The Portland daily press., 1867-10-02


tended to write.
while the excavation on Congress street was
in nropress. it was proposed, with a view to de-
termining the best thing to be done and settling
the various points in dispute, that Commits
sion be established by the city government, to
adjudicate upon The entire question of the i'm
proyement OF the Hill and the adjacent shore,
in such manner as to decide the whole issue
OF grades, streets, Promenade
etc. for all coming time 1t was observed that
the opponents of the Cut were particularly ar
dent in their support of this motion, when
would involve, if nothing more, the SUSPENSION
of work upon said Cut for at least time. AS
soon, however, as estoppel was put upon iur-
Their prosecution of the work by the legal oe-
cision, these persuasive advocates became on
sudden dumb. Not a word respecting the
Commission has since been heard from any OF
them The city government, likewise, has
made no motion; and as it stands in relation
to the entire question, commission included,
permits itself to appear as if acting the princi-
pal part in a grand drama of indecision and
cross-purposes.
Not however to dwell upon the past: AS re-
spects the actual merits of this commission
proposition, there are several things to be said
First. The commission having in charge SO
important matter as laying out considera-
bic portion Of the city, must receive iastruc-
tons, upon which to proceed as basis of
operations. What shah be the character of
those Instructions? Shall their leading fea-
ture be that the Promenade is not to be mate
rally modified; or, on the other hand, shall it
be that commercial necessities are to stand
first, lot the effect on the Promenade be what
it may? Will not the contest be only shifted
back from the general question of improve
ments to the Instructions, and the dead lock be
as thorough in the one as in the other? Sec
ondly. Can any commission, of whomsoever
composed, at this stage of the growth Of the
city, presume to lay out programme for i'm
provements over the whole Hill and bordering
shore, that shall be final, or that can be count
ed upon to cover the contingencies of our
growth Tor non-growth) for even the next
twenty-five years? Would not its plans and
recommendations necessarily be a mere budget
OF possibilities and futurities. so bound about
with conditions and provsos to cover the in
determinate issues of coming time, as practic-
ally to be of but little avail for the immediate
occasion? No commission can determine now
what will have to be done with the<whoe Hill
twenty-five years hence, and by consequence
none can presume to shape the improvements
needed to-day to the requirements of that
coming time. All that can be done now, is to
mould the improvements of the present to the
necessities of the present as they disclose
themselves This we can do ourselves without
commissions. The city government IS our
commission, and if it will not perplex itself
with too great anXieties about the long future
and will look at the urgent demands of to-day,
it will see its way clear. Thirdly. The cost of
such commission as has been recommended,
with its attendant surveys, would complete the
grading of Congress street, and SO open up
the northeast front. and that is all that is at
present needed, and all that is demanded of the
city, whatever the commission might recon-
mend. Lastly, it really not being necessary to
| settle the question of improvements for the
whole Hill now, but only to give one good
| roadway to the northeast front, the simple is
| sue now pressing upon us is this-Shall we
have the courage to go and complete grade
on one side of hill, which years ago, with the
best results, we constructed on the other; and
do we need a commission to give us warranty
the roadway commenced; note its effect; see
how it answers the purpose; and then we shall
have data in two or three years, from which
we ourselves, or commission, can proceed in
telligcntly to. further and larger improvements.
Nevertheless, if the majority of the city gov
ernment feel really incapable Of solving the
problems thus presented to them in the way of
their official duty, and unable to carry the re-
sponsinility of that solution, it is perhaps nee
essary that recourse be had to the umpirage of
an outside Commission. Whether the exigen-
cy really demands so unusual an arbitrament,
is of course for them to decide. The people
who elected them for the purpose of managing
our affairs and. judged them competent to that
management, will doubtless submit to their
| decision.
1t has been urged that the present is "not the
time for improvements on the HILL that the
city is already half crushed with taxation and
half drowned il an ocean of Indebtedness, that
the streets and sidewalks of the main city are
in wretched condition and must be repaired
and that OUTLAWS for this improvement cannot
be afforded" This view is understood to be in
fuential with portion OF the city government,
body of mon for whom individually and col
lectively have the highest respect But if
the fact be as alleged let the sword of retreneh-
ment cut west as well as east. If $4,000 for
park and $4,000 fer tie widening of that
short passage, Temple street, have been judi
cious outlay, cannot $4,000 be afforded to
open up property that promises in certainly
equal measure with the best of these TO make
returns to the city returns immediate and in
ample measure. Should not, for the very rea-
sons specified as to our financial condition, the
repair of sidewalks and streets be even post
poned, if this were necessary, to make addi-
lions to our taxable property? But it will not
be necessary. We can mend the streets and
Sidewalks, and carry through the Congress
street grade too. Can we by any possibility
afford to wait another day, before moving Wig
orousy for the practical and real annexation of
the valuable district in question to the rest of
the city? We ask the city government to go
forward and open that roadway. The business
Judgment of the community will sustain them,
and the results will indicate their decision and
foresight.
The undersigned begs leave to say, in con-
GLIDING, that his only interest in this matter is
an interest for the public good. His only land
ed possession is one little house lot in the west
erly pare of the city; whatever is done or for
borne to be done. will affect him inapprcciably.