Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-23
BAR HARBOR AUTOS.
The Anti -Automobilists Have Their
Innings Before judiciary.

The people Of Bar Harbor. who are
opposed t. the opening of even one
road Ia automobiles had their innings
Wednesday afternoon when the sec
ond chapter OF the story was unfolded
before the judiciary committee. Charles
+. Paine, town treasurer. testified that
the town had increased in valuation,
from $622, ,0G0 in 1880. to St, 90, 900 in 1910
and the population from 1929 to 1900. He
stated that the non-residents had con-
trihuted literally to or had built en-
tirelv q Y. NJ. c. \. building, public IL
brary, Y. ". c. A. Hotel Malvern and
other structures. Mr.. Paine eXpiained
al sorne length that automobiles would
hurt the summer business because il
would spoil the drives. the principal
attractions of the resort.
DISCRIMINATION brought out the
fact that the town had gained 100 in
population between 1880 and 1890, 2400
between 1890 and 1900 and only e. be-
tween 1900 and 1910. Charles II. Wood
OF Bar Harbor opened the case for the
opposition after the first witness He
said that he had heard considerable
about tainted money and superannu-
ated milliOnaires and he had heard it
facetiously said that the principal bus
mess of the town was to separate the
milli1nairos from their coin. The pro-
poncntS OF the bill We're trying to get
this coin in bucketsful. Mr.. Wood
started on an extended argument re-
earding the valuation and population
but Chairman staples shut him OF.
l.. N. Whittier, contractor. was of
- Il
nlohiles would be very detrimental to
building operations. p. &. Hail. Il
farmer, said that the Grange was
against automobiles and that one ola
gentleman walked 4 mile to sign a re-
moHstranCe. Look at the island" said
he. See what VIZ We're before the cot
taGes came. We We're Il fishing hamlet
anG The people We're glad tn go out and
catch . few porgies
Il. y. Gray told of opposition to the
bill on the part of house owners. II"
was in favor of an automobile road if
it didn't touch any OF the present
drives. but ne thought tho ma ioritv of
the necplo did object
Other witnesses fer the remonstrants
who testified that the admission of
automobiles would iniurc their bust
ness and the welfare Of the town, were
Julian Emery. Benjamin l.. Hadley.
Frank Spratt, y. Z. Foster, William
Fenlcy, and T.. X. Whitaker.
Gardner Reed of Bar Harbor. was
called by Elliott y. Benson, the attor-
ncy for the proponents Of the measure.
He was asked To tell the committee
the circumstances under which he cir
eulated remonstrances. He said he
found that good many people had
signed the first petitions under the ap-
prehension that il was a new" road
that was to be opened and not "one"
road. 1t developed that he had sign
ed both. Mr. Benson read the original
letter sent out by the chairman of
anti -automObilists. The letter repre-
scented that the automobile exclusion
act was to be repealed" The letter
read was addressed to d. II. Morris
of New York and the reply was to
the effect that the writer had changed
his mind about automobiles and that
they We're at least as safe as horses.
Hon. L. 3. Deasy of Bar Harbor
argued for the opposition in closing
and Mr.. Benson closed for the pro-
ponents.