The Portland daily press., 1867-07-11
Tie photographic Survey Of Maine.

Maine is no longer satisfied to be regarded
mother-in-law Massachusetts. To most of
the world Portland is the extreme limit OF civ
ilization. Augusta is Ultima Thule, and Ban
gor the end of the railroad and of the world.
There is a vague impression that something
in the way of numbering and ship building oc-
cupies the attention of the inhabitants, but
few people would be willing to assert that
these inconsid derable affairs are not superin-
tended by the Hudson Bay Company. Occa-
sionally a Western Congressman alludes to
Maine as the place where he was graciously
pleased to be horn. Ii he is a sell timental
Congressman or Of McDougalizing proclivi-
ties, he will speak of it as "the old Pine Tree
State" Now this being the Pine Tree State
is pleasantly suggestive of aborigines .and a
primitive state of society generally. The pine
is picturesque object in a painting, looks
well in our coat of arms and has been so i'm
portant an element in our commerce that it
deserves royal designation almost as much
as King Cotton, especially as it has always
been staunchly loyal stick, and in no way
identified with the rebellion. But inasmuch
as it is not calculated in the nature of things
to reign forever, it seems to have been taken
for granted until within few years that as
soon as the lumber business declined the
whole State was to become spacious sheep
pasture, or to serve as kind of natural Chi
nese wall to ward of the incursions of hostile
Blue Noses.
Fortunately our present Governor enter
tains views of very different nature
respecting the future of Maine. These views
were presented in his annual ad IN such
manner as to open the eyes of the people to
the gratifying truth that the State has capa-
bilities for manufacturing and industrial en-
terprises which are absolutely a,nriraled.-
All that is necessary TO insure the develop
ment of its resources is that the attention of
capitalists shall be directed to the advantages
it offers for the safe investment of their
means. As one means of efiecting this
purpose the Governor urged the Legis-
lature to authorize a photographic sur
vey of the water declivities of the State
and the publication of the report of the Com
missioners who should be charged with the
work. The results of the recommendation
up to this time are before us in preliminary
report-to the Governor by John A. Poor, A.
D. Lockwood and Hannibal Hamlin, Com
missioners appointed in pursuance of re-
solve of the legislature, the reply of General
Chamberlain, and circular letter addressed
to persons who are expected to assist in col
lecting information. Walter Wells of this
city has been appointed Secretary of the
Board, and will arrange the facts gathered in
the course of the investigation so as to pre-
sent them to the public in the most compen-
dious and ineligible manner.
In their communication to the Governor
the Commissioners state that they: find no
precedents to guide them in making sur
vey tor the purposes indicated In the resolve,
viz: an exposition of the advantages OF our
State for the profitable employment of manu-
featuring industry, SO as "to invite emigration
and the investment Of capital No survey of
this precise character has ever before been at
tempted. They deem 1t necessary in order to
comply with the spirit of the resolve not on
ly to give statement according to its terms
of "the fall and volume of the rivers, the sup
ply and constancy of the water, the lake res
ervoirs, their accessibility and such other facts
as will tend to show their advantages for the
employment of manufacturing industry" but
also to enter somewhat at large upon collat-
eral topics, embracing statistics in regard to
the productions of the State, its commerce,
facilities for transportation and internal traf
fc, and an exposition of the excelencies of its
soil and climate. In reply the Governor con-
graduates the State upon the zeal and ability
with which the Board has entered upon its
duties, and regrets that all the proposed re-
searches cannot be fully brought within the
limits Of its final report. Bearing in mindth
practical nature of the undertaking, the Com
missioners will find it necessary to subordi-
nate everything that is merely collateral to
the main design, and present it with the least
gestion is apparent when it is remembered
that only $4,000 is appropriated for the COM
pensation of the engineers whose services will
be required, and that thorough survey on
the plan contemplated by the preliminary re-
port would Involve an outlay of 100000 an
nually for twenty years!
The information collected in the course of
this investigation is likely to astonish not on
ly 'outside barbarians" but our people in al
most an equal degree. 1t will surprise us to
find that the Kennebec has greater reserve
of lake waters than the Orinoco,-the
Penobscot more than the Amazon--that the
Maine waters on the southern slope of the
State have an auailable force equal to mil
lion horse poarers. What this implies as to
means of supporting large populations and af-
fording employment to labor willappear when
it is considered that Lowell has a population
of so 600 dependent in very large measure
upon the nine thousand horse powers of the
Merrimac at that point. Maine has at least
halfa score better locations than Lowell, and
as for the reservoirs of water, her lake surface
is more extensive than million square miles
of the Central ard Southern States, leaving
out Of the account the bayous of the Mississ-
ippi and the lagoons of Florida, which are not
true lakes. All these figures are yet to be
verified, but we think it safe to predict that
they viii not be found extravagant. r...
One word as to the personel of the Board.
The chairman, John A. Poor, has already
placed the people of the State under much
obligation by services rendered in behalf of
enterprises of great public utility. The Eu-
ropean and North American Railroad as well
as the Atlantic and st. Lawrence in former
wears, will be due to his labors more than 10
those of any other single Individual "A. u.
Lockwood of Lewiston, the agent OF the
Water Power Company of that city, is skill
full engineer and has no superior In the State
in practical knowledge of photography. As
for Hannibal Hamlin, no one need be remind
ed how thoroughly he Identifies himself with
every project that promises to promote the
interests of his fellow citizens. Walter Wells,
the Secretary of the Board, brings to the
work qualifications which are possessed by no
one else ia Maine and by very few in the
United States. His attention has been d.
rected for series Of years to topics OF a ma
tu,e kindred to those which will now occupy
his attention, and III addition to his ripe
scholarship he has familiar acquaintance
with the physical characteristics Of the State