The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-22
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
Prominent westbrook Men Who Do Not Be-
Heve That City Should Loan Its Credit.


That the opinions of number of West
brook citizens in favor of the granting of
municipal aid to the Westbrook, Wind
ham and Harrison Electric railway as re-
Gently published do not represent the
unanimous sentiment of that city is
shown by the talks which PRESS re-
porter has had with other Westbrook bus
mess men. The opinions of these gentle
men follow.
Hon. John E. Warren, agent of the S.
D. Warren plant and ea-president Of the
city council, said: "You may say that
1 am opposed to the principle of the
thing; that I see no necessity for such &C
ton on the part of the city at this time,
and that even if we might feel disposed to
assist the company the condition of the
city's finances would not warrant it being
done.
| Hon. W. W. Lamb, one of the best
friends the road has, who went to Angus
ia last winter and worked hard for the
charter, said ''The incorporators of this
road are my friends. / wish them sue
cess; but don't approve of the city as
sisting private enterprise with money.
The principle is wrong"
| H. A. Cragie, superintendent of the
s. d. Warren plant and member of the
finance committee of the present city
council, said: 81 have only the best of
wishes for the promoters of the road, but
don't think it advisable for the city to
loan its credit under the present condi-
ton of AFFAIRS
| Dwinal Pride, resident of the West
End for 81 years and heavy tax payer
said: II am heartily in favor of the
road. 1t may be benefit to the city,
but cannot see how just at present, yet
if the people want it I hope they will get
it. l am not in favor of the city purchas-
ing $4,000 worth of the company's stock.
l am satisfied that the city debt is now
nearly up to its limit. Under the cir
cumstances I cannot see how we can as
sist in the manner which we are asked
to- e
Mr.. Hebron Mayhem said he was
friendly to the road, but would never
vote for the city to assist it.
L. W. Edwards said: IT do not believe
in municipal aid to corporations. Again,
if we want to assist it we are not in a po-
sition where we can afford to do it, as we
shall strain our credit.
DIR. A. F. Murch, ex-city treasurer,
! was of the opinion that Westbrook had
all it could do to pay it's bills at present
without adding this burden to the tax
payers. He said that he thought an ex-
! penditure of $1,000 would place the city
! outside the debt limit. He did not ap-
prove of the city assisting any corpora
) ton.
Hon. F. M. Ray, the present solicitor,
! said: II do not believe in the idea of
!, municipal aid to corporations. I hav e
never seen it tried with success to thu
city that lent helping hand. If we
should assist this company it might come
to us in a few years and say: we must
have SO much more. You must let us
have it in order to protect what you al
ready have at stake Then again this
city is not IN any condition to assist any
corporation. When this matter came up
| looked up the standing of the city and
found that we had just Sl7 900 to go to
the devil on. In other words our indebt-
edness is just ST. 200 short of the debt
limit. In case of an emergency we might
raise $685. 900 on our bonds, but no bust
ness man would strain his credit in that
manner unless he meant to go into in
: solvency."
, Temple H. Snow, a merchant at the
! East End. said: II am not in any way
: opposed to the building of a road through
the proposed territory. My position is
, that I cannot see how the city of West
brook under our present financial condi-
ton can loan its credit to the proposed
, scheme. 1 am, however, open to convic-
tion on this matter, and desire to hear a
full and free discussion as to the ways in
which the city will be benefited by max
!, ing such loan."
Among others willing to go on record
, as opposing the purchase of stock by the
city were Geo. F. Mariner, Chas. H.
Towle, Geo. W. Leighton and Alderman
Riggs.