The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-02
BOARD OF TRADE.
Many Things Discussed
at the Meeting.
Subject Of IIarbor Commissioners
Line Talked Over.
Ideas as to Increasing
Wharf Facilities.
Committee Appointed 10 Con-
slider Tax Legislation.

The regular monthly meeting of the
Board of Trade was held yesterday after
noon at the rooms ON Exchange street
President Boothby was IN the chair and
there was O good attendance OF the men,
bers. The records OF the last meeting
were read and approved.
Charles E. Bailey was elected men,
Der or the board.
Secretary Ricn read letter written
TO superintendent Stanford rof the New
England Telephone & Telegraph COM
pany, regarding the renewal OF lease OF
the present rooms, stating that the board
had decided to again hire she rooms.
The company win make improvements
in the way OF ventilation and lighting.
Several members suggested that st would
be we'll to install electric lights instead
OF gas.
MIR. q. W. I. Cooling from the COM
mittee on life membership reporte1 that
the committee bad not deemed 1t wise to
recommend the life membership plan.
Mr.. Zsnas Thompson said he had oorres-
ponded with several boards OF other cities
and had found that none OF them had
life membership. But all of them have
larger annual fees than that of the Port
land board. he had heard from six or
seven boards OF otner cities.
Mr.. ChNries II. Fobss brought up the
subject OF " hearing al the U. s. engi-
neer's office. November 10Th, regarding
the harbor lines. The expenditure Of
seven or eight thousand dollars will give
up deeper water but not q wider harbor.
We are all Of the opinion that the harbor
commissioners line ought not to b. re-
moved. Mr.. Fobes then presented the
following in regard TO the subject;
"Ali matters pertaining to tho harbor
Of Portland ara of special interest to the
Board of Trade. II has always been ready
TO do what was In its power to assist in
any work which would conduce to its
improvement. Realizing the necessity
that Is growing for better accommodation
Tor tbs large steamers and sailing vessels
now In use 1t was greatly gratired that
a liberal appropriation had been made for
the deepening OF its waters. While the
water may be deepened there IL no way
by which the harbor can be made wider.
Because OF the necessity that every foot in
width may be made available the Board
OF Trace would express the hope that the
line Of harbor commissioners as now es-
tablished in the upper front harbor will
be retained and that II possible the water
may be deepened by dredging to the end
of the wharves.
AS the Board OF Trade can not as a
body be present.at the hearing on Novem.
Der 18th the secretary is requested to for
ward copy Of this statement 60 Major
Roessler Of the U. s. engineers"
Hon. Charles H. Randall asked II the
wharves OF the Grand Trunk extended to
the line and Mr.. Eobes and Mr.. Cooling
said that they did,
Mr.. Fobes said he intended to limit
his subject TO the upper harbor. Later he
removed this limitation.
MIR. Randall thought that 40 arbitrary
lines were needed.
''There Is already complaint when these
large vessels are towed In here that we
room." said MIR. Fobes.
MIR. Cooling said that Boston harbor
had just experienced this same difficulty.
Dredges are now at work deepening u
part of that harbor.
1T Is a fact" said Captain Benjamin
w. Jones, THAT ths English steamers
coming into this port have difficulty In
coming up TO the wharves. The Grand
Trunk wharves should be extended out
100 feet. We don require so much har-
Dor as we used to. / think it would be
well II all of the wharyes were allowed to
go out as far as one OF the upper wharves.
There IL plenty OF room in the harbor be-
tween ths elevator ana the breakwater."
''If the ocean steamers wisn to have
their wharves extended, l think the
board should aid in this" said Mr..
Fobes. "But don't agree with Captain
Jones that one of the upper wharves
should be taken as the standard. so far
as the upper harbor Ii concerned we want
to maintain the present harbor lines.
There was an agreement at one time
that when this upper wharf should be
destroyed or decayed that 1t would not be
REBUILT
what would the chances be OF build.
ing wharves below the 9rand TrunkP'
asked Mr.. Thompson.
''There would be plenty of room, %
answered Mr.. Cooling. "Thera is plenty
OF depth there. The business of the harbor
ON the water front Is not now healthy
enough to keep all OF the wharyes busy"
ave have not foot OF wharf proper
to spare" said Mr.. Fobes "A few days
before ne died 1 called on Mr.. II. N.
Jose and we talked on the future OF Port
land. BE said that II live the ordinary
expectation OF life would see here city
OF 1000 population, and that we would
havs to seek more wharf privileges He
told me he got this idea from the late
Judge shepley. When Caleb Gushing.