Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-30
AUToMoBILE BILL.
Interesting Hearing Before judi.

Among the interesting matters cOnsid-
.,ad nv the judiciary committee Thursday
snsrnoon at its hearing was the bill to
-srulate the use Of certain roads ir the
.syn Of Mt. Desert, Being interpreted,
.hs hill means simply that the people OF
M Desert, both permanent and temper
s,v have no use for automobiles.
The summer resorts OF Northeast Harbor
"a Seal Harbor, like their sister resort,
Dr. Harbor, do not desire to have their
.r,eudid summer resort business, which
hr;nps millions OF dollars into the State
srnually, injured by the intrusion Of the
motor vehicle. The people Of these re-
sorts do not wish to be selfish in the mat
.or and have so phrased their bill that the
sutos are not prohibited. They can come
and 90 from the resorts, but certain dam
rerous roads are closed to them by the
Hill. The committee in executive session
voted to report ought to pass.
There was no opposition to the proposed
hill. but the proponents OF the measure are
verv much in earnest, and SO introduced q
mass of testimony and number OF wit
nesses being DESTROYS Of showing the COM
m,ttee that it is the unanimous sentiment
Of the people OF the town that the bill
shall have passage. As such bills provide,
the law must be submitted to the people
of the town before it can become opera
tive.
E. S. Clark, Of Bar Harbor, conducted
the hearing and made an able opening, ex-
nlaining the nature OF the bill and that
all of the people Of Mt. Desert, both resi-
dent and nonresident, are heartily in
favor of it. He explained that postal
card canvass was made last summer by the
Village Improvement associations OF Seal
Uarbor and Northeast Harbor, and that all
the answers received, and they were many,
favored the enactment OF the law. He
read letters from such prominent national
figures as Pres. Eliot, OF Harvard, Rt. Rev.
william c. Doane, bishop OF Albany, and
Hon. Seth Low, all of whom strongly
urged the passage OF anti automobile
legislation.
Mr., Low in his letter said that although
he is himself the owner of an automobile,
he would never think OF taking his auto
mobile 10 Mt. Desert, as he does not regard
the island, where the pleasure Of driving
is one OF the great amusements, and where
the roads are so precipitous and narrow, as
any place for them. He thought that the
island being terminal and not main
automobiles, at any rate upon the danger
Gus roads.
Mr.. Clark explained that similar feel
ing exists in Bar Harbor where a postal
card canvass showed practically all the
hotel visitors and everyone but one of the
cottage owners opposed to the introduce
ton of autos. In this connection, Mr..
Clark read letters from Hamilton Thatcher
and Mrs. w, E. Shepard, OF New York,
DR.. II. c. Chapman, of Philadelphia, and
Frank T. Howard, OF New Orleans. Mr..
Clark remarked that unless the use OF
automobiles is prohibited on certain roads,
it will be necessary either to build the
roads twice as wide at great expense or
else to prohibit the use of horses il the
resort is to avoid the loss of life.
G. L. Stebbins, of Seal Hsrbor and New
York, who has large property interests at
Seal Harbor, was the next speaker He
said that he had been resident of Seal
Harbor for eleven years and as manager OF
the Cooksey estate OF 800 acres and be-
tween two and three miles of shore front,
and permanent residents. He stated that
the opinion Of all is unanimous in favor
OF the bill. He knew from personal
knowledge that the portions OF road mem
toned in the bill would be very dangerous
il the use Of autos should be permitted on
them.
Mr.. Stebbins explained that the island
OF Mt Desert is rather different from
most sections, being isolated and by itself.
1t has no main thoroughfares but only
local roads and these, as rule, are narrow
and built with view to scenic effect, pro-
coed along precipitous places. Mr.. Steb-
bins explained that the bill could be re-
pealed any time if it should seem proper
to do 80.
WV. Vaughan, of New York, we'll
known summer resident at Seal Harbor
and the owner OF three houses there, said
that he thought the precise condition of
Affairs had been accurately stated. He
knew from his own personal knowledge
that there are many places in the roads
where the automobile is source Of
actual danger, and also that many people
come to the resorts in the town of Mt.
Desert actuated by their desire to get
away from the automobiles and enjoy
driving.
DR.. r. l.. Grindle was the next speaker,
and told of the growing Importance of
The town of Mt. Desert as summer re-
sort section. He showed that the town
mad about quadrupled its valuation in the
last decade, and that many OF the people
were attracted by the pleasure of driving
ABOUT the island, pleasure that will be
ruined unless automobiles are kept out.
ne explained that should it be necessary
10 widen and straighten the roads it
would mean the blasting OF the solid
lado,a