Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-04

Residents, not voters, valuation
$51,191
Voters valuation of property, ST.
Tan 3901i.36
Total resident property tax ST 134 .0S
Now, l hold petitions in my hand
representing the entire summer colony,
cottage owners, with but very few eX-
ceptions--I only know Of two, one OF
VI HON is George Vanderbilt, and an
other a lady-who do not favor the eX-
c.usion of the autos from our island
The rest of the entire summer con-
tingent favor this proposed leglsla-
ton. l also hold petitions III my hand
of III voters of the town of Eden, pray
ing for similar legislation, the valu-
alton "f whose property Is S1,163 ,539,
who pay q tax of $50, 325.93. Let me
repeat once more. of the voters whose
property is valued at $l,3Oo, 4OS ard who
pay tax on that property OF S39.0l4. So,
the valuation of the petitioners prop
crty. who are voters, who ask for this
legislation, is 81 1913, $50, and they pay
a tax OF $50 3o5. So These figures do
not include the poll tax. Our opponents
here have introduced petitions of some
OF The residents of Bar Harbor, asking
Tor one road into Bar Harbor. They
Rave on their petition Up voters (25
having already signed the petition ask
ing for this blD. whose total valuation
il, but s176,173. and whose total proper
ty tax is but $5,213.56 In the town CT
Mount Desert we have petitions here
presented to this committee OF all the
| dam he Ia nav n fG.-
cage owners Of that town, as wcN as
& large majority OF the voters. In Ire
nont there are H. voters. and we have
Lere a petition of 93 of these ] II voters.
In Southwest Harbor we have large
majority of the voters as Wei a. the
cottage owners
We do not ask this Legislature for
4 law excluding the use OF automobiles
from the island; simply ask that this
be referred to the people of each town
at their town meeting, each Town ac
ccpting or rejecting it Al they see fit.
our opponents are opposed to this leg
islation and have circulated petitions
al over Maine.
| Bar HarbOr has had only one rival
in this country and that has been New
port. Keep out automobiles and tic
People Of Newport will come to Bar
Harbor, ana III that connection let ME
| .,ad To YOU a letter written - the
| selcctmrn, Of which this is but one OF
| hundreds received of similar tenor.
| Dear Sir-As Il recent. but l trust 4
| loyal summer resident o. Bar Iiarbor, l
| take this opportunity to express my
| ,ery strong hope that automo3lIes Will
| not be allowed on the Island ~ot Mount
| Desert, and in this particular | believe
| that am not sWayeti by selfish mo-
! tivcs. For many years of my life
| lived in the summer at Newport, X; l.,
ana watched the Genesis ana develop"
nent Of automobiles in that summer
sort. | can most emphat1caliy assert
,hat in my opinion Newport has been
greatly injured Ly the introduction OF
| automobiles, 50 much SO that one OF
the controlling reasons for my selling
my house there ana budding at i5ai
Harbor was the fact that my Wife and
could drive and my children ride
about che island free from the constant
| apprehension resulting from the recn-
Tess use OF automobiles; nor do | be-
llcve that they would bring any ma
terial addition to the prosperity OF the
toWn."
(Signcd) LEWIS 3. McCEGG.
| If time would permit, | could read
| you hundreds of similar letters. Our
opponents have claimed that this is
precedent. ana if this legislation Is
granted 10 our island other towrs will
ask for similar legislation, and they
are opposed to this as 4 precedent; but
| | say to you, gentlemen. you should
lake il up by itself, and that the grant
| ing Of this is not a precedent If we
| were Il L Wn located on q tnorOughfarc,
| It nigh; not be fair and just to these
,eople to exclude the passage Of auto
mobiles through the town. but this is
| al island, though connected with the
mainland by a bridse-yet an Island
! and this legislation will not prevent
| people coming who care to travel
| through the State; but there would b.
| nothing TO see except running around
town for perhaps an hour. for the whore
| island could be covered in one day.
The principal objection to their coming
| IS thiS-Bar Harbor being an island and
cul dc sac, so to speak, it has been
free from Migrants, tramps and GRIM
mals generally. The young ladies go
| out to walk or drive in the morning.
| the children have their pony carts
| harnessed and with their nurses so of
| for half day. and their seniors go
driving either by themselves or with {.
party ana live in the open air the eli
| tire day. Our roads being III 4 mount
| ainouS country on the side of hills arc
very circuitous. precipitous. narrow and
| dangerous. You can see by phOtogra phS
here on exhibition that in some places
! there is merely room for Two teams to
pass; that roads have been blasted
| through the side of the mountains ana
while it is very dangerous meeting
automobiles on a wide road, It would
lie absolute murder to meet them on
these roads; that the principal at
fractions are our scenery and our
drives. which would be absolutely ruin
ed BY the introduction OF automobiles
TO our island.
If there was divided sentiment w-.,,
nonresident people there might then
| De som" reason for the refusal Of THIS
legislation. but when it is asked FOR
| with unanimity by our PRESIDENTS