Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-31

ship Lines, they will run boats from !
Boston to Portland nd from Portland
to Eastport, Calais and st. John. and
this will give the people the cheapest
freight rates In the world. Besides
there 10 to be q summer passenger
service to New York. II this 10 done"
Mr.. Merrill at this point read let
ter from q big paper concern stating
that 1t "had been shown" and was
sending out its shipments to New
York via the State Pier.
Before closing he touched upon the
stories appearing In the newspapers
relative to what he termed the prof
legacy Of the State Pier directors
saving:
the board OF directors should be dis
charged. II a board OF directors Is
to do anything. they must have pow
er, Just as do the directors OF any
business They must be given latitude
and authority. ,.,.
I. eYn out.
"Don't say that II they want lead
pencil, they must come to Augusta
TO get 1t. The statement emanating
in Augusta came from enemies OF the
pier.
They say that we have four sSooo
men. The only $4,000 man we have IS
Mr.. Feeney, the traffic manager. we
have a stenographer at $500 q year
and a janitor at $3.50 q week. we
have had one inspector come here
while the pier is being built, and we
are paying him $4,000 q year. but
that does not come out or malnteh-
ance. It comes out Of the sale OF tne
bonds. When the pier is hnished ms
job will be over. We have nad Wal
ter B. Moore going about tne ota.e
telling the people OF the advantages
of the pier.
"When it comes to banaueting,
bands and that sort OF thing, II IS
simply disgusting.
II am here simply asking for a fair
deal. II your directors haven't done
their work well and economically. u
is time that they were discharged
Give us our rights"
"You go to any user of port faci-
lities and tell him that there is
chance to save 100000, and every
thing else being equal, what is his
reply?" asked Mr.. Merrill.
"Ship owners coming to the port
of Portland, he declared. after they
have come in two or three times, can
do so without the aid of pilot. That
is one reason why this pier will be
used and must be used. Mr.. Merrill
called attention to the fact that
Portland not only had the shortest
channel to the open sea. but that it
also possessed the best buoyed har-
Dor. while the depth Of water in the
harbor would permit the Aquitania,
the largest steamship afloat, to come
70 -, 70 Al
sail away without any difficulty.
Speaking of the efforts now being
made by Canadian ports to induce
the Grand Trunk to divert its ship
ments from Portland to st. John and
Halifax, the chairman of the direc-
torate said that the cimple PROPOSE
ton Of dollars and cents would pre-
vent this being carried out, and he
furthermore asserted that even Bos-
ton was becoming jealous of, Port
land. the newspapers of the pro-
fligacy of the directors being seized
upon by Boston men as nuts.
Its hard cold fact" he contin-
ued. that We have the finest har-
Dor ever seen. l am going to ask
you what you are going to do with
this State Pier. You have put your
money into it.
"It's the greatest opportunity
that Maine has ever had to develop
itself.
How can it help the State of
Maine? Well. there is the saving on
freight to the farmers and manufac-
turers of Maine. For instance. the
Maine Central. Boston and Maine
and Grand Trunk railroads have +,
come together and given a preferen-
tnI % x1,oso 1,,,<r F1, o,.rl>k
coming to the State Pier.
If we rebuild the old Franklin
wharf sheds for the Eastern Steam
ship Lines, they will run boats from
Boston to Portland and from Port
land to PASSPORT Calais and st. John,
and this will give the people the
cheapest freight rates in the world.
Besides there is to he a summer pas
senger service toNew York if this is
DONE"
Mr.. Merrill at this point read a let
ter from big paper concern stating
that il had been shown ard was
sending out its shipments to New York
via the State Pier.
Before closing he touched upon the
stories appearing in the ncwspapers
relative to what he termed the prof
i'Eac. OF the State-Pier directors, say
ing:
IF they are SO. then every one of the
BOARD OF directors should be discharged
IL board 0 directors is to do any
thing they must have power, just rs do
the directors of any business. They
must r. '-ivcn latitude and authority.
III YOU don't like them, then kick
them out
Don't say that if they want a lead
pencil they must come to Augusta to
get 1t. The statement emanating in
augusta came from enemies of the pier.
they may say that We have four
$4,000 men. The only $4,000 man we
have is Mr.. Fecney, the traffic mana
ger. We have stenographcr al $1,000
year and janitor at $3.50 Y week. .
we nave had one inspector come here
while the pier is being built and we
are paying him $4,000 year but that
uo'" ut come out of maintenance. 1t
comes out of the sale Of the bonds.
When the pier is finished his lob will
he over We have had Walter Il !
Moore going about the State telling
the people of the advantages of tho
pier. VIZ
When 1t comes to banqueting. bands
ana that sort of thing, it is Simply dis
gushing.
i am here simply asking for a fair
deal. If your directors haven't done
their work. we'll and economicallv II
Is time that they were DISCHARGED.
Give us on, rights"
raging tribute to the men associat.
Cd with him in the directorate Mr.
Merrill said in closing: Wen make
ms pier a bowling success if you will
James Q. Gulnac of Bangor. repre-
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