The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-16
OFFERED TO SELL OUT.
Portland Electric 90.
Tried to Trade.
50 Alderman Smith Tells Beard Of
Aldermen.
--
Overtures Made to Con-
necticut Man.
President Brown Says the StorJ
Is Untrue. E.

The meeting OF the mayor and board of
aldermen yesterday afternoon was not ex-
actly q sensational session. but 1t was an
extremely interesting one. Alderman
Smith, during the time that the petition
Of the Portland Electric Light company
was under consideration, made stats
ment that tie Portland Electric Light
company had made proposals to large
stockholder in the Consolidated Electric
Light company. and he had no doubt
would sell out to them in few months
for two or three hundred thousand dol
lars. Alderman Smith said he could
prove this statement If required to do 50
but no attempt was made ito bring the
evidence he said he could procure before
the aldermen. When asked about this
matter after the board OF aldermen had
adjourned, Alderman Smith told a
PRESS reporter thar he did not care to
say anything more than he had said. He
said that the oyertures had been made by
the Portland Electric Light company
within three weeks and that was the
reason why the work of placing poles on
Green street was temporarily suspended
by the company. He told the PRESS re-
porter that he was Informed that q repre-
sentative of the Portland Electric Light
company had been to Connecticut within
over with large stakeholder of the Con-
solidated company. He also told the
PRESS reporter that he wonld tell him
In short time whom he could interview
In order to get the whole facts In the
case.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was
called for the purpose of giving hearing
to the Portland Electric Light company
on its petition to erect something like 600
poles on many streets OF the city. There
was large gathering Of citizens in the
aldermen's room when the hearing was
called to order. The petition for the 10.
cation of poles was read by the mayor
and the hearing declared open.
Alderman Lamson presented at this
point petition of remonstrance signed
by many of the residents and property
owners on Carleton street, where the
Portland Rleotric Light company asked
to locate five or six poles.
Major II. s. Melcher presented another
petition of remonstrance from the proper
ty owners on Pine street who objected to
tine petition of the Portland Electric
Light company being granted as far rs IL
applied to Pine street.
John ii, Fogg, Esq, also appeared as
the representative of the Portland Electric
Light company, then opened the hearing
In behalf of the petitioners. He said that
this position was the actual sequence OF
the action taken by the board some time
ago when the company was given permits
sion to enter the city. He said that with
the consent of the aldermen the petition.
ers would withdraw their request for the
placing of poles on Carleton and Pine
streets. If the people on those streets are
not ready or.cheaperslights the company
has no desire to force the people on these
streets to accept them. He said that he
knew of no reason why witnesses should
be called upon in support of the petition
and would not do so.unless the board de-
sired 1t.
~
Alderman Smith then moved that the
remonstrants against the granting of the
petition be heard from.
The mayor said that unless there was
objection the request Of the petitioners to
Withdraw that part of their petition per-
taining to Carleton and Pine streets
would be granted.
Alderman Smith said that he objected
to this being done. He was ready to con.
slider the petition as whole and would
give the petitioners leave to withdraw the
entire petition, but not any part of 1t.
Alderman johnson said be could seq nc
reason why the petitioners should NOT
have tho right to withdraw tny part Of
the petition that they desired to. The
city should not endeavor to force upon
the petitioners anything they did moi
want.
The mayor then asked for vote ON the
motion to give the petitioners leave tc
withdraw that part of their petition
which pertainsd to Carleton and Pine
stress. Alderman Smith was the only
one who voted against this motion.
Alderman Smith then said that he de-.
sired TO hear from the gentlemen who had
assembled to demonstrate against the. 10.
cation Of poles on Carleton and Pine
streets.
Alderman johnson said he could see nc
reason for this being done, The petition,
ers had Withdrawn that part OF theil
petition which concerned uhsse gentlemen
and he could see no reason why they
should be heard as far as those streets
were concerned.
Alderman Smith said he wanted t.
hear the reasons for their objections {,