Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-31

rine levying SUBSIDY TAX on tne peo-
pie of this country. Further. we will
be- the producers.
A clipping last week in local pa
per stated that A of our choicest Mer-
chant Marine ships which cost $750, 900
Zach, making a total of $s3. 200, 900 were
sold for s1,300,000. That shows that
our country thinks OF the Merchant
Marine. Now, are the citizens of the
State OF Maine to build State Pier
for the Merchant Marine that As
states have turned down.
The Grand Trunk Railway system
today <are handling not over so per
cent. of their capacity. Ships for Eu-
rope are taking on a part cargo and
leaving Portland for Boston and New
York to complete their loads. The
Grand Trunk system has yard room
for 1000 cars and their equipment is
in line to handle these 1900 cars. The
grain elevators of the Grand Trunk
were built with Portland capital with
a rate of interest and an additional
rate for a sinking fund to take care
of the cost, and when the original
cost has been satisfied they become
the property Of the Grand Trunk
Railway system. The original own
ers of the Grand Trunk have found
that the general upkeep of so gigan-
tic an investment became too heavy
burden for them to handle and the
Government of the Dominion of Can
ada has taken over this property /
find that the Grand Trunk docks are
sadly in need Of repair. During the
year they have dismantled one of the
shells, also the immigrant station. but
this shed and the immigrant station
is to be rebuilt. The wharves are out
of repair. You can readily see that
the Government of the Dominion of
Canada is carrying heavy lead in
this Grand Trunk Railway system
who have their terminal at Portland.
Why should Maine start an opposi-
ton to the Grand Trunk Railway
system. a company who 50 willingly,
abb and pleasantly carried this burden
for years for our State? Why should
we plunge into this? The taxes of
the Grand Trunk Railway system pay
every year are heavy. and the State
Pier is not taxable.
The following Transatlantic liners
running into Portland are being taken
care of by the Grand Trunk: The
White Star Dominion line, the
Thompson line. Cunard line, the Car
ons-Noble line. the Donaldson line
and others. These lines are doing 50
per cent. less than their capacity.
In the winter of 1920 when freights
were good and before the general de-
preston was felt, the Grand Trunk
Railway system handled So British
ships, 70 American, six Norwegian,
six Italian. six Grecian, five French.
one Russian, one Belgian, two Dutch,
and two Spanish,s making total Of
1874 ships The average expense OF
labor and ship stores for one Of these
boats in port is $1,000, and the ex-
pense on some ships has run as high
as $4,000. You can readily see that
the Grand Trunk is equipped to take
care of any ships that come to Port
land.
I happen to know of a check for
$4,000, a premium of insurance,
which was handed to local insur-
ahce company in Portland You can
see by this that the Grand Trunk is
not selfish
Now if the business men and bank
ers of Portland will meet the repre-
sentatives of the Grand Trunk Rail-
way system with the same spirit that
they did at the time the Grand Trunk
elevators were built. you can make
Portland the gateway TO the Can
adam and our Northwest and any
other section Of our country They
are willing to carry the burden as
they have in the past. They are
masters in their line, having been
lifelong students in shipping circles.
Following is a clipping from a ship
ping board:
During the last six months of the
year 1920-1921 business done by the
United States Shipping Board shows
a deficit Of $3S,000,0OO The cost of
construction and operation of Amer
lean built ships as compared with
those of foreign nations: IT costs net
between 20 and 40CS less to build Il
ship in Great Britain than it does in
this country, while the cost of operat-
ing a British ship is $3.50 less. a
Canadian ship 1890 less. and a Jap
! anese vessel $500 less. Unless direct
or indirect financial aid be given to
those operating American ships in
the future the Board states that it
cannot see how they can compete
with foreign ships
You can readily see what the citi-
zens of Maine are facing
Tt has been said that the citizens
of South Portland's contention
contention against the State Pier is
because the site was not located in
South Portland. want to tell the
people of the state of Maine that this
is not so. The citizens of South
Portland are in better position to
pass on this than most Of the citi-
zens OF. other cities of the State for
the fact that we look on Portland
docks daily and we know what BUSH
ness is being transacted.
The information in this article is
facts and I invite verification. 1t is
for the cause of the citizens of Maine
(Signed) w. r. MCDONALD"
Just one moment. l read from an
article in the Kennebec Journal this
morning as follows:
THE Grand Trunk Railway steam
ship terminus here will be enlarged
and improved at a cost OF approx
mately 100000, officials of the rail-
way said today. Construction will
begin May /. They also are consider
ing the erection OF coal Handling
pOcEetS at Fast Dearipo NJ "a oost of