There has been a petition made to the Town Board to call a special meeting for the purpose of voting an amount of money for the repairs to Town Dock and dredging a channel, presumably for POGGATTICUT. Everybody is asking this question -- "will the ferry come in and use the dock if this money is spent?" On the reply to this question I think depends the way that people will vote.

The last time the mill was used was during World War I, but the Library was a treasure for the whole Island. It was a gift of Harvard Professor Eben Horsford, Lord of Sylvester Manor, who had died in 1900. His daughter Miss Cornelia moved the mill to its present location in the 1920s.

    I think I understand the position of the Ferry Company and yours particularly, but I must say that possibly you have found out that it is quite impossible to deal with the people on Shelter Island in an absolute business like way that you would like or that you have been accustomed to dealing in your business. You have got to meet them more than half way because they are skeptical, shy and admit that they haven’t got the facilities for sizing up matters the way New Yorkers have.
    Nobody on Shelter Island knows whether or not you will have the boat come into the Town Dock if it is prepared and made ready for it and unless the Town has some assurance that this will be done by you, I am afraid that the result of the voting might be against spending the money. Yesterday in conversation with one of the Town Board, he speaking unofficially, I can say this much to the Ferry Company -- that the Town will prepare the dock and do the necessary dredging if the Shelter Island Ferry Company will agree to run into the Town Dock, wind and weather permitting say from October 1st to the middle of May and the Ferry Company be willing to pay 50% of necessary maintenance to this dock. If this is satisfactory to the Ferry Company, the $100.00 which the Ferry Company now pays as rental will be canceled. It strikes me that this is a straight forward fair proposition and if you would write to the Town Board so that it can be noised about the Island that the Ferry Company will come in to the Town Dock on the above terms I think and feel quite sure that the necessary amount of money to fix the dock up could be easily obtained.
    My point Mr. Raymond is this -- that you are dealing with country people, as you probably know. Who do not do business the way you and I would like to, and I have always found that I got more from such people by meeting them half way than by holding aloof and trying to do business in the way that we would like to.

    Over a week ago a Mr. Badger called on me, representing he was acting for Mrs. M. Griffing and others, supposed to be in the same group Mrs. Griffing heads. (William Otis Badger was a lawyer who lived on Shelter Island and owned a farm near Cartwright Town.)
    He practically recited what you do. I gave him in typed form what I would be willing to recommend to the Ferry Board after the Town has made its appropriation, and designated authorized persons to deal with us.
    I quite agree the country minds as you outline are slow to grasp a simple business method of procedure, but that it cannot understand there will be no necessity to repair a slip or dock, drive a pile or dig an inch of channel, UNTIL AFTER a satisfactory arrangement has been made is beyond me. They would of course pass any resolution CONDITIONAL on that.
    Your suggestion that they have in mind we shall pay one half the maintenance to the dock etc. is NEW.  I can say personally, without speaking for the Board, the Ferry Co. would not be warranted in ANY SUCH THING. I should not recommend it. If the Board cared to, over my vote, it would of course have the right. We have three slips to up-keep now. They are breaking our backs. To undertake another for use in the LOSING period of they year would be folly.
    Of course, my dear Mr. Brigham, the proper thing is for the Town to do just what I have stated in my letter to Mrs. Griffing, come to us with their proposition, and let us discuss it with THEM.
    I would be much interested to know if Mr. Badger does represent the interests he stated, as of so it is peculiar that he has not reported to Mrs. Griffin[g] and she in turn to the Town official you cite as coming to you, apparently not posted.
    However, I am glad you wrote. I am working under the spirit outlined in my letter to Mrs. Griffing. Willing to be as agreeable as I can and at the same time protect the Ferry interest.

A -- Town to build at its own cost and maintain a ferry slip to accommodate a double ended ferry boat, at or near the present Town dock, and dredge and maintain and keep open a channel in Dering Harbor sufficient in depth and width to accommodate a boat of the type, for illustration, of the ferry boat, Poggatticut to build bridges and approaches and suitable gates, and shelter house for passengers and ticket seller, and keep in repair.

B -- To grant by a new lease, to the Shelter Island and Greenport Ferry Company, its successors and assigns, by proper resolution, the following rights and privileges:
Sole right to all ferry privileges on the water front owned or controlled by the Town. Full control of the ingress and egress of passengers and vehicles to and from boats. To land its boats at the said new slip and dock or docks owned by the Town. To place sign or signs as may be required, on or near said slip and docks, warning all boats from landing or interfering with the ferry approach to and from said slip and docks. To lay up any of its boats in the slip or at the docks, when not required for service. Free of any rental.

C -- The Ferry Company to agree:
Subject to weather conditions and elements beyond its control, to maintain a schedule of service, to begin at least by October 15th in each year and run to May 15th the following year, to said new slip, with its double end type ferry of boat, in the day light period. And throughout the entire calendar year during the evening period with one of its small boats.

D, -- Term of Lease.
New lease when issued to replace the one now in force.

To be for a term of twenty-five years, but to provide for cancellation, on part of either side, on six months notice on and after the fifth year to date.   

This 1907 photo of Bridge Street from across Chase Creek shows only David Harries Young's store on the left and Nathan P. Dickerson's garage in the middle, and Clarence Wilcox's dock house on the right. Mr. Dickerson would not start developing Bridge Street as it basically looks today until 1920 in anticipation of the ferry slip.

    The Ferry Co. is not seeking to induce the Town to go to any expense for it. The movement is a Town one by and for the benefit of the Town.
    The Ferry company in spirit of friendly cooperation, as it should, is willing to contribute, weather permitting, a day time service in the period October 1st to June 1st, in each year, to the Town with its larger boat, and, should the Town decide to build and maintain the proposed accommodations, to give that service at its own loss in revenue, wear and tear on boats and equipment. With added risk in operating said larger boat for a longer period that would otherwise be the case.