The Portland daily press., 1867-09-30
Our Northeast Water FROM.

The grand objection made 10 the nronossd
gradingof Congress street is, that it will. as is
assumed, impair the prospect from the Eastern
homemade, an argument that has been piled
WIN ample resources Of rhetoric, with effect
I'VE appeals TO the old-timc memories, and elab-
crate though not exaggerated Qualifications of
the beauty of the spot. We are happy to say
that we yield to no man in admiration for that
extended and lovely view opening from the
| point of lookout over sea, island and shore
| We have never seen its equal; partly, doubt
less, because its natural beauties are to our
ewes transfgured by the halos of long meDl-
orr $.
Substantially, all that makes the Promenade
so admirable as q driveway and battle-ground,
is the prospect Failing in that, it becomes an
Unfortunately wide street with a few infirm
trees in the middle. 1t is high elevated above
the sea, to be sure; so is Winter street, or
Bracket street. Now the city owns and con-
trolls only four hundred feet of the whole line
OF length ON the water side of the Promenade.
~hen, then, the owners of the land Dor
derlng the Promenade sell the land, as sell
they will when prices warrant (for selling they
are) and the road is bordered with houses, the
|
| street, State street, Bracket street, etc., is,
3ast nothing at all. The only way for the city
TO secure the prospect is TO buy the entire
property exterior to the driveway, and hold it
as 1t now is, open and unobstructed. Nay, not
unobstructed. Already one house has been
| built outside of the street, and DESTROYS or
grievously impairs the view at the very finest
point of lookout. The city must buy that
house and move it away with all it's appurten-
ances, and must then say to the wave of build
| ing, now advanced close to the Promenade
from the southwest, and ready to sweep over it
IN another year, THUS far and no farther"
Is the city prepared to do this? Is it able to do
it? Can it do it? Ii it cannot. the prospect
cannot possibly be secured to us for any con-
siderable length of time, whether the grading
goes through or not. Property holders upon
the promenade will sell their roLerty equally
whether cabins or palaces are to be builded
upon them, aud cabins or palaces alike will ru-
in the prospect
The real effect of the cut upon the prospect
from the Promenade will be so slight as to he
in nowise worthy of notice. 1t will carry the
surface of the Promenade, at Congress street
no lower than that surface already is for rods
together near the old Hospital lot. The
ground ON both sides of the cut, on the line of
the Promenade, will be beveled off to an easv
graue, SO that carriages can traverse its slopes
Win unabated speed; and still further scarfed
| on from that line seaward so that the prospect
VIII be all tue time as fully and fairly in view
as 1t now is near the old Hospital lot atore
said. This is the unexaggerated TACT.
| In truth. the ohiaotio, to +bo 1..,1....
based upon its alleged destruction of the pros
pect. has so little foundation in fact 1.-THE pres
erVatioh OF the prospect being really in no re-
speet dependent upon IT'D and at the same
time has been urged with such adroltness of
logic, such arttul appeals to mems preiudices
and such dizziness of rhetorical legerdemain'
that to my mind almost perforce. it has come
to assume the character of a mere blind to
cover interior and personal purposes. The on
| ~ alternative to this hypothesis being. rs If
seems to ne, that the parties to. the objection
really labor under such an egregious misappre-
henslon OF the facts, as renders an equitable
discussion OF the question on their part thing
impossible. This is the impression upon the
ihlnd OF tine writer. Others doubtless have
been differently affected. III
| But it New York or Boston had sucb a
|
prospect millions of dollars would not buy The
right Of shutting it off by houses, or in anv
way running the risk of impairing il bv exca.
vations." Very likely not. Nor if we were
New York or Boston is it likely we sbo,,,d al
low the prospect to be interfered with We
should enter the field with our long municinal
wallet and buy up the lands exterior, against
all competitors. Very likelywe should tunnel
tne I'LL to give access to- the sea-front. and
would blow away Fish Point for a furlong.
rather than make any change at the surface of
the Promenade. Whatever we might will to
do, We could afford to- do Suffice it to saw.
we are not New York OF Boston, and property
holders on the Promenade will not wait for us
TO grow to such dimensions before selling.
Inc next point to be considered is the qrode
OF the Promenade, for which there seems TO be
III some minds q sort Of superstitious reyer-
ehce, as thing established by the wisdom Of
our foreiathers, and not to be lightly disturb
ed Well now the fact IS, no grade of the
Promenade was ever established. In making
changes therein at any point or throughout, we
uproot no deep-lad scheme and scoru no wis
dom OF the ancients. The land was given for
Promenade. The city scraped the dlrt over
little, not attempting in the days of its pov-
erty to do more, set out a few trees, and that is
ALL They left it for their successors to make
Gu tnses II changes should be required. They
never intended it should be there, bar to the
growth of the city, and a practical prohibition
OF the use of lands ON the sea front adjacent
But even If the grade had been established
with all the solemnities calculated to insure its
perpetuity, it would still have to be changed
and greatly changed to conform to the
existing necessities of the case, and to
grades which have been formally established
by the city, and upon which extensive opera
tions are now or have been proceeding. Thus
n orth street has had its grade at the north
west end so fixed as to admit of gradual de-
scent to Tukey's Bridge. When this is carried
INTO effect the Promenade at the point of cross
ing With that street, would be left sticking tsr-
ty feet into the airits grade remaining as now.
Certainly the heroic stickler for the existing
status would hardly insist upon the present
grade at that point Yet the prospect at that
point is as varied and beautiful as at Congress
street. The necessity for an alteration of the |
grade at that point is no greater than at Con-
gress street. The conveniences to be secured by |
alteration are far less. Why then such uproar
about the proposed alteration at Congress |
street, as if the plan were an utterly new mon
strosity, Matched in the brain of vilanons con- |
tractors. the very latest spawn of the rank cor |
rIyN tinr, .Nf -.