The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-09-27

Portland contained 80 418 persons on the flrs
OF June 1870, 26342, in 1860, 20S,9o in 1850, 49,
2lo, IN l04O As there was no increase in the
population of the city from 1910 to 1916, at the
time OF the commencement of the railroad to
Montreal, there has been an increase of 1920
persons in the last "a years, or something more
than the population in 1896 But this state.
ment does not truly express the actual growth
of the city in the last "a years Westbrook has
increased from 4116 in 1910, to 4 S52 in 1850, to
5,114 in 1860, to 1858 in 1870. Cape Elizabeth
has increased from 666 in 1910 to 2 O82 in 1850
to 1881 in 1860, to 5,007 in 1870 The growth Of
Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Westbrook, in
the last "a years, fairly expresses the growth Of
the city.
In lS4O the population of these three places
was 2l0oO, in 1850, 27,753, in 1860, 34,7s7, in
1870, 1908, again of 6,753 from 1s4O to 1850.
6,794,lf 1850 to 1860. and of 1926, from 1860
to 1870. There has been gain of about 20 per
cent. at each decade from 1910 to 1870.
The city of Boston, including Roxbury and
Dorchester had population of212,7A in 1860,
and in 1870, 253,223, a gain of 4O499 in ten
years, or Is 910 per cent
Taking into account the struggle which Port
land has had to encounter during the last %
years, and the destruction of property by the
great fire of1S66, the citizens of Portland have
great cause generalization at the prospects of the
city. We have filled up already the great gap
which the great confagration of 1866 made in
our business facilities. We have very nearly
restored the measure of our population as it
stood in 1866, and we are in fair way to make
the 1OSa Of FOL
great fire.
The commercial business of Portland has
increased more rapidly than its population
during the last twenty five years. We have
only to add manufactures to our other means
of business, to become at an early day a place
of commercial Importance. We have now
nine lines of steamers,-to Liverpool in the
winter months,-to Halifax,-to st. John and
Eastport,-t Machias and Mt. Desert,-to the
Penobscot,-to Damariscotta ard .Waldoboro,
to the Kennebec, to Boston and to New York.
Our lines of railroad radiate in all directions,
so that, with the extentions of these lines.
Portlandwill become the point of conveyance
aud radiation of traffic of larger district of
territory than any seaport in New England.
The region of country dependent npon Port
land for market, is comparatively sparsey
populated, as compared with the country
round Boston, but with better lands, cheaper
farms, more abundant waterpower, and great
er facilities of navigation, the country natur-
ally dependent upon Portland for market,
will rapidly fill up, with the developments of
the influences now at work, for the employ
ment of capital. =fr is
Our lines of railway, built and proposed,
will connect us, within a few years, by the
most direct route with Northern New Hamp-
shire, Vermont and New York, and the Great
Lakes, which in addition to our line to Mon
treal, will give us exports TO Europe, employ
ing lines of steamers all the year round. From
Island Pond to Rouse's Point, and to Mon
treal, new lines are in progress, giving us the
shortest possible route from the Atlantic sea-
board to the st. Lawrence.
AT the east, the European and North Amer
can Railroad lis so far advanced as to be
sure of completion to St. John by the LIST day
'f November, 1871. Between St. John and
Halifax, 262 miles, 70 miles only remain to he
lnshed' from Truro to Amherst; built as a
part OF the 'ntercolonial railway, to be COM
'leted through to Halifax in 1870.
The Intercolonial railway absorbs sseastern
xtension" in New Brunswick, between Am
erst and Monckton, 36 miles, now in opera
ion, making 4S2 miles as the line of the Inter.
oionial railway from Truro to the River Du
ioup, all of which is in progress, many miles
READY graded, every section of which will be
nder contract and in progress the present
Itumn.
Within our own State at the East, several
mes are in progress, the Knox and Lincoln
ON Bath to Rockland 46 miles, the Belfast
nd Moosehead Lake Railroad from Belfast to
urnham on the line of the Maine Central
abroad 80 miles, the Somerset Railroad from
Test Waterville to Carratunk Falls "a miles.
Other railroads are also in contemplation. |
very mile of railroads above referred to. will
Al TO the business of Portland, as built. while |
Ae absorbing influence of Boston capital in
'a'h'hg to itself the business of Maine. ia
0ins met by corresponding effort on the
al. Vi .hose interested in the prosperity of
ortland. Portland has only to adhere to the
additional policy of the last twenty-five wears
realize at an early day, all the success that,
er more ardent friends have anticipated.