The Portland daily press., 1865-05-24


Fortwo orthree weeks we have had lying
upon our table, neatly printed pamphlet OF
twenty pages, with Autographed maps. nom
the press Of Mr.. Stephen Berry, emitted ne
port OF John ]. Speed, President oil the Ere
sumpscot Land aud Water'Power Company,
onithe projected works OF the company, and
their connections withP ortland Harbor," &c.
We know but little of the merits andstrong
points of the enterprise to which this report
relates, beyond what we are able. to gather
from the report itself; bat from the report.
and from what limited Information we have
derived from individuals, we are led to the
conclusion that an enterprise Is opening up at
the very Threshold Of our city, the Importance
of which, If carried through according to
programme, can scarcely be overestimated.
The feasibility Of the scheme, gigantic as it
seems, will not be doubted by those who care
fully consider the whole matter. The only great
want TO secure its contamination, is money,
and no doubt several large fortunes, or an ag
gregate equal to several, will be swallowed up
before any advantages can be realized, but
immense as is the capital required, ID is believ-
ed By some Of our shrewdest and most far
seeing business men that, in the end, it will
he found a profitable investment. iloaA
The whole thing, at present, Is virtually I'M
der the control Of T. o. j. Smith, ESQ.,, and it
is his money that Is now being expended. II
is unfortunate perhaps for the enterprise, that
Mr.. Smiths name is likely to prejudice many
against II, and deprive It of that favorable
consideration to which its intrinsic merits en-
title 1t. But We trust no public.spirited man
of means will allow himself so far to forget
the vital interests of our city as to throw cold
water upon any important enterprise, because
Of mere personal prejudice against its projec-
tor. II Mr.. Smith will labor, with brain, hand
and purse to promote an interest Of real i'm
portance TO the city or State, he should re-
ceive, SO far at least, hearty God-speed, and
be awarded such measure of praise Tor enter
prise, public spirit and far-seeing wisdom as
the fruits of bis efforts justly entitle him to.
The leading idea Of the Presumpscot Com
pany. summed up In the fewest possible words,
Is TO bring an unfailing water power Of vast
capacity, to the very borders of the CITY. in
stead of going to the distant interior to find
IT. This is to be done by damming the Pre-
sumpscot River at point in the town of Fal-
mouth-above the lower falls on that river
BY dam 900 feet long and % feet high above
low water mark, where the river is diverted
into a'canal at an elevation of thirteen feet
above the level of mean ocean high tides and
Of ttsenty-t too feet above the level Of ocean
low tides. This canal, which requires to be two
and quarter miles long to reach the waters
81 Casco Bay, near but this side Of the U. s.
Marine Hospital, is being constructed one
hundred feet wide at its base, and at its mar
roWest points; and one hundred and thiri,,
broad at It's surface, and ten feet deem. at IL
minimum excavation; but in much or lis
breadth is t'Oice one hundred feet, and its
depth will vary from ID to 20. feet. Says tho
Report:
This elevation Of thiriee, feet above high
lice, Is maintained by the canal, down 10 tho
Bay, Or harbor of Portland, and at a uoInt
Mnere eleuen feet Of water exists at toc tide
JOE All purposes OF navigation; and BY the
sgency OF alifting lock, at that point. $40 feet
: long by50 feet wide, vessels 81 the lsreesf
lass. OF Drawing fraction less than t,ve,aty.
toQ Jeet ar todter, can be taken into the fresh
water Hydraulic Dock, for the puroosa III
serving the demands OF Mille and Ts.t.,rs II
located along the sides of the canal and dock
u either the discharge or reception or friepht'
OF the raw or OF the manufactured material OF
cotton and wool. of wheat flour, &c. s1-1
10 actualize Mr. Smiths gigantic scheme 4
very large amount Of money win be requisite.
we have heard 1t set at million dollars.
whether this sum is too small, or more than
VIII be necessary we are Incompetent to
judge, though in looking over the plans and
projections we imagined that even larger
sum would need to be expended before the
golden harvest could Be realized by the i'm
vestors. Mr.. Smith himself is expanding 4
large amount Of money, and we hope the
work will not be allowed to suffer defeat or
embarrassing postponement through lack
OF the material aid, . without which no great
enterprise can be carried forward to a success
ful contamination. e sa ia, IN
u One gentleman--by the way. no personal or
political friend of Mr.. Smith-remarked 70 n.
the other day,-a man whose works have
proved bis business sagacity and forecast
that the contamination Of this canal enter
prise would be more to Portland than anv
other scheme that has ever been protected.
There is not city on the coast which. by so
small an outlay, II BY any amount Of outlay,
can be furnished with such magnificent and
never falling water-power at its very thresh-
mold. That the expectations OF its friends
may be fully realized, is our sincere desire.