The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-02-27


and its contents were looted. In the
days of the old hand tubs, with such fire
chiefs as A. A. Howes, Charles Baker
and Charles T. Richards the building
would have been saved without doubt.
When it was.gone, many who had been
misled by demagogical talk realized
the loss the Crosby Inn was to our city,
a loss that has been felt every day since.
The ostrich when pursued hides its
head in the sand, hoping thus to evade
it's pursuers, and Mayor Hanson fol-
lows like instinct in digging into the
railroad question of forty years ago,
hoping thus to divert attention from
his sins of omission and commission.
The building of railroad, 'first seri-
ously conceived by Hon. Albert G. Jew
EFT in 1851 was at no time a party
question. In 1867 the project of build
ing a railroad from. Belfast to Moose
head Lake was revived and DR.. n. P.
Monroe, then in the Legislature, intro
duced bill which resulted in new
charter for constructing road over the
most practicable route to Moosehead
Lake, excepting the distance from New
port to Dexter, where a road was al
ready in progress. Williamson's His
tory says: "a railroad convention on
the 23d of March was largely attended
by delegates from twenty-three towns
on and near the line of the proposed
road At meetings called for the pur-
pose, on the 9th of April, by vote of
S65 in favor, to q against, the city au-
thorities were authorized to subscribe
for ), 6O4 shares of on-preferred stock,
amounting to $500, 400. The result was
received by a general expression of
gladness. The bells were rung, and in
the evening there was bonfire in Gus
tomhouse Square, and public gather
ing at Pierces' Hall" 1t may be added
here that there was opposition to the
proposed road from both Democrats and
Republicans. The corporation was Or
gained July 8, 1867, by the choice of
Alfred W. Johnson, Thomas Marshall,
Reuben Sibley Nahum p. Monroe.
Hiram O. Alden, VIM. M. Rust, Column
bia P. Carter, VIM. H. Simpson, VIM.
II. Colburn, Seth L. Milliken, Axel
Hayford, H. N. Lancaster and Charles
B. Hazeltine, as directors, who elected
Alfred w. johnson president, John IT,.
Quimby clerk and William 7. Colburn
treasurer. Mr.. johnson declined and
Axel Hayford succeeded him as preSi-
dent. They are all dead. Mr.. Hazel
tine, who later filed the office of presi-
dent for many years, was the last to
go. These are the citizens, respected
and influential in their day, represent
ing both of the great political parties,
who have been charged with ''mis-
management, rottenness and alleged
graft" and with robbing Belfast of her
natural heritage, etc. And what is the
record of the man who thus seeks to
etame the dead?
We understand that Mayor Hanson
has criticized The Journal for not aid
ing in the promotion of His Chamber
of Commerce. We give it that name ad-
visedly, because it is his creation and
we are of the opinion that it was
designed solely and exclusively for
the promotion of his personal and
political ends. The Journal for the past
fifty years at least has given all posi-
BILE aid and encouragement to every
honest endeavor to promote the bust
ness interests and the moral and ma
terial welfare of Belfast and of Waldo
county. 1t has been equally pronounced
in it's opposition to all fake schemes of
whatever nature, and it considers that
the Hanson Chamber of Commerce
has no legal or corporate existence,
and it is said that it has never
! held a meeting since it was created
on paper. Not business man was
present at the alleged organization. 1t
died at birth. The idea that the farm
ers who have their regular commission
merchants and their private customers
would bring their produce to this alleged
| Chamber of Commerce to be packed
and shipped, on payment of fee, to a
special representative in Boston" who
would of course have commission, is
an insult to the intelligent people of
Waldo county. They are fully capable
of attending to their own business, and
will continue to do SO.
| A Belfast man was asked the other day
what this so-called Chamber of Com
merce was doing and replied: "Why,
don't you know what it is for9 1t is to
boom Hanson's paper" And the paper
is to boom Hanson for sheriff, for the
legislature, or for something else. That
such a man could edit non-partisan
paper is as impossible as it would be for
the sun to rise at night and set in the
morning. He couldn't be non-partisan
if he tried, and he will never try. His
mission in life is not to create but to
| destroy. Has he ever invested one dol
lar of the money received from his vari-