smith, who has large ship
ping interests. expressed his hearty SYM
pathy in the movement He wished to
make this point, that if we are prepared
in the future, before other p orts are, to
accommodate the big ships that are COM
ing, we may be in a position to monopo-
lie good share of this commerce that
demands deep harbors.
! MIR. Johu @. Twitchell was called up
ON and said that he had no doubt that
the harbor needs all that is claimed, and
that the Board of Trade committee will
obtain from Congress the necessary
| funds.
Captain Charles Fl. Chase said that he
had been trying to get up something Of
this kind for a long time. He was
specially interested in the request for the
widening OF one thousand feet. He
thought that if the matter was properly
presented to Congress we should get what
we need without much delay. He spoke
at some length of the shallowness of the
upper harbor and the inconvenience and
danger it causes.
| MIR. McClutehy of the Boston and
Maine, spoke of the increasing need of
deep water for the accommodation of the
big coal barges that come to this port in
such numbers.
Mr.. Charles S. Fobes said that by and
| by we're going to get freight from the
West to be shipped from over the noun
| tain division of the Maine Central New
IsYork has been shipping goods to Chicago
by way of Portland in order to save time.
If it is desirable for New York to do that
it is desirable for Chicago to ship goods
to Europe by way of Portland. He
thought the matter was one of national
consideration and that the Chicago Board
of Trade would be interested in it. II
this commerce is coming from TIE great
West we must have a harbor that can
handle it.
Captain B. W. Jones was introduced as
having had fifty years of experience OF
all the needs Of the harbor He thought
that some places were now filling up in
the harbor. He saw The Grecian come
here and get stuck in the mud just of
the dock. She had to wait for high tide.
She only came in to leave little cargo
on her way to New York and it caused
her serious delay. Ee thought the har-
Dor should be deepened from below the
Grand Trunk whaIves clear up to the
bridge. He spoke of the difficulty OF