The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-30
CITY AFFAIRS.
Widening of Temple Street.

"A speclal meeting OF the City Council was
held last evening for the purpose of acting upon
the report of the Committee on Laying out
and Widening Streets, who had reported in
favor of widening Temple street from Middle
to Congress street
At the meeting of the City Council on Tues
day evening, the order reported by the Com
mittee was rejected in the Board of Mayor and
the report and order were laid upon the table,
and an order was passed that the members of
both Boards, as Committee, visit the location
Wednesday morning. To this proposition the
Aldermen assented, and accordingly yesterday
morning the Mayor, Aldermen and Common
Council visited Temple street, viewed the pro-
posed change, and heard what the land owners
and others had to say upon the matter.
AT the meeting of the City Council last even
ing the matter was first taken up in the Board
of Common Council. The report and order
were taken from the table, and the report was
accepted, and the order for widening the street
as proposed by the Committee was passed by
vote of IA yeas to nays, as follows:
Yeas--Riee, President, Gerrish of 1, York,
Fessenden, Colesworthy, Mari, Robinson, Files,
Gray, Gerrish of 6, Staples, Milli1en, Chase
and Phillips. 80 - M $50
Nays-Gilson and Clark.
The report and order were returned to the
Board of Mayor and Aldermen, which receded
from its former vote, and passed the order in
concurrence by the following vote:
Yeds--Aldermen Jack, Whittemore, Phin-
ney and Giddings4 e 6gs
Nays-Aldermen Holden. Morgan and
Southard-3
The order was approved by the Mayor.
BY this order Temple street will be widened
to fifty feet its entire length, and be straight
ened. 1t will take off the whole of the store
in the Mussey block that was occupied by Mr..
Dunyon, and half of that occupied by Mr.. Dy-
er. 1t will take off a strip on the West side,
commencing at the Mussey block with ten
feet and narrowing down to three feet--an av-
erage of about seven feet on that side from
Middle to Federal street. On the Eastern side
it takes off twelve feet from the corner of the
store lately occupied by Messrs. Tucker &
Webster, and then narrow strip all the way
on that side, up to Congress street. 1t shortens
the heater at the corner of Middle street thirty
one feet, and widens the whole street about
ten and half feet. From the corner of the
curve, in the Mussey block to the opposite cor
ner of Temple street the width will be ninety
feet.
1t will be noticed that the measure met with
great resistance in the Board of Aldermen,
and was carried in that body but by one vote.
The Aldermen who opposed it, frankly and
fully stated their views-that it was measure
not called for by the necessities of the city and
that the new taxable property which might be
gained by the widening Of the street would not
compensate for the large land damages
the city would have to pay. The estimate Of
the Committee for land damages was $18,935
but it was contended by those opposed to the
measure that this amount was not much more
than half enough, and that $4,000 would hard
ly cover the damages.
On the other hand, those in favor of the
measure contended that by widening the street
better and much more valuable class of build
ings would be erected; that it would be a great
business street, and that the taxable property
which would be added to the city would fully
compensate for the expense of carrying it into
effect.
By MooNLIGHT.-Having received and ac-
cepted an invitation, we had the pleasure oi
takinga trip by moonlight, Saturday evening
on the little steamer Enterprise" which now
runs regularly on the Saco river between Bar
Mills and Moderation Village The steamer
is quite FAST running up-a distance of six
miles-in thirty minutes. Graceful as sea-
bird, easily handled, she is on the whole, we
should judge, perfect success. All on board
were highly pleased with the sail, as the answer
ing echoes of the Saco's wooded banks seemed
to testify.
Probably but few of our readers have avail.
ed themselves of this opportunity to view six
continuous miles of this river, SO beautiful
from its source to its mouth. The boat con-
meets with all trains from this city over the
Portland & Rochester r. R., allowing one to
go out, make the trip up the river, and return
to the city the same day. This is indeed a
privilege, and in all probability Messrs. Brad
bury and Rideout will find next season, that
their exertions to increase the attractions Of
tais naturally interesting part of the river, are
fully appreciated by our excursionists and
the lovers of the grand and beautiful in nature