The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-04-16
RAILROAD Meeting


o.;,o of the merchants and others in
- in establishing railroad from this
~, -, connect with the great West by way of
Nortbern Vermont, was held at the Common
Council room Monday afternoon. There was
cuite a large attendance. Ex-Gov. WASH
lmrn called the meeting to order and 4. G.
Hersey, ESQ.,, President of the Board of Trade
was appointed Chairman and Il. w. Lincoln
- ..-...
Mr.. Hersey on taking the chair made few
upon the Importance Of the contem-
plated measure, to the commercial interests OF
the city. n ...|
Ex-Governor Israel Washburn. Jr, spoke at
some length upon the proposed route from
this city via Fry burg, Conway and the Notch
of the White Mountains to st. Johnsbury and
Montpelier, Vermont and thence connecting
with Ogdensburg. He said the visit OF the gen
tlemen from Vermont some two months since,
and their conversation had led him to look in
TO the matter and the more he looked at it
the more was he in favor of it. Ii the measure
was carried out it would be OF greater imp0r-
lance to the merchants of Portland and to the
prosperity of the City than any road that had
ever been thought of-even more than the
Grand Trunk road. .l-...t-- +.-r.ss
Gov. Washburn spoke at some length upon
the route, its advantages, the cost and OF the
comparatively few engineering obstacles to be
met with. Ii Portland will build the road to
the State line the other portion Of 1T will be
completed by other parties who are ready to
proceed with the work as soon as the necessa-
nv surveys can be made.
The road, when completed, would he under
the control OF one company, and in the inter-
ests of the city. Freight can then be laid down
from Chicago at ePprtland cheaper than 1t
can be at any seaport in the United States
Chicago and Portland would be eae-pr Port
land would be the outlet for shipments from
Chicago 1t would be the largest freight road
in the q Union, exceeding even the Great West
ern. .- -.ct- ~, s-s..f.,. 80,
Gov. Washburn also spoke of the Grand
Trunk road and of the miserable condition it
was in with not a rail or sleeper purchased
for its repair If we wished to Keep the line ct
steamers here we must open a route to the
West by which freight can be brought here
with less delay. ..-. .s,,. - - ~,
Responsible parties stood ready to lease the
road when completed, and to pay six per cent
interest upon it. 1t was for the people of Port
land noa0 to secure this important road to their
own interests. There is tide in the affairs of
cities, as well as men, which, if taken at its
food, leads ON to fortune, and now is the time
for Portland to take advantage of this tide.
The above is mere skeleton of the remarks
of Gov. Washbnrl. He closed by stating that
the object OF this meeting was to appoint a
committee to confer with the Directors of the
Portland & Rochester road, and see If meas
ures cannot be devised whereby both roads
could be built e5 fst eIas- -yoT f9 ..,-,-
Col. G. @. Clapp enquirsd who the parties
were that would lease the road. i-. 3 ,f...sf
Gov. Washburn said he was not authorized
to name the parties. He appealed to Gov.
Fairbanks, of Vermont, whether his statement
was not correct.
Gov. Fairbanks said it was, and that the offer
came from responsible parties ..4.s-r ~
Col Clapp said he understood it was the
Vermont Central Company that had offered to
lease the road. Hl 3ffGlGB5i3 10 ielbsf 80 III
Col. Clapp then spoke at some length in
favor of the Portland & Rochester road. The
route of the proposed road through the Notch
he did not consider as feasible. He would
cheerfully vote to loan the credit of the city to
this road to go to Fryeburg or Conway N H.,
but he did not believe they could get further
than the latter place, unless at immense cost.
The road would cost S10,00000O and could not
be built in less than five years. al -lsi9S sd
Col. y. then went into statement respect |
ing the Portland 81 Rochester road, the details |
Of which were Published some time since. He |
contended that the city wond be amply Sc
cured by the mortgage, and that the. mercan- |
tile interests of the city would be highly bene-
flied by the building of this road. eaI
Mr.. Lindsey, of Vermont, civil engineer, at
the request Of Gev. Washburn, made some
statements as to the feasibility of the route
through the Notch of the White if0EEtains
The surveys had not been completed, but he
had examined the route and was satisfied that |
the route could be constructed easier and with
better grades than through the passes of the
Green Mountains, The road would run along |
on the side of the mountain, and, therefore, |
those obstacles that appear so insupefable in |
would not exceed G5 feet to the mile. He |
thought the road could be built from bsre to |
Montpelier for S25,000 per mile. eli rFf6d |
The President Mr.. Hersey, here retired |
and called Hon, s. E. Spring to preside. 7si' q
Ii: Z. Deane, ESQ., made a statement as to
no dISfa mao fha ID Pr ov,1 ca.1 hat
this road would connect with others so as TO |
give direct communication with Montpelier
and Ogdensburg. adl ,s4GiTl1ff -
Il Gov. Washburn said that the Vermont Gem
tral road was owned in Philadelphia and not
II Boston, and the owners were determined to
nave through road, and thus bring up the
price of their bonds, All that was wanted of
Portland or Maine was that the road should be |
Quilt to the line of the State by us; the other /
portions of the road would be taken care of.
Col. Clapp contended that the Portland & /
road offered all the advantages, and
more too, of the proposed route, which he con
sidered impracticable and impossible.
Hon. John Lynch spoke in an eloquent man
mer. He said he had listened with attention
to the remarks made, and had cpnyersed with
the gentlemen from Vermont, being desiroqs
TO gain all the information possible, When the
p. 81 Il. road was first started it was for a route
. Boston, as it was then supposed the Grand
Trunk road would furnish us with all the fa-
,liltts W tIt w cSt tustt we ueslrtu. J8ub III |
hat we Were mistaken, and what was now de-
tired was the shortest possible route to the
West. and the questions are, which is the
out? what will it cost? how quickly can it be
quilt? and what are the means afforded?
Mr.. Lynch then went into calculation of
She cost Of the two roads, and contended that
the Portland & Rochester was, the one that |
should be taken hold OF, and it would be policy
Tor the city to loan its credit to the extent ask
ed. BY the building of this road 10 Rochester
va fl N fla fria p1s ol fba h
n road to build down TO it, and thus make
'omnle'n road to Northern Vermont and the
yreat West
" llii..i,l u. Chadbourne, Esq, and General
samuel J. Anderson, spoke briefly but elo-
uently in fiyor of the Rochester road Our
Units viii not permit publishing the sketches
We took OF their remarks
Gov. Washburn replied to some OF the re-
marks of Messrs. Clapp, Lynch and Anderson,
nd Mr. Lynch briefly responded.
Hon. @. w. Woodman briefly spoke in favor !.
4 the Rochester road.
Henry A. Jones, Esq, spoke at some length,
advocating the new road. The merchants
lere wanted road to Ogdensburg hut what
issuance is there that the Rochester road will
1--WE such connection? He wanted tho oiti-
'ens OF Portland 20 vote intelligcntly upon
he subject, and was in favor Of postponing
he vote upon the loan until assurances of a
connection with ogdensburg could be given.
Col. Clapp replied to the remarks OF Mr.
Zones, and said there could hardly be doubt
hat such connection would be made.
Mr.. Jones then made a motion for the APP
ointment of committee of five 20 consult
nth the Directors Of the Portland & Roehes-
Or road.
Hon. John LYNCH seconded the motion.
After two or three motor had been made
, amend the motion Of Mr.. Jones, the follow
az, offered by IA. II. Deane, Esq, was accept
. by Mr.. Jones, as a substitute Tor his motion,
nd was unanimously adopted
a. -.tA