The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-05-29
Portland and Roches.er.

The Portland & Rochester Railroad Compa-
ny ask the city of Portland to relieve them
from the conditions imposed last year upon
the issue of a portion of the S45OO00 city
bonds, remaining unissued in aid of the con-
structon of their road 1t is for this purpose
that the meeting at City Hall next Wednesday
is called. While we recognize the necessity
particularly to our jobbers and real estate
holders, OF Immediately opening the Portland
& Ogdensburg road, as a channel for the flow
of the new trade which is seeking to reach us,
we cannot forget that though the Portland q
Rochester road, if completed, may not return
Immediately so great a result as the other pro-
ject, it will in due course of time become
one of the most important trunk lines leading
to our city.
We believe the city should remove the re-
strictions as requested, tor the following among
other reasons:
l. The security for the whole loan, if the
road is completed to Rochester, has never been
seriously questioned. The city will have the
first lien, and the road at the lowest estimate
must be of more value than the loan. 1t is in
such hands as those of Messrs. John b. Car
roll, N. L. Woodbury., John Lynch, A. K
Shnrtetf and Henry p. Deane of our own
citizens, whose character as prudent managers
and also as citizens who can never be unmind-
tul of the city's interests, is a guaranty that
the aid will be economically and faithfully an
propriated.
q Unless the company receive the citys aid
at once, the work mast be suspended for a long
time, and perhaps indefinitely.
II the sole objective point of the road were
Rochester, the line would be of great import
ance to the trade OF our city. Rochester is
among the most thriving towns in New Hamp- |
SHIRE surrounded by other prosperous agricul- |
tural towns, all of which are brought much |
nearer to Portland than TO Boston by the Port |
land q Rochester line, and also in direct com |
munication with us, while now they have direct |
communication with Boston only. The manu-
facturers of Rochester are numerous and sue
cessful. Unlike the manufacturers of Dover
and Manchester, and also of Biddeford aud
Saco, they are independent of Boston capital, |
desirous of reaching the best markets. WHEREBY
er they may be, and free to open channels of
trade with our city, or through our CITY, if we
can make it for their interest. Besides, the
road between Alfred and Rochester will inter
cept the trade and travel of a considerable pop
ulation, which now drops down upon the
Portland, Saco & Portsmouth Railroad at
North Berwick, Wells and Kennebunk, where
it is at once caught up by the inevitable ten
dency towards Boston.
Rochester, however, cannot always be the |
terminus. Finish the road to that point and |
the immediate tendency as with all roads, will |
be to extend its operations further. When the |
line was projected from Portland to Water
vile, who imagined that it would become the
basis of great international railway six hun |
dred miles in length, extending from Portland |
to Halifax, and sending off its branches in ev- |
cry direction to refresh and enrich the sections |
through which it runs? SO the road to Au.
gusta, regarded at its origin as of little i'm
portance to our city, has brought TO us the
trade of the richest agricultural counties of
the State, and now promises a rail connection
with the populOus seaboard from Bath east
ward. And who among the projectors of the
Atlantic 81 st. Lawrence Railroad, at the time |
OF its commencement, contemplated its so
rapid extension to the waters of Lake Huron?
The probable directions the line may take
beyond Rochester are plain to every citizen.
In time its connections will probably enable
us to compete with Boston for the trade of
large portions of southern and middle New
Hampshire: while it will also speedily give us
new Western route through Rutland, or a
New York and at the same time Western
route, through Worcester. -...-.. ..
1t is only necessary to add, that past expert
ence assures us of the expedeney of a liberal
and hearty reception of all railroad schemes,
having for their purpose the development of
our State and sections bordering upon it. Our
city owes its growth in population and capital to
its jobbers of merchandise more than to any
other single class of citizens. Our jobbers
cannot increase and can hardly sustain their
present business, without increased facilities
for moving their merchandise from this city as
center Our population being largely de-
pendent on trade, cannot increase beyond the
increased capacity of the sections with whom
we deal to receive our goods; and their capac-
ity will keep pace with the new wealth which
new avenues Of transportation always con-
tribute to agricultural and manufacturing
towns Since the projection of the Atlantic
q ST. Lawrence Railroad, not one mile of road
has been built in this State which has not con-
tributed directly or indirectly to the advance
of our city, not only in wealth and influence,
but in enlightened liberality and goo1 will for
all schemes for improvement whether of our
selves our neighbors