Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-16
Col. r. E. Boothby of Portland,

/
Col. r. e. Boothby of Portland.
In opening his address. Col. Freder-
ick Z. Boothby of Portland referred
to an address which he gave before.
| the Board of Trade. 12 years ago, upon
| the subject, How Can the Summer
Resort Interest of Maine Be Promot-
| ed?" "YoJr committee" he says.
seems, by the change in title. to have
recognized that something has taker
lrlace in the y years that have passed
for then we were asked, How can the
summer resort irtert SITS be promoted?'
and now It is asserted that we are
| THE ACountry's Playground
| Continuing, Col. Boothby said in
part,
The development of the State as
summer resort has been something re-
rlarkabie. Thirty years ago. even, no
| effort was made hy anyone to bring the
State into prominence, and while it was
| known there was a post Office called
IGreenvale on the shores of one of the
RI ngeley lakes, which were visited by
a few sportsmen, and that similar in
rame there was a Greenvllc at the
foot of Mcosehead Lake and q small
hotel at Kineo 90 miles beyond, vet
no attempt was made to induce people
to visit either place and the patronage
| depended entirely on those who, un-
| solicited, chose to make the trips.
| The scenic beauty and the game of
cur northern W )ods We're yet to BE-
discovered, and while the spring at
Poland was bubblins out Of its granite
ledge, the magnificent hotel Of today
was not even thought of.
| York. Ola Orchard and Kennebunk,
by reason of poor fa cilities for getting
| there, we're scarcely known, while
| Portland was not at all considered in
the light Of a summer resort. Rcothbay
bad a few adherents from Lewiston
and the kennebec, and the shore east
of The Peronscot including Far Harbor
was just coming into view as suitable
Tor a summer sojourn. Maine, like
New Hampshire, is now about ready to
looncede that the summer resort in
dustry is the mcst lucrative of all.
Many of the people of Maine little
realize what they owe to the woods
and lakes of the State. outside Of its
in mense numbering interests.
Millions of dollars are brought to
her foresrs and her fish and game.
| Where there was once naught but
an unbroken wilderness ere now thriv-
iEg villages and the residents there1
have thus come i'll contact with sch
of the brightest minds from Wn-
much intellectual growth has De
ed.
Places that a few years 4, ho,o,
| In ,a nf
villages thronging with stho entire
i'ors some Of wnom pa hook,
, summer without wcttin "Wilderness
; No where does Id in no other
. beckon' ds in Maine a demand for
:, State is there SUE
"a, r,,''!' ,""'o WI, ttolume of business
Illustrating thmay be interesting to
. mus ceveiopeMaine Central r. r.,
} ,i''c 'ii"t ne month of June, July. /
.ahuieu September last year 1885,
,ers known to be tourists and |
J 200 Regular tickets. Add to this |
.mated number carried on mile |
'Ho sckets and the number delivered
aSsortland by the Maine Steamship
{ mpany who re-purchase tickets at
: Inc Union station, 10000 more places
!. number of tourists into Maine destined
| to yoints on or reached by the Maine
| Central alone at 235, ,665, these being
| nearly actual figures. then if we add
| Nav and October, monthly in which
fishermen and huntsmen come to us. it
| would increase the number surely 5000.
The Boston and Maine r. r., must
certainly bring into the territory, Kit
| terry to Portland inclusive, at least 50,-
| O0n pnccpNpprS
The Grand Trunk Ry. from points III
the United States and Canada say a5,-
| O00
The Canadian Pacific over their short
| line at least $500.
The Maine Steamship Company to
Portland in addition to those going over
the Maine Central, say 10000.
The Eastern Stea mship Company car
| red from Boston to points in Maine.
May 1St to October 31St. 13661S pas
scngers and even supposing that one
half were tourists, we have a grand to-
tai of 39S,174 and allowing for under
estimates and for tho others coming by
automobiles and other convcyances the
aggregate is certainly 100000 tourists
entering Maine during 1905
The benefit TO the State derived from
the summer resort industry is hard to