The Portland daily press., 1868-06-04

fhiiWay Enterprise Hn Na"0'
We have received the official record OF the
doings of the Portland and Rutland railroad,
INCLUDING a full report of the public meetings
in this citv of the 29th aud Both of April last
From the report on Mr.. John A. Poor's inter
esting and instructive speech on the 29th of
April, we copy the following comprehensive
survey of the progress and present condition
of the railway system of the State. Since Mr..
Poor's remarks We're made Portland has SUD
scribed to the stock of the Ogdensburg road
almost the same sum which in 1of5 she sub
scribed to the stock OF the Atlantic and st.
Lawrence road. and that enterprise must now
be added TO his list, as well as The Portland
and Rochester line which is now in fair way
to be completed. 1t is also to be noticed that
Bangor in additiC n to the lean o. credit which
Mr.. Poor mentions has subscribed $25O,000 10
the stock of the Piscataquis road. Mr.. Poor
said:
1t is now more than twenty-three years
since in September, 1S44, Portland entered
upon her career as a commercial city, and en-
barked in the construction of railroad to
Montreal In 1915, with a population of IT,.
COO, valuation for State taxation of $4,06l,-
303 and valuation for city taxation of 81 634,-
73S, the city of Portland subscribed $715600 TO
the stock OF the Atlantic and st. Lawrence
railroad, and secured from other towns, prn-
clpally upon its route, additional subscriptions
making total of over one million of dollars.
Westbrook, including the subscription of
James Deering, ESQ.,, took $43 500; North Var
mouth, S3l ZOO; Norway, So, 100; Paris, $19,-
400; and lesser sums were received from many
of the towns in the State.
The result of this railway movement was
| rapid development of business. In 1850 Port
land had population of 20,S19, valuation
FA1.S fafD fAxr ~ 4
| ton for city taxation of S13,363, ,009. The in
crease of business from 1850 TO the present
| time, though not rapid as during the
first five years, has placed Portland in Il
| prominent position among the commercial cit
| les OF the country. The imports into Portland
have increased from $454 226 in 1916, to $14-
,3lS in 1866, and the exports from $595 925,
| in 1916, to $5719 1858, in 1866, which increase
| Is manly due TO the construction of the rail-
way to Montreal.
The Atlantic and ST. Lawrence railroad ex-
| panded into the Grand Trl,nk railway of Can
ada, forming at this time with all its connec-
tons, 1877 miles of railroad under one manage
| ment Winch nave cost something over $50 000
Goo. In onr own State, the mileage of rail
roads has increlse from 20 miles lin 1345,
costing less than $2,000y000 to over 500 miles
of railroads in operation, costing over $1800O
900, in 1866 And it to this aggregate are add
ed the cost of the II miles of the Atlantic and
and st Lawrence railroad, lying 50 miles in
|
make the aggregate mileage of railroads in
operation, properly belonging to our State, 573
miles in length, costing over $20,O00,000.
Our State has recovered from the revusion
which followed this heavy draft upon our bust
ness capital for the building of these railroads
and all parts of the State are now moving to
construct new lines of railroads. The new en-
terpr'ses now in progress in Maine embrace
an aggregate of about 300 miles, already un-
dertaken or to be put in progress the present
year, in which are included some of the most
| important lines in our railroad system, in the
success of which Portland is largely though
indirectly interested, though she is not likely
to be called upon to contribute largely of heI
capital to insure their construction.
The Somerset railroad is to be extended into
Somerset county, as far as Carritunk Falls, 81
miles; the Dexter and Newport road will be
opened in July next, 10 miles, the Belfast and
Moosehead railroad will extend from the line
of the Maine Central to Belfast, "a miles, all
forming. part of our broad gauge system
| Bangor has pledged her credit for ST. 900 900 to
the European and North American railway
and 100000 more to the Piscataauis branch of
1t from Oldtown to Dover, reaching the valu-
| able Slate quarries in the Piscataquis valley
some OF which are already open at Brownvile,
which will give new business to Bangor,
more than supplying any diminution of her
lumber trade. The extension of the line ofthe
European and North American railway, ITO
milesin Maine, to the boundary of New Bruns-
|
city of st. John, is now regarded as secured
There is also the Knox and Lincoln road, from
| Bath'to Rockland, a distance of As miles, Sc
cured by subscriptions upon its route. Port
land is interested socially and commercially in
| the success of all these lines, for her growth
depends mainly on the business of our cwn
State.
| Regarding the railroad policy of the State
| as now settled and the most important line of
all TO Portland the European and North
American railway as secured, extending to st.
John and Halifax, Portland may now conf
| IDENTITY rely upon an increase of the Grand
Trunk business from Montreal and the West,
| which threatened at one time to pass by Port
land, go to the River de Loup, and thence to
st John city over the Intercolonial railway.
This must have followed, had Portland been
without any connection by railway from Ban
gor to st. John. / regard therefore the COM
pietion of the European and North American
| railway as of far more consequence to Port
land than to any other city of the country, not
even excepting Bangor and st. John. Port
land is now at liberty for the first time to turn
he he thoughts and her strength towards the
West.