The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-20

large number of our leading citizens as
sembled yesterday at the Board of Trade room
to meet the Vermont gentlemen who have
come to Portland to represent the advantages
offered by southerly railroad route from PORT
land to the West ola Rutland, Vermont. The
route, which was traced on one of the excel.
lent post route maps just issued by the Post
Office Department, rrn due west from Port
land up the Ossipee valley, along the northern
border of Lake Winnipissiogee, interse citing
the Concord and Montreal road at Plymouth
and connecting with the Northern New Hamp-
shire at Canaan, IS or 20 miles this side of the
Connecticut river and the important railroad
centre called White River Junction. From
the Junction the line proceeds, still due west,
through the Woodstock valley to Rutland.
The party, as before announced, consisted of
Governor Page of Vermont, and President of
the Rutland and Burlington Railroad; Messrs
Charles Sheldon, Redfieh Proctor and Rock
wood Barrett of Rutland; Gen. P. T.. Wash.
burn, President of the Woodstock Railroad;
Messrs. Julius Converse and A. G. Dewey of
Woodstock; Henry Keyes, President of the
Passumpsic Railroad; Mr.. Albert Knights of
Newport; and Mr. Henry CLARK of the Rutland
Herald. T. c. Hsrsey, Esq, called the meeting
to order, and on his nomination, Jonas Fl. Per-
ley, President of the Board of Trade, was
called to the chair. Mr.. Perley, after few
words of welcome, called upon Governor Page
to address the meeting. The Governor was
followed by Mr.. Converse, who was chairman
of the railroad committee during the recent
session Of the Vermont Legislature; BY Mr.
Reyes; and by Gen. wasbburn. Instead of
reporting their remarks, we shall be compelled
to give summary OF the advantages claimed
in favor of the proposed connection.
1t was stated in the first place, that no aid
Is required for building the road from White
River Junction to Rutland. The line Is al
ready under contract to Woodstock, and the
prospect Of connection with Portland will
insure its completion to Rutland. From PORT
land to the New Hampshire line, it was init
mated that the route might coincide with that
OF the Portland and Ogdensburg road, leaving
about 60 miles to build across the State of
New Hampshire to Canaan, 1t would open a
direct route, almost an air line, from Portland
to Rutland, and thence to Whitehall at the
head of Lake Champlain, to Saratoga the ter
minus OF a proposed road from Oswego on
Lake Ontario, and to Schenectady on the New
York Central and the Erie canal. Intersect-
ing so many feeders of Boston in New Hamp.
shire, the proposed road would draw to Port
land large local business which in former
times came here. The marble and slate pro.
ducts OF Vermont would find an outlet here.
The Passumpsic road would give us new
route to Montreal. The Vermont Central
would give us route to Ogdensburg. The
New York Central would furnish the shortest
and cheapest all rail route to Chicago, and If
Portland merchants would provide for prompt
and cheap transhipment OF grain they might
ship it from their wharves day and q baIf
nearer Liverpool than New York. A great
passenger business might be expected. The
New York Central is compelled to carry pas
sengers for cents mile, while other roads
charge from to 8. The connection would
give the cheapest and most expeditions route
to the West, and would attract emigrants to
Portland. Such supplies as Portland can fur
nish would be distributed at once all along
the road and more as fast as she is prepared To
do more.
Ex-Governor Washburn was called upop to
reply in behalf of the citizens of Portland
and said that while we are glad to meet the
gentlemen from Vermont and to aid their en-
terprise so far as we reasonably can, believing
it to be worthy of careful consideration, yet
we are committed to another undertaking
which must take the first place. The Portland
and osdensburg road will be opened in two