The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-03-02

Incluueu among Cne conditions on the part o.
Maine. 1t is side issue that has sbrung in.
TO beng since the resolves were past; sort
OF amendment offered by parties who are
very much interested 6 - ,sy
You will notice, if you read these resolves
and preamble to which L have referred, that
Congress is expected to do something for this
enterprise, but it Is national in its character
and am inclined to think that Congress will
make an appropriation OF some magnitude TO
carry it forward. The committee to whom
the whole subject matter was referred, have
reported bill in favor of it, which, L trust
will pass in due time. / am friend to the
European and North American Railway; and
with the aid which Maine will furnish, and the
assistance Congress will grant, l trust the
work will go forward and be completed in due
time. 8h a9fico s 8tiao i1 eJ z
Ii Congress intends to do anything to aid
this enterprise she will do it independent OF
any third rail question between Portland and
Boston. '-
l will say that the committee had before
them the petition of Hon. John A. Poor, pray :
ing for the repeal of all laws which prohibit
the laying, down of a third rail on broad
gauge from Portland to Boston. must con-
fess that was not little surprised at this,
knowing as did the course this gentleman
had taken in this matter ever since the
charter of the Grand Trunk Railway
was granted until within few months
past. He has always advocated that it was
for the interest of the city Of Portland, and
aforgheinterest of the State Of Maine, that the
terminus of this great Railway should be in
Portland. Mr., Poor was formerly al active
member of the Board of Trade OF Portland,
and well recollect the course he then took
in relation to this third rail discussion when it
came up in that Board for debate In March,
$780,. You will now permit me to make an
extract from the record of that Board. 1t
reads as follows: fs ..s. l.+s...,; ,1-sr
At meeting of the Board of Trade March 7th, 1850,
Mr1ewett after afsw preliminary remarks offered the
following motion: 4Ts .tslf.rf. Isisse fit.iesfiT
sThat committee of five be appointed to take into
consideration and adopt such measures they may
deem necessary prevent the extension Of tie Grand
Trunk Railway to B Jston."
After remarks by Mr.. John A. Poor, the motion
Poor Sc John Smith, A. SIurtea JededsS % Jewett
and I. Q. Hersey as the committee 13 llao $500
Attest, s.'.tss.t. o. M MARRErr. Secretary.
Vice President Shurtleff in the chair. aie 57pa
Mr.. Poor, from committee extension of Grand
Trunk Railway reported that they had procured the pas
sage of law which in their opinion will efectuay pro-
hibt the extension.
ID Attest, slasaoed 20. M MARRErr Secretary
ID Now, then, you will see by these records,
and by the petition which has been before
your committee, that the gentleman can be
found on all sides of this third rail question.
In lSoO you ind him among the leading mem-
bers of the Board of Trade of Portland. do
ing all in his power to bring about the pas
sage OF the act of 1860. He then argued that
IT would be for the interest of the CITY. and
the interest of the State that the bill of 1860
should be passed. 1t was passed and became
tdo. and now Mr.. Poor comes in here with
his petition and asks this Legislature to re-
peal the same laao. How is thiso Has the
gentleman's interest changed, or have the
great interests of the State of Maine changed?
IS Mr.. Poor was before the committee and pre-
sented his case. He said that Portland was
illiberal in this matter; that she was on the
narrow gauge; that she did not show a liberal
spirit Is not this splendid? Is Portland to
be called illiberal in connection with the great
interests and progress of Maine? Let us
look at this for a moment. Tell me that Port
land is ilberal; that she is on the narrow
CANCEL What has been her course and policy
in regard to the great measures of the State
for the last twenty years? Has she not been
twisted into the very warp, and filling of ey-
cry great enterprise which has made up the
fabric OF Maine? When the Atlantic and ST,
Lawrence Railroad was brought into being
did she not come forward and subscribe to
that stock to the tune of about one million
dollars, that being one-ffth of her valuation
at that time? And few years later, when
that enterprise began to flag, did she not loan
her credit for another million of dollars p
When the Maine Central Railraod was built,
did she. not come forward and do her part
then? Did she not come up in time ?
You will find that it has been the policy of
Portland to help carry forward all the great
measures which go to make up the strength
and prosperity OF the State. Now, then, when
many OF these great enterprises have been
completed, and the State is. growing strong
and powerful-jast getting ready to Sc: up for
herself; when Portland has become one OF her
markets of some magnitude land you know
that good market is what the country wants
and a prosperous country is what the city
wants1 we move together; if the city grows
the State grows; If you injure the city you
iDjure the State. Now, when we have done
this and can show you business firms in Port
land that transact more business in two weeks
than the leading houses in the same kind of
business in lS40 used to transact IN whole
year, we think you will be satisfied that there
has been great change in the amount of bus
mess that is now being done there when COM
pared with former times, and that we now
have something of a market among ourselves
which belongs to Maine. Her exports to for
eign countries in 1845 was only 1851 ,007; in
1854 it was $4 ,396, l42. Her imports in 1845
was $339, ,79l, but in 1854 it came up to $13,0-
29,740. 1t will be seen that this growth has
been gradual, and the increase in her business
has been wonderful. But, notwithstanding
all this, your petitioner said to the committee
that Portland was illiberal; that she was on
the narrow guage, and that war would be de-
clared against her. For what? Simply be-
cause she has notseen fit to change fronts in
her business policy every six months, like
some other parties. "That's what's the mat
ter" Is this fair? Is it right? If it is can
not see it.
One OF the gentlemen In the other branch
on Saturday, while speaking upon this ques-
ton, took the liberty to refer to remarks which
made last winter in the House of Represent
atives on the bill which provides for the ex-
tension Of the charter of the European and
North American Railway. He intimated that
the policy that advocated then, would be
antagonistic to the policy which I advocate
to-day. l do not so understand it. The speech
referred to is before me. | endorsed it then.
endorse 1t now. spoke of the European
and North American Railway as state meas
ure, as an enterprise of Maine, and as / have
before stated, it is the eastern arm of the
Grand Trunk railroad, and If it is ever built
it will develQpe the resources of Maine. The
gentleman referred to spoke OF the great dam
age caused to the farmers and mechanics in
the, eastern part of the State on account ofthe
uIOAu SudSel terminating IN EOrtlanusi ne
said that potatoes, mutton, beef, and one pla-
ming machine had been damned up there, also
two beeyes were left out Of drove in making
the change, the car was filed and they could
not take them on. Now, Mr.. President, and
gentlemen, there may have been some COM
plant Of this kind, but can only say never
heard of it until this third rail question came
up. i don't think such arguments as these
are very sound. Why don't the gentleman go
further aud tell us how he expects to pass tn e
dam at Boston. 1t is the policy Of Boston
and ever has been to have all roads connected
with her, make their terminus there. What
is right for Massachusetts, according to this
doctrine will not answer for Maine; open the
gates in Maine close them up in Massachusetts.
We must play second fiddle any way. The
firm to W 1icn belong ships to, and from New
York, through Boston large amount of mer-
chandise every year, but we have to make the
change at Boston, we do not complain OF it,
it is the policy of the State and it is all right,
but we are told on the other side that it will
never answer for Maine s 3i lAa