The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-06-09
Letter from New Hampshire.
CONCORD, June 6, 1868.

4
To the Editor of the Press:
The legislature adjourned yesterday until
Monday. The committees were appointed
Thursday. Col. III. o. French of Lancaster is
chairman of the committee on railroads in this
part of the town. There seems to be a general
disposition on the part of the members to pur-
sue liberal policy in regard to granting rail-
road charters. Gen. Griffin, the Speaker of
the House, remarked in conversation, that he
was "in favor of granting all the charters that
were sked for, and let capital settle the best
route" A proposition has already been pre-
sented to the legislature to exempt from taxa
ton the stock of new railroads, and meets
with favor. A bill for a charter of road called
the Franklin and Portland railroad, has been
presented, which will connect with the Port
land and Rochester railroad at Rochester, by
using portion of the Dover and Winnepiseo-
gee railroad from Alton. This charter meets
with favor. A bill for charter for a railroad
running from the boundary line of the State of
Maine through Bristo! to the Connecticut riv-
err to connect with the line through Woodstock
to Rutland has also been presented and refer
red to the railroad committee. Both of these
which secures to Portland two important lines
to the West.
The friends of the railroad from Rochester
to Nashua are actively at work and it seems
probable that tbs necessary amount of funds
will be secured to complete this road The
land damages are being settled and the several
towns have given sufficient assure nee to the
directors that 100000 can be relied upon from
them in aid of its construction, and the Nash
ia and Worcester railroad company, one of
the best paying roads in New England, are
said to feel q great interest in the completion
of this important connection and will give
important aid towards its completion. The
New Hampshire interests have no doubt of
the success of the enterprise.
Gilmanton and Upper Gilmanton have voted
5000 and $500 respectively towards the ex-
pense of survey for the proposed railroad
route from New Durham dover and Winnie
piseogee road) to Franklin, the building of
which, when the Portland and Rochester road
is extended to Rochester, will complete the
Western connection with your city. The sur
vey has already commenced.
Not to forget the Notch route, let me add
what the Coos Republican has just dug up
respecting the history of this" avenue OF trade"
1t is a fact that the first export from Coos
county was barrel of tobacco, raised on the
Lancaster m sadows, and conveyed through
the White Mountain Notch, slung between a
couple of poles, attached to horse, to Ports
mouth, there to be exchanged for barrel O.
new rum; "a freight, quantity remarks the YER
acious chronicler of that period, admirably
adapted to the rough transit through the
Notch, for, as the road became rougher, the
burden became lighter" Portsmouth has long
ceased to be rival of Portland for the trade of
Northern New Hampshire and Vermont-a
fact which the Portsmouth Chronicle hand
somely acknowledges, saying cit was and is
the fault of our own citizens, that Portsmouth
is not much larger-for our natural facilities
are excellent, and this city did at one time
seem more prosperous and promising than
our eastern neighbor-for whom we have al
ways entertained and expressed admiration
and emulation, but never envy"
Speaking of the Notch naturally reminds
me of the following passage which recently
appeared in the Concord Statesman, which 1
send yon with the comment OF the Coos Re-
publican:
The Portlanders have one Brown In their
midst who suffers no grass to grow beneath his
feet, or in the streets of that beautiful and
prosperous city. The great fire of 1866 took
near his immense sugar refinery, which soon
communicated with it and laid it low. The
loss was great, and the delay to business en-
barrassing; but Mr.. Brown commenced to re-
build before the bricks and rubbish were cold,
and. erected a new edfice, that looms up
amongst other buildings like one of the pyr
amids of Egypt. Since then he has built
great hotel in Portland, and about thirty other
commercial buildings. Such men as Brown
we do not know his given name, it would
be given here-are the people who give life to
all the marts of trade.-StateSmdn.
The above paragraph refers to j. B. Brown,
Esq, native of Lancaster, gentleman
whose energy is of the greatest benefit to his
adopted home. Our people will remember
him as present at our Centennial in 1884, and
as one of the donors toward purchasing Cen
tennial Participation.