The Portland daily press., 1869-04-30

PORTLAND.
Friday Morning, April 30, 1869.


The Nashua and {. ochesier Railroad.
In the Rochester Courier we find a loLg
letter written by Prof. Sylvester Waterhouse
OF Washington University, st. Louis, Missou-
ri, on the advantages that will be afforded by
the Nashua and Rochester Railroad-an extern
sion OF the Portland and Rochester road-to
the people of the towns through which it
passes as we'll as those who will be brought
nearer together by the building of this con-
Meeting link in the only direct line between
Portland and New York. We make the fol-
lowing extract:
According to the Representations of its ad
vocates, the Nashua and Rochester railroad
possesses numerous and important advantage
es. 1t is an uninterrupted and shorter line
between Portland and New York. The saw
ing IN distance is 20 or 30 miles, and in time
9 hours. 1t is claimed that passenger start
ing from Portland at o'clock, P. M. and
going via the Nashua and Rochester road.
would reach New York just as soon as if he
had started at O'Clock, A. NJ, and gone by
way OF Boston. If this Is true, the Portland
merchant could transact his morning busi-
ness at home before starting, avoid detention
and expense at Boston, and save half day
and 25 miles travel by taking the new road.
The Nashua and Rochester line crosses
nearly at right angles the following railroads: :
the Manchester and Lawrence, the Ports
mouth and Concord, the Dover and Winnie
pesaukee, and the ct. Falls and Conway. All
these roads would naturally forward their
New York freight by the Nashua and Roches-
ter railroad, because it Is, on the inland side,
at once the first and shortest line to New
York. 1t is hardly probable that southward
ireights coming down these roads from the
interior would cross direct and cheap line
for the purpose of taking longer and more
expensive route For the same reason. the
New York freights bound for the central and
northern portions OF New Hampshire, would
be shipped by the Nashua ard Rochester road.
This railway would also secure large pat
ronage Of travellers. 1t would afford to pas
sengers from the interior of Maine and New
Hampshire the most direct Communication
with South and West. 1t would open to tour
lists new and pleasant route to. the White
Mountains and Canada. Lake Winnepesau-
kee is 20 miles nearer New York BY this than
by any other road.
The Nashua and Rochester line would form
the only direct connection between important
systems of railroad. Exclusive of the Grand
Trunk, 400 miles of railway now terminate in
Portland. The completion of the European
and North American railroad will add 600 or
700 miles more to this aggregate. This road
which is already partly built-runs from
Halifax VAST. Johns to Portland The dis
tance from Halifax to New York by rail is
about 1000 miles. This road would command
the patronage of those transatlantic travel
lers who wish to avoid, as far as possible, the
perlls and annoYances of a voyage. Passen-
gers to and from New York would doubtless
select the shortest route. But the only direct
and uninterrupted communication between
Portland and the great metropolis is the line
via Nashua and Rochester. If railroad were
built from Worcester to New Haven, the route
from Portland to New York would then be
almost straight line. Over this thorough
fare Of an ultimate length of 1000 miles, vast
amount Of trade and travel must pass New
Hampshire and Maine would make large
part of their commercial exchanges with New
York over this line. Even those eastern mer-
chants who ordinarily deal with Boston would
be benefited by the opportunities and compe-
titlon OF two markets. 1t is almost certain.
from geographical and commercial considera-
tlons, that large through business would be
done by this road. Hence proportionate
share OF the profits of the whole line could
hardly fail to enrich the stockholder in the
Nashua and Rochester DIVISION The unfin-
lshed parts are now paying liberal dividends /;
would the completed Line be less profitable
The stockholders of connecting railroads, the
proprletors OF the New Haven and New York
steamers, the merchants and manufacturers,
OF New York are interested in the construc-
tfOu of the Nashua and Rochester railrood