The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-04-06
THE PRESS
Saturday M rning, April 6, 1867.
Oar City Railroad.


Now that the tracks are clear and the cars
running regularly, we greet them with real
pleasure, and we are glad to know that puphc
opinion which at first would hardly consent 10
have rails laid in the streets, has materi'''
changed, and the railroad is now a pop.ii''' III
stitution patronized by everybody
barge of snow which has for some U" TO-.
in a measure curtailed their opera"'
more fully proved their usefulness, 'o' w
mot o,o,ys ,rize our blessings until we are de-
prived of them.
rrbo oars are not inaptly styled the poor mans
chariot. and we do not coVet the disposition
which would Danish them and deprive him of
a ride although a thoughtess class in The
community contend that no favors should he
shown them, no privileges granted them. and
that they should be driven to the wall every
opportunity.
More than one million Of passengers have
been transported in these cars the past wear,
and 1t is needless to say that these passengers
have claim npon the accommodation of our
streets as well as those who drive. their own
teams. The tired laborer as he takes a seat
and journeys homeward may well call down
dressings upon the men of energy and enter
PRISE VINO have succeeded in establishing this
most lively and accommodating feature of our
city, which certainly can no longer be called a
zone horse town" To ride, with many, is
cheaper than walking, wonderful as it may
seem. Many lady if obliged to walk down
town. would pay more for boots than she now
pays for car tickets, and We happen to know
that the prices of tickets and cash fares are
from twenty to twenty-five per cent. cheaper
than ON any other horss railroad in this coun-
try.
Aside from the convenience to passengers
this corporation has done much for the benefit
of this city. They have doubled the value of
land at either extremity of the city, adding
largely to the taxable property, and if man
wants to buy house or lot to build upon he
is pretty sure to locate near the track. 1t viz.
tually brings the remote parts of the city nea-.
er the center.
The company keep about one hundred
horses and employ about forty men; this give,
employment to harness makers, blacksmiths
and incidentally to other mechanics. They
paid the city in 1865 $1,000 for taxes, and las
year their internal revenue tax was 81 ,6O0.-
They pass free, his Honor the Mayor, the City
Marshal, and all the Police force, and what
would be fully appreciated if generally
known, they carry free the faithful and oblig
ing letter carriers from the Post Office, thu.
giving us our letters at our residences much
sooner than we should get them by tedious jour
neys On foot. Their Office opposite the Preblt
House has been the center of business since
the great fire, and we venture to say that nj
room, in this oitv &c hooet IF 90 mann oil,
and departures. The kinds of business carried
on in this room are worth enumeration, for i
not only contains waiting room for passen
gers, but here you find the Treasuref's and Su
perintendent's offices, also the Western Uniol
Telegraph Office, the Grand Trunk Railroa,
ticket Office, and "away down east" EXPIRES
office, Jerrs' Real Estate Office, the Fessendel
Brothers newspaper, periodical, stationary an
CANDY counter, and almost brokers' Office
for you generally see Mr.. G. p. Palmer, tn
treasurer of this company, taking in old worl
and torn currency and g.eenbacks which HI
sends to Washington. He will also supply yol
with Revenue stamps of all sizes.
This road has alse added largely to the yalu
of property in Westbrook and will eventual
largely increase the travel in that direction
being great convenience to the residents q
that town, and we understand that it is con
templated to give them still greater facilities
On the whole we are of the opinion that N,
one thing has ever occurred that served t
give this city the metropolitan cast and fnisl
that the Horse cars have done, and the Publ;
have reaped the advantages. The Director
and other stockolers have freely invested the
money and patiently heard the taunts an
fault-fndings of those who have not the publ
spirits to aid the enterprise, but who neverth,
less are ever ready to find fault and give az
vice abuntantly and gratuitously. '-
The Boston True Flag is very much of til
same opinion and among other sensible thing
says, that at is for the interest of the "con
immunity that the cars should be rung, and I'll
"track kept clear of snow as much of the yea
"as possible even if the owners of fast horse
"are slightly Inconvenience and prevente
from racing horses in the Streets" We can OF
ly hope that they will be enabled to increas
their business and extend their track an
build up the remote corners of our city, an
very soon be able to make good dividens DIT
their stockholders.