Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-14
TUE BOSTON & MAINE
SlocbhaIdsrs 10 ABpusl Nesl. leg si Lawrence
 Ts.dsy.

|
 Lawrence. Mass. Oct l4.-Al- though the stockholders of the Bos-
 ton and Maine railroad at their an
 nual meeting in this city to-day were called upon to act upon number of Important meetings affecting the gen. erAl interest of the company. atten- ton was largely attracted to the se-
 letc!on of the men who will have charge of the company's affairs dur ing the coming year.
 That the control of the road. through the possession of large
 blocks of the common stock. which alone has voting power, was prac- tlcally in the hands of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. notwithstanding nearly two years of agitation and some adverse legis- lation, but was generally admitted before the meeting to-day, but whether the New Haven interests would demand important changes in the directorate was a matter which
 was not made public some time after the meeting began.
 As usual. all the stockholders had the privilege of reaching the city by. the railroad without paying fare. upon the presentation of their stock certificates, and once here nearly all sought the city hafl. where the an- nual sessions of the Boston and Maine have been held for many years.
 The call for the meeting stated that the stockholders would be asked to approve the report of the directors made public some time ago, to elect a board of officers for the coming year, to rescind vote passed in 1906 authorizing the issuance of $6,000.- 1 900 of bonds to take up the floating indebtedness and to authorize $l2,- | 900 ,00O to be issued not only for such indebtedness but for needed inn l provements.
 It was generally believed that ac- tion on the first and third articles would prove perfunctory, but that there might be an interesting contest for directors with strong opposition from certain stockholders who have bitterly fought the control of the New Haven road in the legislature and in the courts.
 Last years meeting proved abor- | tive through the action of the state I legislature in preventing the voting of 10000 shares of common stock held by the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, thereby pre- venting quorum being present. Since that meeting the possession of the big block of stock, after much discussion both in and out of the leg Iislature, has passed from the New Haven road into the hands of John L. Billiard of Meriden. Conn, a wealthy retired business man, said to be favorable to the interests of the New Haven company, so that the stock has since been regarded as practically although not technically in the control of the New Haven road.
 Among the early arrivals was | President Lucius, Futile of the Bos- ton and Maine company, who came on his special train. accompanied by Directors Samuel c. Lawrence of Medford, Alvah w. Sulloway of Franklin, N. H., and Joseph H. White of Brookline and by Mir Billiard, who was reticent as to his ideas regard ing the future of the Boston and Maine. The hall was thrown open shortly before 10 o'clock, although the meet ing was not scheduled until 10:30. Several women were present. There was also a large representation of business men, bankers and attorneys acting for estates.
 The routine business was in charge of E. A. Ryder. clerk of the board. It was stated that list of directors which would be suggested to the meeting by the retiring board would be made public when the meeting was prepared to begin voting for them
 The ballot for the new board of directors to be voted for was: Ed ward P. Kicker. South Poland, Me; Fred E. Richards. Portland, Me: J. M. Prendergast. Boston; Edwin F. Green. Wayland, Mass; Frederick c. Dumaine. Concord, Mass; Frank T. Brown, Norwich, Conn: Charles F. Linsley. Meriden, Conn; Samuel Hemingway. New Haven. Conn, and John L. Billiard. Meriden. Conn.
 The ballot as made up omitted the names of Walter Hunnewell, Henry F. Dimoek, Alexander Cochrane and Thomas-P. Beal, members of the for mer board of directors.
 The board of directors was in- creased from eleven to sixteen and a $12,000,000 bond issue for the pay ment of floating indebtedness and to be used to make Improvements was authorized. There were nine new names added to the board. Those | retained from the old board were as 1 follows: President Lucius Futile, | Samuel Lawrence. Richard Olney. Alvah Sulloway. Joseph White. Will liam Whiting and Amos Williams. Referring to the four Connecticut di- | rectors elected to-day Mir Billiard said l that they were suggested by him. as he believed that holding of 10000 l shares of stock, such as his, should | Al