Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-23
THE H. & B. R. R.
Owners of Franchise Deny
Statements Of |. C. Haynes
That They Asked His Company $685.
900 for It.
Assert Their Willingness to Do Bushes
Upon Fair Basis. 4

The following letter and commune
cation will explain themselves
Saco, Me-, July %, 1903
| Editors Kennebec Journal:
My associates and myself were in
| formed recently that one l.. C. Haynes
| or some one for him, had been giving
considerable notoriety to the associates
| in the proposed electric road from
Harpswell to Brunswick, by means of
communications or interviews published
in the Lewiston and Boston papers.
These interviews, SO far as we have
| seen them are unjust, to us, misleading
and incorrect in fact, in detail The as
| sociates have never demanded or asked
| $25, 900 in cash for themselves, and have
been and are ready to cooperate with
| the citizens of Harpswell and Bruins
wick, and with any reliable Banking
house for the financing and construc
| ton of the road.
We have not and do not ask a dollar
in money in the matter, and assert that
| it would be better business principle
| for Mr.. Haynes or anyone else to meet
us, and make a proposition definite in
terms, instead of simply talking in the
newspapers.
AS we have been so unjustly and err
roneously represented in the public
press, 1 take the liberty to enclose a
copy of our reply, mailed July goth to
the Boston Globe, and ask that you will
| in the interest of fairness to all parties
give it q place in the reading matter of
your newspaper.
Yours very truly,
James o. Bradbury
Per E. E. B.
| To the Editor of the Boston Globe:
| Your issue of July 10Th contained I'M
der the heading, Laws are Bad" Lew
iston Me-, July 18th, an alleged inter
the proposed Harpswell & Brunswick
Electric Railroad, in which he criti-
cized the laws of Maine relative to
railroads. and stated among other
things that the gentlemen who held
the charter declined to allow anything
to be done until they were paid twen-
ty-five thousand dollars
| The undersigned control the fran
chise referred to, and feel that a grave
| Injustice has been done them and Tie
proposition, by the article published.
| Mr.. Haynes personally knows that the
above statement credited to him sabso-
Ilutely false Neither he nor his alleged
firm have ever expressed a Willingness
| to us to finance the proposition on the
terms indicated; neither has he ever,
| in definite and stated terms, made any
proposition for the financing of the
road. The corporation will enter into
! a contract with his firm, If it IS q re-
Isponsible one, for the construction OF
| the road upon the terms indicated IN
his interview, and give the firm an OPP
portunity to build the road this sum-
| mer and fall. We are ready TO close
| such a contract at any time, and Il
| this gentleman will close such con-
tract seasonably, we will take stock in
payment of all our disbursements, ser
! vices and expenses thus far incurred.
| We met this man by special appoint
ment in Brunswick a short time ago,
and as before stated, he would not make
Ianv absolute and definite statement as
to terms on which his company would
finance the construction OF the foao
latter the working survey and approval
had been obtained. We will meet ms
firm. if it turns out to be a reliable one,
lat any time, on reasonable notice at
Brunswick. and enter into the above
mentioned arrangement or any othef
feasible arrangement that shall has
ten the construction of the road. In
view of the fact of the above offers,
land the fact that we have never been
liable to obtain a definite proposition
from this New York gentleman, we say
that his criticism of the Maine rallroad
laws and his ungentlemanly and I'M
called for attack upon the holders Oh
the franchise are without jurisdiction
from any standpoint, and are made 10Y
some Interior purposes. Consequently.
we say to Mr.. l.. c. Haynes: meet u.s.
show us your concern as reliable one
make a contract with us on some lalf
basis without the payment OF dollaf
5 in money to us, which we are WILING
to make, or in other words, Mr.. Haynes
either put up or shut up