The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-31

izng the further extension Of the European g
North American Railway" passed Feb. 70,
1854: ~
The European s. North American Hallway
Company may lease its line of railroad, or en-
ter into and execute q contract IN the nature
of lease. such as will enable the lessees there
Of TO maintain and operate by means OF SAD
railway and other roads IN extension OF the
same, a connected line of railway from Bangor
to Halifax in the Province of Nova Scotia5 and
said European & North American Railway
Company under the authority of its charter
may purchase any eeisting itaes Of raitaedg be-
f,eeep the city of Portland and the city of Hall
far o. takeo lease htereofof diay one or more Of
them. LsaF.@
The object Of the legislation asked for the
Portland & Osdensburg Railroad is apparent
II is to enable the line TO be worked and man
aged in the intel est of Portland, for the benefit
and accommodation of the trade of this city,
and the general advantage Of our citizens. It is
deemed wise 10 ask the Legislature to give us
the authority to protect ourselves in this re
gard. And this power is no more than what
has heretofore been given without objection,
whenever il has been asked for under similar
circumstances. -... -.1v ksssaau7
The second section re-enacts the first section
Of the public act of Feb. 2S, 1867, an act now in
force and which applies to every town and city
il the State, and under which Portland can at
any time do what she could do under the pro-
posed law. This first section is IS follows:
| Any town or city in this State may, at any
| legal meeting duly notified and holden for
that purpose. raise by tax or loan, such sums of
money as they shall deem expedient not ex-
| ceeding five per cent. of the valuation of such
town or city as made by the Assessors thereof
| Tor the year in which such meeting shall be
! held, and may appropriate the same 10 aid in
construction OF day railroad in this State, tn
such manner as they shall deem, proper; prorid-
| ed that two-thirds of the legal voters present
and voting at such meeting shall vote there
1 for. 5.,I b-ui7Yg9 iiits sIH jl4kl& z
1 Now it is entirely plain that whatever Port.
land could do under the special act, she can dc
under the general law above quoted. Why
then, it may be asked, the necessity of the ne "
section? Simply that the securities issued, il
any there shall be, under specific and direct
authority to do certain. thing, will need less
explanation, and will stand stronger in the
market than those issued under authority ola
| general law would. To save something to- the
city in the disposal of it's securities is 'wha,
this provision is intended to effect ',a'a71 81
The third section is proper as explanatory O
the fourth section OF the general law of 1867
That provides: .d si,iptlt BE- e.. s,,,t ... =.
~Whene aer any town or city shall hold an,
stock in any railroad the selectpaen are author,
lied to vote thereon at all meetings of such cor
poration, or may appoint an agent for that
purpose, by writing under their hands.
A question might arise under this section a.
to who would be considered the "selectren O
a city'-probably the mayor and aldermen
but it does no harm to make this certain
What is now asked of the Legislature is, thai
since here is an enterprise which judiciou,
men believe will do more for the upbuilding o
Of Portland than anything that has yet beer
accomplished or suggested, that will certainly
lift her into the rank of first-class Commercial
cities, and as the people in New Hampshire
! Vermont and Northern New York are read,
TO strike hands with her in carrying it for
ward, that the Legislature should give he
citizens an opportunity to say, by two-thiId
4 vote, whether she will aid such enterprise OIL
not. HOS lstf Ia igSG41-F A CITIZEN