The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-06-16
portland ana nann,Iroad.

At meeting of the Committee of the Cor
porators of the Portland and Rutland Rail-
road Company held at Portland ON the
twelfth day of June, A. D. 1869, the follow
ing preamble and resolutions were unani-
mously adopted: Os..i. sla.... 81.
Whereas, the construction of line of
railroad from Portland to the West by TIE
most direct practicable route across the States
of New Hampshire and Vermont by the
way of Rutland and Whitehall to Buffalo,
Detroit and Chicago, is the great measure de.
manded, to afford transportation of the pro-
duce of the West to Portland harbor, ensur-
ing thereby a line or lines of ocean steamers
running weekly or semi-weekly throughout
the year between Liverpool and Portland, and
Whereas the Boards of Trade of Chicago
have recently adopted resolutions in favor of
such a line of railroad as the measure now
required to take of the products of the
great West which accumulate at Buffalo com
ing to it from Chicago and other lake ports,
by means Of the cheap navigation of Lake
Erie and upper lakes, therefore islsa5i-
Resolred, That while looking with favor
upon all plans for securing railroad connec-
lions with the interior and the West, over
practicable routes, the friends of the Port
land and Rutland railroad will steadfastly ad-
here to the project agreed upon at the Inter-
national Commercial Convention held in
Portland in August last of railroad from
Portland to the West, ,ohich aciU connect the
Atlantic to the Pacific By the shortest and
most prdcticableroute" %. sa f.4la'is
Res0lUed, That as the surveys which have
been made from Portland through the Ossi-
pee VALLEY over the uncompleted sections of
the line to the Connecticut river, indicate a
most favorable route, both as to gradients
ON n rfrua fo tr.i0 a.
this tComlnittee that the several commune
| ties interested in the construction of the
Portland & Rutland railroad should perse-
we're in all measures needful to the carrying
| out of the same, in order to secure its loca-
| ton as soon as practicable after the Portland
and Ogdensburg railroad company shall have
located its line from Portland, with view
| Of connecting the Portland and Rutland line
| Herewith, as near as possible to the mouth
| Of the Great Ossipee river, or locate it from
| the city of Portland to the State line, in case
| the Portland and Ogdensburg railroad com
| pany declines or omits to locate its line by
| the most practicable route in the direction oil
| the Ossipee Valley, or fails to locate its line
| upon the open waters of Portland harbor
and secure facilities for the cheap handling
of Western produce equal to or like those
contemplated in the recent surveys of Mum
| joy Hill and the adjacent waters Of Portland
harbor, under the direction of the SuPerin-
| tendent of the U. S. Coast Survey-and
| thereby relieve Western trade and the tran
| sit of merchandise Of all interference of draw
bridges.
| Resolued, That the authorities of the sew
| eral towns on the line of the Portland &
Rutland railroad in New Hampshire and
Maine who have not already voted to author
| ize subscriptions to the stock, are respectfully
invited 10 take action thereon at an early day
| SO as to secure the location of the line o
| thei Portland & Rutland railroad as soon as
! the route of the Portland & Ogdensburg rail-
road shall be made known. i1-l
Voted, That copies of the foregoing reso-
/ lutions be forwarded to the Boards of Trade
of Chicago, Buffalo and other cities, and to
| the municipal authorities and individuals OF
the line OF the contemplated railroad from
Portland to Buffalo. Nn9'29el d
ResolUed, That having read the communi
cation of the Hon. o. +. Fowler, President O
the N. II. Central Railroad Company, express
ing the views of the Directors of that Com
l.pany on the question of new line to Rut
land by way of Rochester and Concord, thi
committee express their concurrence in tn,
views therein expressed, and regard the prop
osition to run the great Western line from
Portland so far south in the direction of Bos
ton as to give the city OF Boston more thar
ten miles advantage in distance in the transi
OF Western produce to an open harbor, as ia
tai to the enterprise in question, that direc
line from Portland to Rutland over the N. b
Central railroad, giving us forty miles advar
tage in distance over Boston in competin
for the New Hampshire, Vermont and Yves
ern trade, is the only measure calculated t
secure to Portland its natural advantages an
enable her to compete successfully for West
ern trade. l.ls tiiag sslI,f
i
Extracts from the records of the Executiv
Committee Of the Corporators Of the Portan
& Rutland Railroad Company.
| Attest, JOHN NEAL, Clerk.