Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-08-21
Prom the Portland Press. August 49,
PORTLAND & OGDENSBURG RAILROAD.

PORTLAND q OGDENSBURG RAILROAD.
I An adjourned meeting Of the corporators Of the
Portland q Ogdensburg Railroad Company was
held at the Common Council room Saturday even
ing Hon. $. +. Spring presided, aud in the alb
sence of the clerk II. W. Richardson was chosen
secretary pro tam. Nlessrs. A. +. Stevens, Chas.
j. Gilman, 5. T. Corser, John Neal Lewis Pierce
aud ii. W. Richardson were elected associate cor
poraton.
The chair then called for a report from the COM
mittce Of seven, appointed at the last meeting ard
instructed to arrange for opening books Of sub
scripton to the capital stock Of the roid and to
provide for a survey Of the route with view TO
furnishing estimates Of the probable cost Of con
struction.
Ex-Governor Washburn, chairman Of the com.
mitce reported that no steps have hitherto been
taken towards opening books of subscription.
The committee regarded 1t as their first duty 10
demonstrate the entire feasibility Of the route and
to that end had engaged two competent engineers
to make a reconnaissance of the line from this city
TO the Vermont border The engineers, Messrs.
John +. Anderson and Charles j. Noyes, were to
leave the city to-day, and proceeded TO Conway,
and thence to the Crawford House, where they
will meet Mr.. Linsley, who has already surveyed
the route through the Notch, aud with him purs ne
the reconnaissance through New Hampshire to the
Vermont line. Arrangements have also been
made for meeting, perhaps at Oswego but more
likely at st. Albaus, Of gentlemen Interested in
and representing all the links in the great chain
ofrallway communication betweenP ortllnd andCh
go-representing the Maine, New Hampshire
and Vermont interests and the Vermont Centeral.
Rome. Watertown aud Ogdensburg, Great West
ern and Michigan Centcral railroads. The plan
for this meeting is nearly natured. The commit
tee had also learned that the corporators of the
Portland, White Mountains and Ogdensburg Rail-
road Company, lately chartered by the New llamp-
shire Legislature, proposes to meet in short time
for organization at Littleton. Finally the COM
mittee have been in conference during the week
with responsible parties, attracted by the obvious
merits Of the project, who stand ready to contract
for the construction OF the entire line from Port
land TO the junction with the Vermont Central
Mr.. Washburn then proceeded to speak of some
OF the advantages of the route, which have not
heretofore been fully presented While he be-
leyed that the way business Of the road would
alone Justify its construction, that business alone
would not open to Portland the future that lies be-
fore her. The through business from the West
will make Portland an important shipping point.
But that business requires line OF steamships
from Portland to Europe, and that line we already
have 1t is the possession of that line, already es-
tablished, which gives us an immense advantage
in competing for the business Of the West, The
subsidy which has hitherto been paid to the steam
ers of the Cunar line, sailing to Boston, will
cease at the expiration Of the present year, and
the ships will be withdrawn from that route. The
merchants OF Boston have built at great expense
two steamships, Ii is hardly to be expected that
the number VIII be increased at present. They
will have next year thcnone steamer month to
Europe. We have here already weekly line to
Liverpool during the winter, and as soon as we
can furnish business enough for them the owners
OF the line are willing to put on as many as we
need the year round. We have our ocean trans
portation already provided then; the products OF
the West are waiting for an outlet; it is only nee
essary TO complete this line from Portland to Yer
mont and the connection from Chicago to Liver
pool will be complete. For passengers and
freight it will be The shortest transatlantic route.
Hon. j. Is. Brown glade some remarks explain
ing the proposition received for building the road
The contractors are ready to enter upon the work
as soon as subscriptions are received. They are
gentlemen Of experience and means, and will put
on a force sufficient to carry the work through in
the shortest possible time. In his view, however,
it would be proper to wait for the report OF the EN-
gineers before opening books for subscriptions,
1t was necessary to satisfy the public of the COM
pete feasibility of the route. He was satisfied be.
cause he had been over the route with competent
engineers but It was proper that the public
should have the data of careful reconnaissance
before investing in the undertaking. There
would be no difficulty in raising the money, if it
were shown that the enterprise is entirely FEAST
BILE
On inquiry it appeared to be the impression Of
the committee that the survey would take about
twenty days.
On motion of Hon John Lynch, the corpora
tors approved the action OF the committee in en-
ployng engineers to survey the route.
On motion Of &. +. b. jackson, Esq, it was
voted that the meeting stand adjourned, subject
to the call OF the chairman.