The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-06-02
The Portland and Rochester Railroad.

AhO vi ROAD TO Alfred IN tue
course of few weeks will bring a new and
increasing trade from the centre of York
county to the city of Portland Alfred is the
geographical centre of the county, and having
been SO long the shire town, the county roads
have been made from all sections so as to Sc
cure short and easy route to this important
point The agricultural towns of Shapleigb,
Sanford, Acton and Lebanon which hereto
fore have done much of their business in Bos-
ton will find the depot at Alfred SO much
nearer and more convenient than any other
that we may expect from them large amount
OF business. Sanford, which can boast of the
enterprising and beautiful villages OF Spring
vale and Sanford Corner, has a water power
that cannot be excelled in the State and is al
ready considerably improved. These villages
are but five miles distant from Alfred, and it
is ten and twelve miles from either village to
Wells depot. We are informed that the rail
read freight of these two villages is now over
$4,000 year. Limerick and all of the Ossi-
pee towns will find a much nearer and more
convenient depot at WATERFORD than hereto
fore.
The law of necessity and convenience de-
mands that these several towns with their
large agricultural resources should meet the
Portland and Rochester Railroad, either at
Alfred or WATERFORD The new extension
passes di' ectly through Hollis, Lyman and
WATERFORD to the centre of Alfred. None of
the remaining towns interested in the extern
sion of the road are more than from to -
miles distant from either Alfred or WATERFORD.
We are pleased to learn from a gentleman
who is acquainted with the feelings and wishes
of the people beyond Alfred, that there is a
| strong and earnest demand for the completion
of this road. The business men of Sanford
and Lebanon are especially anxious for better
| means of communication with Portland. The
| town of Sanford at a recent town meeting
voted by majority of 100 votes in favor of
taking $4,000 stock in the road, lacking but
a few votes of the requisite two-thirds The
interest has so much increased, with such a
change of sentiment, that a new meeting is
anticipated with no doubtful result. Lebanon
Shapleigh and Acton are ready to do some.
thing. Rochester has voted almost unani.
nously to subscribe $4,000 to the stock, and
VIII do more if necessary
The future of this road is in good hands and
it is destined to be great xilary to the fast
increasing business of our city. The business
of the line to Saco river has greatly increased
during the past few years, and an official ex
animation shows that if the road and rolling
stock of the company had not been allowed to
run down during the tedious drag of law suits
and other embarrassments through which the
enterprise struggled during its earlier history
dividend would have been declared year
ago.
The receipts for the last year were over $51,
600, and thorough examination shows thai
the necessary expenses of running the road
embracing all the salaries, pay of workmen
ordinary expenses of all kinds, in fact al
aggregate representing all that the compa
ny would have been required to pay out, if til,
road had been in perfect condition, would
have been $24, 428. The construction account
OF entirely new work is represented in the bal
ance, so that if the road had been in good or
der the company would have divided $780, 81:
on a capital of $560,000.
The new business from the very centre O
"Old York" on finished and new extension
in connection with the improved condition O
the older section to Saco river, cannot fail I,
bring new dividends to the stockholders a
well as large amount of new business t,
Portland.
1t is not strange therefore that there ap
pears to be no opposition to the proposed
change in the conditi of the vote of las
year, giving to the company the necessary a il
of 100000, secured by first mortgage, and in
no way increasing the risk or liability OF the
former vote For the city there is much tc
gain and absolutely nothing to lose by the
change.