The Portland daily press., 1897-08-25
And Then the Business Men Had
Their Innings.
LARGE MASS MEETING IN BIDDE-
FORD'S CITY HALL.
Shows Its Interest in the Saco River Elec-
trio Road-Want the Terminus for Bid
deford-MunicipaI Officers to Act Today
ON the Question of Granting Privileges
to the Proposed Road.s
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J

Biddeford, August 24.-That Biddeford
citizens are intensely interested in the
question of whether the proposed Saco
River Electric railroad shall be allowed
to make this city it's terminus was mani
Tested tonight, when City hall was
crowded with people attracted to the mass
meeting at which this question was to be
under discussion. Tomorrow the
municipal officers are to meet to give the
railroad company hearing. Anticipating
this hearing, the mass meeting of citizens
was held tonight in the hope of working
up sufficient sentiment to influence
majority vote of the aldermen in favor OF
granting the railroad company the pr1vi-
lege it solicits. The First Regiment band
paraded Main street prior to the meeting,
drumming up a crowd.
Howard Hamilton, a dry goods mer-
chant, presided at the meeting and made
a brousing speech in which he declared
that Biddeford is behind other enterpris-
ing Maine cities in the matter of branch
ing out in electric railroads. He argued
that the opening up of the fertile valley OF
the Saco river as far as Bonney Eagle
will tend to bring new business into Bid
deford, while an extension Of the COM
pany's tracks to Five Points, as Is con-
templated. will be a great convenience
to Biddeford residents and enhance the
value of property in the residence districts
to be traversed. He ridiculed the opposl-
tion of the Biddeford and Saco Railroad
company and said the time is past when
in granting privileges to electric railway
companies the people stop to enquire
whether the proposed line is parallel to
an established road. In his opinion Bid
deford would be neglecting great oppor-
tunity if it should deny the Saco River
Railroad company's petition, for the road
win surely be built, and if Biddeford
shuts its doors Saco will be made the ter
minus of the road.
Alfred Bonneau enthused the French
Canadian element of the audience by adj
dressing them in their mother tongue.
Edwin L. Cowan, merchant and MEM
ber of the common council, was the next
speaker. He said that since the building
of the Portland and Rochester railroad
the up country business that years ago
used to come to Biddeford and Saco, Its
natural market had gone to Portland.
ssWhen the Portland and Rochester line
was built, said he, ''some of the croakers
who had opposed the building of Saco
valley road declared that the Portland
and Rochester would carry nothing but
| blueberries and cunners. I wish some OF
us Biddeford men could now share with
Portland some of those cunners and
blueberries. - Mr.. Cowan predicted that
the new road would benefit, rather than
injure the present line He believed there
could be no harm In letting In foreign
capitalists, who ASK of Biddeford no
financial aid, and whose enterprise Will
enhance Biddeford' S interests.
Hon. F. A. Hobart Of Braintree, Mass,
one of the projectors of the new road and
it's chief backer, denied the rumor that
the petitioners will not build the road.
| "Give us the permit" said he, "and we
will build the road" He could not see
how the bringing in of foreign capital
and it's investment could injure Bidde-
ford; on the contrary it will tend to build
I'D unused or abandoned water powers
along the river, and bring into this city
business which now goes elsewhere. In
conclusion he said: "lf B1ddeforo Will
but give us permit we will give you
road well built, well managed and at
popular prices.'
There were calls for William A. Roberts
one of the proprietors of the road, but ne
declined to speak.
Frank j. Smith, an ex-assessor, offered
the following resolution, which was un-
animously adopted by rising vote;
Resolved, that it is the sense OF this
body, representing the business interests
of the city of Biddeford, that our repre-
sentatives who will sit as q board OF
municipal officers tomorrow should, with
out delay or division, grant the petition
of the Saco River Electric railroad for
location over the route prayed for and on
the most liberal terms consistant with
public convenience and safety"
The meeting closed with three cheers for
| the prospects of the new road.
| A lively time is anticipated at the hear
| ing tomorrow. 1t is claimed that a
majority of the aldermen have informally
expressed themselves in favor of standing