The Portland daily press., 1869-06-16
ttetter FROM Oar Correspondent
Railreod Excursion.

| Board Of Trade, on invitation of the friends of
| the Concord s. Rochester Railroad, arrived
| here this evening at o'clock, via Rochester.
| The following gentlemen composed the dele
| CATION: Gen. Samuel J. Anderson, Hon. VIM.
L. Putnam. Ezra Carter, Joseph Walker, A.
| X. Shurtleff w. G. Ray, FL. p. Dean, Freder-
| ick Robbie and III. w. Richardson. This party
| left Portland at o'clock A. NJ, and arrived at
/ Rochester by special train from Salmon Falls.
| Hon. Jacob Fl. Ella, NJ. c., and others of the
| principal men of Rochester, were in readiness
| to extend the right hand of good feeling and
| rendered the usual courtesies Of such an occa-
| sion. After pleasant interview our compa-
| ny were soon seated in an open omnibus,
| drawn by six splendid horses. Hon. John
| McDuffee, Mr.. Ella, and other gentlemen were
added to our number, and we proceeded on
| our journey.
| On leaving the village o. Rochester we pass
| ed into a beautiful farming country, and soon
had an opportunity of prospecting a vaiiey,
| sweeping throus Oh the Blue hills which seemed
| to be natural way for railroad, Offering no
| obstacles. Int rather inviting the engineer on
| ward in his course towards Pittsfield and Con-
cord This is the proposed route of the Con-
cord 81 Rochester Railroad. This natural val
| lev passes through the towns of Stafford,
| Barnstead, and thus continues until it reaches
| the Suncook valley, which we prospected
and followed to the village of Pittsfeld.--
We are assured that the ridge which we passed,
separating the streams which run east and
and flow into the Salmon Falls river, from
those streams which run in the opposite direc-
| ton, and emptyinto the Merrimack river, was
only thirty feet in hight The town of Straf-
| ford contains about 5000 inhabitants, mostly
| farmers, who are chiefly interested in raising
stock The farmhotses present a neat and
beautiful appearance. The apple orchards are
in good condition, and there IS general in
dication of thrift and comfort. 49,
Barnstead is the next town ON the route
The people turned out in large numbers and
| escorted our delegation, which had been con-
| sderably increased by additions from Roches-
| ter, Strafford and Basnstead,- lead off by a
band of music, through beautiful village
Flags were thrown to the breeze, and the occa-
sion was one of interest and enthusiasm. Re-
marks were made favorable to the enterprise,
and no doubts were expressed, but what the
L cS1CAa stoWuS vi tuC AOutC UOuiN NOtC tuClA q
per cent, and other liberal subscriptions added
thereto, in aid of the railroad. @ q tassag
Elphalet Foss, one of the principal men in
Strafford, invited the crowd into his house for
an entertainments. He brought out of his Gel
lar some good apple cider, which was refused
by no one, except by some "Gocd Templars, .
which party, however, was not well repre-
scented. d755 ifgsys ,F5 .,.f- s..i5for,....,1s {.
AT Pittsield our numbers had been SO large
ly increased, that we made quite an imposing
procession, and we here were Joined by His
Honor Mayor Stevens of Concord, and several
other distinguished citizens of that city. We
found a bountifal dinner ready for US, which
| was duly appreciated Pittsfeld is o beautiful
| town, and place of considerable Importance,
with an academy, National and Savings Bank
cotton factory, &c. .,..5'.s, Ky.
We passed from Pittsfed through tie town
Of Chichester, not so inviting as either of the
others, and arrived at Concord at O'Clock, to
be welcomed by a large and enthusiastic
crowd. After supper, splendid teams were
provided, and our party for an hour were
showed the pleasant localities and beautiful
residences, in one of the finest cities in New
England. After which we were invited to "a
hearing before the Railroad Committee of the
Legislature on the merits of the proposed route
from Concord to Rochester The meeting was
very fully attended The hall of the House OF
Representatives was crowded. The following
remarks were made: , sgaA ofl8 sufel
Mayor Stevens stated the object of the pro-
posed route; that it was link to complete a
~. wy -
Portland had voted $3.50, 900 to construct road
to Rochester. The Northern Railroad, with
the aid of the towns on tho route, from Con-
cord to Claremont stood ready to construct
the Sugar River road from Bradford to Clare
mont. while the Rutland & Accutney road was
ready to extend their road to meet the Sugar
River at Claremont whenever the road was
constructed to that point. The difficulties to
be overcome in building road between Con-
cord and Rochester was slight He said other
gentlemen were present whom the committee
would like to hear, and he would not occupy
their TIME at present. adi -rsa
Col. Tappan said he felt an interest in this
question. Portland has been seeking new av.
enues to the West to reach the commerce OF
the mighty West. He thought the most feast
BILE route to the West was entirely overlooked
last year when the different projects were be-
fore the Legislature If there was q possible
route which could be built across this State,
this was the route. he explained the routes
which were already in operation between Port
land and Rutland. By constructing only
thirty five miles Portland had a new route to
the West. This road ought to stand on an
rofTi obf Of, 10 AZ
Hon. Jacob a.. Ella said that, living on the
line of the proposed route, he felt great in
terest in it. From Rochester to Concord, by
rail, was seventy miles, WHILE if this road was
built, itwould be only thirty-fve miles, and
all the towns lying on the border of Maine,
and in Carroll county, were similarly situated.
The people of Straford county had never OPP
posed granting charters to any road This
road would create more business. 1t would
connect the whole centre of the State with
Portsmouth and Portland-the latter city be-
ing the best market from which to obtain
West India goods. This route does not con-
fict with any interest in the State, or of any
road now in operation. He hoped the Legis-
lature would be as liberaltowards this route as
it had been towards other roads. .Ieb..enssE
Mayor Putnam, of Portland, was next intro
duced. He said he had been SO, charmed with
the scenery on the route here to-day, and with
the beauty of the city, that he ha inot thought
much of railroads. He explained the situa-
ton of Portland on railroad matters 1t had
embarked in the Ogdensburgh and the Roch-
ester roads, and they were anxious to reach
Concord and Vermont. Portland is interested
in the sum of $3,0O0,0OO in railroads, and she
was not in condition to aid other roads at
present, but hoped to be soon. He had never
passed through more feasible route, or had
seen one which would provide more business
for the distance than the thirty-fve miles from
Rochester to Concord. He spoke of the city
of Portland and its business-its increase of
business and wealth. 1t had railroad facilities
across the city whice enabled it to do business
cheaper than any other port. 1t had q harbor
guarded from the destructive force of the
ocean, and protected from its winds and waves
They had improved docks that would give
twenty-five feet CT water. He thought the
citizens of the State should have multiplied
ty of markets. He alluded to the geographical
position of Maine, divided by long rivers
They had, however, built roads across the
State and the towns fed had pursued liberal
policy toward them. 49,
COL Robe, Director in the Portland &
Rochester Railroad, was then introduced
Their road had been completed to Alfred, and
will soon reach Rochester, They were WILLING