The Portland daily press., 1896-01-23
RIDLON'S HALL"

call to secure a large attendance at
meeting to discuss the railroad question
in Gorham. 1t has for many months
now been the great topic of conversation
there. 1t has been argued before the rail
road commissioners 1t has been talked
over in the homes and in the stores. 1t
has been made the subject of a sermon.
How nearly every man, woman and child
in the place may be said to have become
a railroad promoter. When Gorham
village will hear the clang of the gong
on the broomstiok train is perhaps still
matter on conjecture, but the people are
keenly alive to what they believe to be
its necessity and they refer to the cleo
trio line as "our road So it was to be
expected that the meeting held last eve
ming in Ridlon's hall to express the senti-
ment OF the citizens on the railroad ques-
ton, land incidentally on the railroad
com mlssioners, would be largely attend
ed, and the attendance was large, the hall
being filled by gathering which includ-
cd many ladies'.
Stephen Hinkley, ESQ.,, presided and
GEORGE B. EMERY, esq,
who discussed the legal specs OF the case.
Mr.. Emery argued that the steps taken
towards the building of this road had
been strictly legal and that tho railroad
commissioners in refusing their approval
had trampled on the rights of Gorham
people.
] The fact that the new road might re-
duce the profits of the Portland & Roch-
ester had no legal bearing on the case.
The railroad commissioners quote Presi-
dent Wescott's testimony to show the
number of passengers carried between
GorhaIn and Portland, but suppose that
Mr.. Wescott had testified that only dead
heads travelled between uheatwo places,
would that be evidence of no need Of ia
cilities or rather of lack of facilities?
Mr.. Emery said: sfGongs of rushing
electrics will not disturb the peace.
Commissioners block the broomstick
trains.
"Their position amounts to just this,
that the legislature and the Governor
have legalized the stealing of chartered
rights; have endorsed an act of nullifica-
ton, an act of spoliation. an act of con-
fscatIon. Shades of Andrew jackson
and James Buchanan. Do we live I'M
der republican form of government?
DO we maintain a state government for
the purpose of having our rights de-
stroyed in the interest Of foreign COR
poration or for the purpose of protecting
our rights against all encroachment?'
MR.. LEWIS MCCLELLAN
was the next of the promoters to take the
floor. Mr.. Mcclellan said that be had
been approached today with that old in
situation and sneer that all had
heard for the last three months. in
Harding's store, in Guthrie's shop, j..
Whitney's shop, in all those places where
the great men of Gorham met to SETTLE
great affairs by the aid of a warm fire
and comfortable chair. daughter. 4,
That sneer was "Don't you thin k
the new company has got alliu wants?', Tn
reply to this Mr.. Mcclellan read a letter
from Mr.. e. A. Newman, stating that
the five per cent required by law had
been paid by the incorporators of the new
line; that they firmly intended to build
the road; that they would have done
so last fall but for the decision of the rail
road commissioners and that any insinu
ations to the contrary were entirely I'M
founded. Mr. Mcclellan referred to the
railroad commissioners as a body Of
which two of the members were men lone
identified with railroad interests ana SAID
that they had decided that thi:
electric road should be built if they could
prevent it. But the railroad commission
was only the child of the legislature and
the act which now gives them control OF
the construction of electric roads, Mr..
Mcclellan predicted, would be repealed
at the next session of the general court.
Ii the people Of Gorham are worthy sue
cessors OF those men who met in the old
church in Gorham in 1874, they will not
submit to the tyranny of the railroad