The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-04-30
The RaiIrsnal Lean

L
| What advantages shall we derive from the
roads we propose to alp, and what are we to
pay for those advantages2 are the questions to
be considered in voting upon the PROPOSE tou
to loan the credit of the city today. / shall
vote in favor of the loan,i because I believe the
advantages to be derived, will be greater than
from all other roads leading to our city land
that they will be- secured without any cost to
us. bao-lAT nIssssw = hllud qian 40 blius o
The Ogdensburg road will, when constructed
SO as to secure the proposed loan, give us di-
rect communication with the Nest connect
us with Burlington and Ogdensburg; turn to
our city large trade from Northern, New
Hampshire and Vermont, and give US the ad-
vantages of the line of English, steamers in
summer as well as in winter. No aid is to be
granted unless q connection with these West
ern roads is made. With such connection the
advantages to our city, and the security for the
loan, are beyond question: The extension OF
the Rochester road, is, of even, greater import
ance to US; because its completion, is certain
within very short time if the proposed aid is
granted, and its advantages will be felt when
most needed. 1t will give US immediate relief.
BY extending this road to Rochester, We COM
meet with the Cocheco and Great Falls e, Com
way Railroad at points 80 miles nearer to Port
land than to Boston, The sCocheco road ter
inmates at Alton Bay on keWinnepiseogee
The proposed terminus of the G. F. & C.,road
is at Conway N. H, and as it it runs along
parallel to the western line Of our State, viii,
tunless the colchester road is extended) divert
fro, na tl,a trad of ofnp Ghan1ainb
field, Parsonsfeld, Porter, Brownfield and Ell
fngham. BY extending the Rochester road
we shall not only retain this trade butlobtain
an advantage of 80 miles in competing with
Boston for the trade of tow ms along the line OF
these two roads, which now goes to Boston,
Twenty miles of new road (Which must be Sc
cured before the Rochester road will be EMIT
led to any more than $25O,OOO of the loan gives
US a connection with the Boston Concord &
Montreal r. r. at Sanbornton, and the North
ern and vt. Central at Franklin, N. H.; thus Sc
securing another line Of, communication with
the West via Ogdensburg, and opening to us the
important trade Of all the section through which
these roads run, north of the point OF connec-
ton. If the extention of this road gave us
nothing more than this local trade, the city
could afford to gi0e, instead OF loan, on good Sc
curity, the 100000 to secure it. But says an
objector, "you cannot divert any of this trade
from Boston. II will be drawn there by the
stronger attractions of a larger city,"
We import more molasses, and import, man
ufacture and refine more sugar than. we can
sell in our own market. We could increase
the importation and production Of these arti-
cles largely, if we had larger market for their
sale. We ship large quantities 10 Boston and
New York for sale. Is there any reason why
we cannot sell direct to the country trader In
New Hampshire and Vermont, instead of
through Boston and New York Commission
Merchants? Is there any reason why we can
not sell salt and fish for which we have always
been cheaper market than Boston? Should
we fear to compete with Boston for the sale of
tea, crockery, hard ware, iron and dry goods,
when we have a weekly line of steamers land
ing all these articles on our wharyes to be re-
shipped to Boston, New York and Philadel-
phia? Nay, can we not sell the glass, the oil
and soap which we manufacture and sell to
Boston, to the customers of Boston? Most of
the goods sold now are sold by sampl. directly
to the country trader in his store. The ones
ton with the purchaser is simply one Of
quality and price. Shall We avail ourselves
of our natural advantages and by wise and
liberal policy increase the business of the man
ufacturies which we have established; in
crease our importations; and make Portland
what she is capable of becoming great COM
mercial and manufacturing city? Or shall we
be governed by timid counsels; and adopting
the suggestions of your correspondent =, be CON
tent with the position of a way station, on the
through" routes from the 6 North and East" to
Boston. Z, 80. !
cannot doubt that the citizens of Portland
will to day decide, as they have always done
in the past when appealed to in behalf of any
calculated to increase her prosperi-
ty, in favor of that bold and liberal policy
which always insures success. MERCHANT.