Finally, Negotiations

    There is no copy of the letter than Mr. Raymond sent to Mr. Myers on October 29, but there is an 18 page typed record of all of the correspondence beginning on February 7, 1921 collected by Mr. Raymond that was soon circulated among interested parties, including, presumably, Mr. Myers.
    On October 31, he wrote to Mr. Tasker:
    I hand you copy of a most amazing letter from Mr. Myers and of my reply.
    It would appear on its face the Supervisor has been purposely depriving the Town of the service, in order to pose as protecting it from the horrible octopus.
    There "ain’t no such animal in this wood pile” as you know. He would have been in better case to have been able to point to the Poggatticut running to the Town Slip on regular schedule as an achievement of his administration.

The Prospect in ice during the winter of 1919. Moses Griffing was her captain.
    On November 4, Mr. Raymond wrote to Mr. Myers:
    It has come to me there is to be some sort of meeting Monday night between a few men to discuss the Ferry Issue. I do not know any details. You may.
    If you can locate anyone who is to be there the sheet attached is the crux of the matter, and might well be considered as the questions to ask the Supervisor.
    I have no objection to same being shown to anyone and in particular any member of the Town Board.

QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE PUT DIRECT TO THE SUPERVISOR

1. In every form of lease submitted by the Ferry Company to the Town and the Town to the Ferry Company the words “Ferry privileges” or “Ferry purposes” have appeared. If the Ferry Company was seeking any other privileges why did it not object to the limitations imposed by said words.

    DID THE FERRY COMPANY EVER DEMAND, SUGGEST, OR INTIMATE IT DESIRED SAID WORDING ALTERED???

2. In every form of lease submitted by the Town to the Ferry Company has appeared “in connection with others to use the easterly side of the Town dock for wharf privileges.”

    DID THE FERRY COMPANY EVER TO YOU, THE TOWN CLERK, OR MR. TASKER OBJECT TO SAID WORDING. DEMAND, SUGGEST OR INTIMATE ANY DESIRE FOR ELIMINATION OF THE SAME?????

3. In every form of lease submitted by the Town to the Ferry Company has appeared “Reserving to the Town for the use of its inhabitants the remainder of said Town Dock.”

    DID THE FERRY COMPANY EVER TO YOU, THE TOWN CLERK, OR MR. TASKER DEMAND, SUGGEST, OR INTIMATE ANY DESIRE FOR ELIMINATION OF THE SAME????

4. Is it not a fact that the only issue is:

    The Ferry Company demand if it guarantees to maintain the present night service for five years, the Town shall obligate itself that the remainder of the Town dock shall not be used for competitive FERRY service???

5. Is it not a fact:

    That the Ferry Company has offered to execute at once and did so state as of August 30th date, a lease without any mention of night service, embodying No 1.2.3. above in same.

6. Is it not a fact:

    The Supervisor is losing to the Town a guarantee of continued night service, run at a loss to the Ferry Company in direct opposition to the interests of the Town because he will not consent to have the lease specify the remainder of the Town Dock shall not be used for Ferry purposes???

    He has deprived the Town of the daytime service of the POGGATTICUT, which in no part of the above issue, because he will not allow one service to be separate from the other, without regard to the equity and fairness due to the Ferry Company and Town.

    On November 5, Mr. Raymond wrote to Moses Griffing, the captain of the Prospect, not only a loyal employee of the Ferry Company, but also a faithful and respected friend to the entire community.   
    I was greatly astonished when Mr. Myers advised of the statement made to him by the Supervisor, at direct variance with the facts. Re the 'demands' of the Ferry Company.
    I am particularly grieved because all through the long past months not a single statement of the kind had been made to me by the only three I have had to do with, the Supervisor, Town Clerk and Mr. Tasker. I have endeavored to conduct the negotiations along friendly and courteous lines. The correspondence will prove this.
    Because of your interest in this slip from the start I am anxious you know this. The Supervisor has been antagonistic to it from the start.
    To satisfy yourself as to the correctness of my statement I suggest you have the enclosed set of questions asked of the Supervisor. Any member of the Town Board is entitled to so question him.
    I am reluctantly compelled to think the only way to end this matter is to have the Town Board appoint a Committee independent of the Supervisor, to confer with me, inspect all the correspondence and pass judgement on the facts.
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