The Portland daily press., 1899-11-21
But Kepnebunk Traders Appeared
as RcmOnstrants.
Railroad Commissioners
Hear Testimony.
A Lively Session In Kennebunk
Town Hall.
uPKcIAL TO TIE PREsAl

BfECiAL 10 TIE fhEaHeI
Kennebunk, November 2o.-Ihe Maine
railroad commissioners are engaged in
trying out the question of whether pub.
lie conven ienos and necessity require the
building of the projected Atlantic Shore
line electric railroad from Biddsford to
York Beach. The hearing began this sf-
ternoon and will lie likely to take up
most OF the mmissioners' time tomor-
row.
1t was lively hearing, though the ele-
ment which had been expected to lend the
most excitement to the occasion was en-
tirely wanting. The Boston 81 Maine,
which so ilsrcsly fought the Portland and
Saco trolley line petitioners at the recent
Old Orchard hearing. surprised the At
lantiJ Shore line projectors by not send
ing any lawyers to sttsnd this meeting
The Mousain house apartments, In
which the hearing was to have been held,
proved altogether Inadequate 10 take care
OF half the people who came out to give
testimony b. fore the commissioners. 50
an ad journment was taken to the town
hall, into which about 800 representative
citizens of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport.
Biddeford, Wells and York, the towns
Included in the route OF the proposed
road, crowded themselves ana remained
throughout the afternoon.
Though the Boston s. Maine did not
appear as remonstrant. the petitioners
found plenty of opportunity to display
their fighting qualities, for quite mum
Der of the business men Of Kennebunk
had organized an opposition and had
sent to Boston for counsel in the person
OF sx-City Solicitor Robert W. Mason,
a keen eyed, sharp-witted, sarcastic law
yer, who claims Kennebunk as his native
town, but has won most Of his laurels In
tn, State Of Massachusetts,. His clients
would really like to see Kenpebunk con-
nected by trolley line with all the towns
named In the petition, but want the pro-
posed route changed 10 that the road will
run through Ksnnsbunk village, their
theory being that II the road comes no
nearer the village than the old kenne-
bunkport town house much of the trade
from Wells and neighboring towns that
now comes here will be diverted to Bid
deford.
Opposition also comes from certain Bid
deford parties who are in sympathy with
a competing corporation that has appliea
under the general law for q charter GOV.
ering a Biddeford to Wells route that
goes through the heart OF Kennebunk.
Hon. Herbert NJ. Heath of Augusta and
Fred J. Allen. ESQ.,. conducted the Pc
titionsrs' side OF the hearing.
When the hearing opened the commits
sioneIs asked the lawyers who appeared
In the case to present n list Of their
clients Lawyer Mason of Boston said he
appeared for the ksnnebunk board Of
trade, but Chairman Peaks promptly
announced that there Is no statute under
which the commissioners can recognize q
board OF trade. So Mr.. Mason consulted
Mr.. Hons,r. q village trader, who had
been leading tho rsmonstrants, and pre-.
ssntly this list of names was read as rep
resentinR the parties in behalf Of whom
the Boston lawyer appeared: Joseph
Iitcomb, Hartley Lord. Robert W. Lord
w. A. Hall. DIR. II. NJ. Ross. X. Little
field, J. II. Ola Emory Andrews, Charles
Goodnow, George Webb, b. =. Thomp-
son, A. u. Haley. L. III. Perkins, Charles
Il. Cole, George W. Larrabes. +. W.
Bonser, T.. A. Fairfield, George 4. Cous.
ems, Charles II. Wsbbsr, Oscar Clark,
George Frost, WI. Dane. A. A. Richard
son. George Bonser. W.R. Robinson. Sid
ney 4, Fuller, II. A Lupge, William
Dresser and W. L. Watson.
Homer I. WAterhouse, Esq. Of Bidde-
ford. announced that he appeared for
Howard Hamilton, Frank ]. Smith and
others Of Biddeford.
The commissioners wanted to know
who his "others" were, and Mr.. Water
house replied that he would furnish the
board with list OF his clients before the
hearing was concluded. "But we want
TO know now," demanded Mr.. Heath, and
proceedings were Suspended for few
minutes till Mr.. WRterhouae consulted
ex Mayor q. s. Hamilton Of Biddeford.
one of the counsel for the competing
road. These names were finally added
to Mr.. Warehouses; list: Andrew J.
Roberts, John b. NORM, ID. G Hutohin-
son, George b. Perkins, Frederick Yates,
Rowland Hill. Daniel Cote. John b.
Forth and II. A. Day, all Of Biddsford.
MIR. Heath opened the hearing TOR the
ps tltionsis by giving a list of the pro-
jectors, which included the Messrs. Good
al of Sanford and otter dir otors OF the