Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-06
A POWER FERRY.
Ha!|o#s|| and chs|ss,
Residents at Hearing.
County Commissioners Asked
To Establish Ferry.
Prominent Citizens Present Argu.
ments for Better Transportation.


IS \ delegation OF representative citi-
Zens IF Hallowcll and Chelsea waited
upon the county commissioners Wed
nesday afternoon and laid before that
body the necessity for a suitable power
ferry between the city of Hallowell and
the town of Chelsea. After listening
to the arguments the county commits
sioners announced that they would give
a hearing upon the matter at city hall,
HalloWell, as early i'll June as pracr;-
able
Two petitions to Il he county commits
SlorerS, one signed by citizens OF Hal
lowell and the other by the citizens; OF
Chelsea We're presented to the board TO-
gther With d third petition from the
Board OF Trade to the HalloWell city
government, asking for suitable fer
ry between the two places The petit
ton from the Board of Trade to the
city government was signed by Roy c.
Pearce and "a others, while the two
petitions to the county commissioners
were signed by 50 residents of Hallo-
well and 40 residents of Chelsea.
The petition presented to the county
commissionery is as follows:
The undersigned. citizens of the
county of <enncbec, respectfully rep
rcSentS that the establishment of a fer
fy for the transportation of passengers
with their vehit les and animals is nee
essary between the city of Hallowell
and the town of Chelsea in said county
They therefore respectfully request that
hn a n f.,,
the Old town landing at the foot of
Central street in said Hallowen to
some suitable point opposite said town
Ian ding in the town of Chelsea and
that the tolls upon the same Shall be
fixed and Il no person is found to
keep said ferry for said tolls that the
compensation of the ferry-men shall be
regulated and fixed. They also request
that the ferry now established between
said city of Hallowell and said town of
Chelsea be discontinued"
The case of the petitioners was pre-
sented by Fred Emery Beane, former
mayor of Hallowell. The present mayer
Dana G. Skilin, was one of the speak
erS in favor of the proposed ferry. He
said trat its need was evidenced by the
difference in the business of Hallowe,
in the winter when crossing could be
made on tie ice and in the summer
wien the ferry boat was the only
means of communication
DIR. H. A. Milliken spoke of the nee
cessity of the ferry as proposed from
the standpoint OF physician. Post
master F. NJ. Fish spoke of the com
mon interest Of the two communities
ana said that Hallowell depended a
great deal upon Chelsea for produce
James Tenney and Former County
Treasurer James +. Blanchard argued
for the ferry from the standpoint, of
Chelsea and said that Chelsea resi-
dents We're anxious for easier means Of
reaching HalloWell
Arthur b. Church said that the pro
posed ferry would be a great benefit
to ali concerned and could be construct
ed at but little expense. 1t was a
rOun about way to come to Augusta
in order to get to the other side Of the
river
H. p. Clearwater said that under
present conditions it was a physical
impossihility for residents Of Chelsea
to do business with Hallowell. while
they might easily do 50 with q suit
aple power Terry.
Rev. =. r. Turner, pastor of the Hal
lowell Baptist church. alluded to the
diff ul;y with which residents Of Chal-
sea could come to Hallowell to church
There were 20 children of Sunday
school age within 21a miles Of each
other, who might be accommodated by
the ferry.
Rev J. w. Steele, pastor of the Uni
versalist church, said that nothing
would bring the people of HalloWelI
ard Chelsea into closer contact than
an up-to-date ferry. Mr.. Clearwater
called the attention of the county com
miSsIoners to the fact that there We're
many people in Hallowell who wished
to visit Chelsea, but actually didn't
care to go in the present ferryboat.
c. s. Goodwin of the HalloWell Board
of Trade said that after the bridge
went ont between Hallowell ana Chrl-
SEQ an effort was made to secure q
first class ferryboat. but it failed. Al
derman A. w Pickard declared it to
be his belief that if the ferryboat ask
ed for was put in operation there would
be an increase in the valuation Of prop
erty on both sides Of the river more
than sufficient to offset it's cost.
In summing up the case for the pc
titioners Attorney Became said: 1.-The
men who have appeared before YOU
here in favor of this petition are repre-
sentative business men of Hallowell
and Chelsea. Chelsea was formerly a
part Of Hallowell. but was set apart
by act of the Legislature. The two
places We're formerly connected with
a bridge. The ferryboat asked for can
be no expense to the county. The peo-
pie on both sides of the river, the resi-
dents of Hallowel and Chelsea are
willing to pay the bills We ask You
to examine the matter thoroughly and
give us what you can. for we want it,