Tel. 2-4881 Bangor Daily News, Wednesday, June 6, 1956 17 Maine Greets Opening Of Yarmouth-Bar Harbor Ferry International Ferry Means More Dollars, Cents For Bluenose Day Bar Harbor And Whole Area Set For Friday What will the Bluenose mean to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island in dollars and cents? Fireworks, band music. a dance and speeches, all will If you take the results of the six months of operation mark Bluenose Day at Bar Harbor Friday as thousands of from January on you might come to a very happy conclu- persons pour into this island touristland for the celebration sion. to honor the international ferry from the Mount Desert Or as Joseph Edgar, executive the winter 8. time for doldrums Island to Nova Scotia. secretary of the Bar Harbor have been kept open evenings and Featured also will be an Following the short dedication Chamber of Commerce. would the results are proving to be hibition by the Black Watch ceremonies the public may inspect put it. the advent of the ferry worth the effort. Highland Pipers of Canada There the Bluenose from 4 to 5 o'clock. will mean 8 "terrific shot in the And taxi drivers have reported will be also an opportunity for At 5 o'clock there will be an arm for the whole area. 8 big spurt in business as 8 re- the public to inspect the motor invitational cocktail party at the And by the whole area Edgar sult. A Bangor to Bar Harbor vessel which is scheduled to ar- Motor Hotel Bar Harbor, for a doesn't mean the island. but busline had put on an extra run rive in the afternoon hundred of the Canadian guests. rather the whole of Maine to handle the increased traffic. The ferry celebration will be The Yarmouth band will play on through which travelers will SOME PROBLEMS opened at 2 o'clock with a band the hotel grounds during the par- travel going to and coming from But with such glowing thoughts, concert by the Bar Harbor High Cy. the ferry. the average Bar Harbor business- School Band at the ferry terminal. At 6:30 o'clock 300 Canadians As he points out, people driving man has to face the problems of The Bluenose carrying 350 Can- and American guests will sit down through will buy gasoline, food, an expanding vacation trade. cigarettes and the resulting sales adians, who will witness the fes- for a banquet at the elementary Particularly is this true in the tivities. is scheduled to arrive at school auditorium. Brief talks by will benefit all of Maine. hotel, motel and tourist home Naturally however, he's in- 2:30 o'clock. Canadian dignitaries persons from both countries will trade. terested in how the arrival of the and guests will leave the ship. es- follow the dinner. Bluenose is affecting the area he Edgar, who has kept 8 close corted by the kilted Highland The Highland Pipers will play knows best. watch on the upswing in inquiries pipers and the Yarmouth Citizens and march at the municipal pier Conservatively has figured by from the prospective visitor, notes Band. at 8:30 o'clock and following their the Chamber of Commerce that this problem. The ceremonies will continue performance fireworks will be set the summer trade, aided and "There will be nights when the when both Canadian and Amer- off at the pier at 9 o'clock. abetted by the Bluenose, will put town will be pretty well full.' ican officials assemble on a speak- PUBLIC DANCE $500.000 in the pockets of Bar he concludes, particularly since ers' platform erected near the The Ferry Bluenose docked at the Bar Harbor terminal. A free public dance is sched- Harbor store operators, restau- many tourists will be coming in shore in a position half way be- uled with Frost's orchestra play- rant owners, motel operators and large parties and seeking certain tween the sides of the terminal ing at the Casino starting at 10 taxi drivers. accommodations That's figured on the estimated Yet to add to this. there is the Modern Bar Harbor Terminal Built For Ferry Bluenose lot. o'clock. The bands will play the national The 350 Canadians and 250 presence of 86,400 people during prospect of longer tourist sea- the 90 summer days which will son, both at the start and at the Modern is the Bluenose, the loaded trucks. Buried diesel fuel ager L. Everett Gerrish, now and loaned R necessary second anthems of each others' country, Americans will leave Saturday all mark the peak of the travel sea- end This means R boost to Bar International Ferry between tanks are connected by pipelines serving as general port agent for million. and the opening prayer will be 7 o'clock for Yarmouth where son on the island. Figures show Harbor merchant who can look Maine and Nova Scotia. to the docking facility so that the Canadian National Railroad said by the Rev. Canon Ralph H. other ceremonies will be held. The And the terminal was ready that an average visitor will spend Modern, also, is the ferry ter- the vessel can be refueled on her which operates the ferry, is in Hayden Americans will return the follow- forward to more business for a and waiting last year when the at least $5 a day while here. But overnight stops. charge of the terminal and heads GOVERNOR TO SPEAK ing dav on a special trip of the longer time. minal at Bar Harbor. Bluenose, called at times the "Who that figure seems conservative Better roads to ease the travel a crew of 18 employes. Two full- Speakers will include Gov. Ed- Bluenose. A million dollar structure, the Heavy steel 'H' beams, blasted Knows" failed to make her ap- and could probably be twice that burden of the motorist are also terminal blends in with the up- into the ledge at the bottom of time and six part-time customs mund S. Muskie, Congressman pearance because of delays of one Among the American visitors men work there also. Clifford G. McIntire and Bar amount. being aimed at to-date lines of the vessel to Frenchmen's Bay, are encased in sort or another. who plan to attend the ceremon- And with these boom days' in Edgar, who also is 8 represen- Harbor town council chairman R which she is closely connected. concrete which is in turn pro- The history of the building of ies at Bar Harbor are: However, now the Bluenose is a prospect, Bar Harbor business- tative to the state legislature, For the terminal was built for the terminal goes back to 1949 Amory Thorndike Also speaking tected by a creosoted wooden COV- regular visitor to the terminal Gov. and Mrs. Muskie, Rep. and men and others are putting on states that $20.000 is being spent ering. when the Bar Harbor Chamber briefly will be several Canadian their rose-colored glasses and act- this spring and summer to patch the ferry. and things are going smoothly. Mrs. McIntire, the Hon. and Mrs. officials Extending about 100 feet out of Commerce learned that Canada although the vessel has had to Sidney R. Batchelder (chairman Inc accordingly. up route 3. Located on the former Stotes- Gov. Muskie will present to the For example a $200,000 motel After this year, the State bury estate, the terminal covers from the shore is a quarried stone was interested in running a ferry have some kinks repaired. commander of the Bluenose, Capt. of the governor's council), state is being constructed by an out- causeway which joins a loading from Yarmouth across the mouth Highway Commission plans to six acres and contains the main Port Agent Gerrish, in reviewing FL E. H. Davies, two large col- senate president, Robert N. Has- of-state group which was at- consider the straightening out of terminal building, R warehouse apron. Two vehicle ramps and of the Bay of Fundy to Maine ored framed scenic photographs to kel. speaker of the House and one pedestrian ramp extend from as 8 short cut for the long trip the operation for the last six Mrs. Willis A. Trafton, Jr., Mr. tracted by the opportunity of the curves for which the route is an elaborate loading dock and months, reports that it has prov- be hung in the ship's lounges. ill-famed ramp, and fuel storage tanks. the apron to the dock and can around the peninsula by land. and Mrs. Donald Laughlin, chair fered. ed "very satisfactory," with "good Following this the Rev. Edward Again there are new gas sta- Also, Edgar reports that there be raised and lowered to meet A committee of the Bar Harbor man of the Maine Port Author- Along with its shrubbery and patronage." F. Fitzpatrick will pronounce tions and restaurants and besides are plans to do several major re- the upper and lower vehicle decks C. of C. raised funds and sent a ity, former Governer and Mrs. trees, the value of the terminal Beginning operations in Janu- benediction. that old and established busi- pair jobs on the well-used and of the ferry and to match the Burton M. Cross, Councilor and area is placed at close to prospectus to the Canadians. As nesses are putting on new faces, rising and falling of the tide. ary, instead of delaying them un- is a time for which reservations Mrs. Roswell P. Bates, Archibala well-battered highway, $2,000,000. proof of their interest they pur- til the start of summer travel awaiting the impetus of the ex- Looking into the future. a haz- CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION chased the landing site for $15,000 are practically unavailable. Main, former chairman of the ardous if sometimes pleasant OC- It was begun as a rush project has aided the vessel to work out pected crowds. The terminal building is con- as the town's contribution to the The traffic to date. Gerrish Port Authority and daughter, Mrs. Others are planning additions cupation, one might venture to in June, 1954, and was ready long her troubles at a time when the project. adds, shows that two-thirds of it Julia Whitehurst, the Under- to their businesses. say that the Bluenose may have before the Bluenose dipped its structed of concrete blocks and general tourist travel was low, comes from Americans while the secretary of Commerce and Mrs. All are in a quite happy and been delayed in coming but she bow in the waters of the Atlantic brick veneer and includes a ticket On the estate was an 30-room SUMMER LOOKS GOOD other third results from Cana- Louis S. Rothschild, Commissioner summer home which was torn will play a big role in the "new Ocean. hopeful mood. office, administrative offices, a The summer months, Gerrish dians who travel from Quebec and of the bureau of public roads and And another important factor era" of Bar Harbor's history. The warehouse which has 6 customs inspection room, waiting down. reports, look good for the ferry Ontario scross Maine to the ferry Mrs. Charles Curtis, Adm. and for this optimism is the experi- small garage beneath it, is used rooms, rest rooms and magazine Then the Canadian government, and several days are near sellouts for Nova Scotia. Mrs. Edward Ellsbert of Southwest ence of six months operation by Extensive Tests by customs officials for holding stand. which owns part of the Canadian already. In fact, reservations are It'll be safer to say how suc- Harbor, and assistant secretary ot the Bluenose. questioned imports and checking Former Bar Harbor Town Man- National, loaned one million dol- the order of the day because any- cessful the Bluenose will be after the Navy, Thomas Gates. You might not think that the Preceded Okay Of lars to build the terminal and one who drives up to the terminal possibly 8. season or two of RC- All of those named, except for winter months in Maine and its more also to build the ferry. Ferry Bluenose Bluenose's Debut A Wintery One and expects to find room may be tivity but present travel shows Gov. and Mrs. Muskie. Mr. and generally rough seas would pro- When funds appeared short for disappointed. that the action by Bar Harbor Mrs. Trafton and Mr. Gates will vide any means of judging the building the terminal the Maine In fact the period around the citizens six years ago in building also go to Yarmouth for the cere- influence of the Bluenose's sail- The Canadian Transport De- Slightly more than five months presented Captain Crump with Port Authority came to rescue end of June and the first of July terminal will certainly pay off. monies there. ing. partment accepted the ferry Bluenose from her builders and ago Bar Harbor caught its first R copy of R plaque which the But it has For one thing, four motels, turned her over to Cauadian NW half the sleek four million dol- town has given the Bluenose cre which generally would not be tional Railways for service be- lar bay of Fundy Bluenose when The following day the return open at this season, opened in tween Nova Scotia and Maine it arrived Wednesday, January 4 trip marked the completion of January and they found business last December after being the object of much this sea epic. was good. In fact. it was more The okay by the Canadian gov- ernment followed B series of tests hopeful and sometimes discourag- (The vessel returned home to than they expected Yarmouth right on schedule, none Again stores found R ready on the St. Lawrence River. ing wonderment. market in the crews of the Blue- Following the okay the Blue- Hundreds were on hand that the worse for her first encounter the bargains sailed out of Bar Harbor with a winter northeaster in the