The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-07-08

To the Editor Of the Press: ..... --.-..I..
There is no substantial difference between
Improvement" and myself as to the doings of
our City Government in the matter, of Con-
gress street. The fact of the appointment of a
committee to organize a commission, before or
after the passage of the motion in the board of
Aldermen to reconsider their previous vote to
suspend work is of no consequence; but says
Improvement" the Aldermen might have re-
fused to concur with the Council on the first
night, or having concurred, might reconsider,
as they did, on the second night. This is ar
gument, not fact. Let us examine it. l say
that the Aldermen, having concurred with the
Councilman in an order to suspend work, and
the work being stopped by that order, cannot
subsequently back out so as to negative the
joint action of both boards, any more than
two parties can make contract and then one
of them rescnd it without the consent of the
other and back out. The Aldermen might on
the first night have refused to concur with the
Council in order to stop work, but having con-
Cured they were thereby estopped from recon-
sidering their own action SO as to nullify the
joint action of both olies-particularly when
we consider that the Common Council is the
representative body of the citizens, consisting
of q members, while the board of Aldermen
consists of but seven. In other words, if re-
qures the two bodies to make an order, it
should require the two bodies to unmake it,
If this be not so-a bare majority of the Alder
men, viz: four men, may control or nulify the
q votes of the Council and the three other
votes of the board of Aldermen. Improve
ment" claims that they can do it. Then re-
peat it, if this he SO the Board of Councilmen is
a useless appendage to the City Government.
Improvement" neglects to tell us why the
work on Congress street was steadily pushed
for four days after the joint order to suspend
was passed, until the attention of the Mayor
was called to it by a private citizen; but says
he, in substance, the thing will all come out
right notwithstanding this four days cutting
after an order was passed to stop it-notwith-
standing it is now within few feet of the
Promenade, without any reported action of the
commission, and 30 obstacle whatever inter-
posed to prevent the cutting of the Promenade
1 ask again, does it not seem like farce to APP
point a commission to report upon this whole
matter OF the grade and the Promenade, while
the very work is suffered to proceed which
will in a few days if permitted, render any ac-
ton of such board useless? Why not in all
candor, stop the work until they report? But
says Improvement" the city will be liable for
damages if the work is stopped now. Damages
Ito whom, and how much, I ask? This street
Is opened upon the ground that it was useless
before, and that is all it would be if stopped.
Mr.. Curtis, the contractor, owns the ship yard
at the foot OF the street, and if that was naccess
ible on Congress street before, it is simply so
now. Other parties, owning flats on either side
of the ship yard, are more remote from Con-
gress street than he, and cannot suffer more
damage than his, whose damages are nothing
Improvement" claims that the grading of
Congress street is needed nA..- L WIN STATE here
that tho gentleman whose name the present
grade bears, and who is of course the author
of it, told the writer few days since that in
his opinion the business necessities of the citi-
zens would not require the grading of Congress
street for thirty years to come, and I think 1
can prove that fit is continued, it will cost the
city twenty-five thousand dollars to complete
it properly. l would ask the citizens, after
having viewed the plans, as requested by
Improvement to go to. the Promenade, to
the original; and view there the unsightly
wound that has already been made. That ST.
lent orator is all the advocate 1 ask for the
preservation of the Promenade. If am an
old relic, there are many more such. In other
lands than this, have felt proud Of this Prom
enade of my good old native city. No other
city that know, is crowned with two such
noble premenades as our own. The Eastern,
with its magnificent view of old ocean; of Cas-
co Bay, studded with its beautiful islands; and
the Western Promenade, with its beautiful IN
land view of Fore River, the Cape, and farther
west, of hamlet and forest, and green fields,
stretching far away until the view is lost be-
meath the shadow of the White Mountains.
envy not the man who loves not such rel
les as these, and who will not stand by them to
protect them from the hand of the destroyer,
imbued with the sentiment expressed in the
following lines: b.
"Woodman, spare that tree, - e.. .f
Touch not single bough;
Ia youth it sheltered me, 10 f
And I'll protect it now" Hr5
PORTLAND.