The Portland daily press., 1870-01-11


prise, and the grounds of their belief. in the
early completion ofa connected line ofrailway
from the deep waters of Portland haIhor to
the city OF Chicago.
The arrangements for the organization of a
railroad Company across Northern New York
recently made at the Saratoga Convention,
and the success which has attended the labors
of Mr.. Thomson and his friends, in securing
the charter for the Canada southern RAILROAD
between the Niagara and ST. Clair rivers,
have relieved the friends OF the Portland, Rut-
land, Oswego & Chicago railroad, from the
uncertainty which in the minds of many had
hung over the enterprise.-and the friends of
this direct route, from Chicago to Portland
are now diligently at work, to carry out every
section of the liue.
AT Portland, arrangements are all but con-
summated, for the extension of Commercial
street, from the line of the Grand Trunk
railway, at the Eastern end of Munjoy Hill
around into Back Cove, along side the Har-
Dor Commissioners line to behring's Bridge,
thence north of Deerlng's Oaks, west, as far
as Congress Street, for the use Of its line with
other Companies, the owners of lands and
flats having mostly agreed to charge no dam
ages for lands or flats so taken, for the width
OF 100 feet-and it only awaits the action of
the city Council, to have this important i'm
provement established.
From Portland west, as far as desired, by
agreement with the Portland and Rochester
railroad company, their track is to be used for
both companies. The line will pass in con
venient proximity to villages and water power,
the people along the route having signified
their readiness to do their share OF the work
OF raising the money to construct it to the
State line The route is so level and favora-
BILE, that's Mr.. George Leonard, reliable and
1.clA +1I +lo
from Conway to Meredith at S13,151 per mile
in 1S4S, and recent surveys tend to confirm
the correctness of his judgment. Mr.. Leon
ards survey was from Meredith to Conway,
keeping South of Chocorua pond, in Tam
worth, from whiLh point to the State line the
route is comparatively level, and less ex-
pensive than the section from Chocorua po0d
to Meredith. From Meredith to Bristol there
is rise of 100 feet from Lake Winnipiseoeee
which is sol feet above tide water to an eleEa-
tion OF 610 feet at Bristol, above the level OF
the sea. From Bristol to Danbury on the
line OF the Northern Railioad, there is
rise of 200 feet more, following up by easy
grades the valley OF Smiths river. From
Danbury TO White River Junction is 81 miles
over the line of the Northern Railroad, con-
Meeting with the Woodstock railroad, IA miles
in Vermont, now in process of construction.
The distance from Woodstock to Rutland
takes the line across the Green Mountains,
the means for doing which are now reasona-
bly, assured.
From Rutland, west, 80 miles of the Rem
selaer and Saratoga railroad are to be used to
reach Fort Ann, between which point and
Richland surveys will be made the present
winter, by the recently formed New England
and Oswego railroad company, estimated at
$50 miles by railway, although the exact dis
tance is but 120 miles. The information laid
before The Committee at Saratoga was caIcu
lated to lead to the belief that the line would
not exceed at most 140 miles from Rchland
station to Fort Ann. Richland is 20 miles
east of Oswego. by the line OF the Oswego
and Rome railload, under lease to the Rome
railroad, under lease to the Rome Water
town aud Oedensburg Railroad Company,
with the right of purchase, and they have re-
Gently given notice OF their intention 10 take
it in fee. The Rome, Watertown and Ogdens-
burg Railroad is the one upon which the
friends of the Portland and and Ogdensburg
railroad relied as their means of outlet from
the west. The distance from Richland sta
tion to Ogdensburg being 100 miles, it was
desirable on the part OF the Oswego people
to secure the good will of this prosperous
company, III favor of the direct route from
Oswego to Portland, the line from Richand
to Portland by way oil Fort Ann being 100
miles shorter in point of distance, with vast
ly more favorable grades.
Mr.. Pierpont, President, ami Mr.. Massey
Vice President Of the Company, both signed
the call for the Oswego Convention in Octo
ber last, AMI Mr.. Massey took active part in
its proceedings and made an elaborate speech
in the convention.
Some attempts have been made to raise q
presumption that Mr.. Massey still favored the
Ogdensburg route, as by this line it would
give them 100 miles more or transportation
than by turning east at Richland for Rutland
and Portland. But we are now authorized 10
say that the fact is otherwise. Mr.. Massey
was at Portland in 1867, before the Portland
& Osweeo line was developed, and recent cor
respondence shows his sympathy with the
OsWe9o d Portland line, in which he saws
shat when the surveys are completed, and
the point of connection with our line decided
upon, we will be quite ready to conclude an
&C., with the New England &
Oswego Railway Co.
The Oswego Committee at Saratoga ex-
pressed their entire confidence that the SEC
tion from Richland to Oswego would form
portion of the through, or Trans-continental
line.
Intelligent railroad men, therefore, will per-
ceive that all difficulties in the way OF rail-
road ffom Portland to Oswego are now over
come, except the mere question of money.
On this point the way is clear, also.
The State of New Yolk, by general statute,
has authorized every city, village and town
corporation to subscribe twenty per cent. of
its valuation tor the building OF railroads. A
population and valuation larger than the
State of Vermont is found in the several
counties ON this line from Fort Ann to Oswe-
go in New York, including the county of Os-
wego. Municipalities in Vermont are allow
ed to subscribe per cent, and in New Hamp-
shire and Maine per cent. OF their valuation.
From Oswego west, the line is compara-
tlvely level and very straight to Chicago. The
Lake Ontario Shore railroad, las miles from
Oswego to the Niagara river, is secured for
the building of it means have been raised,
mainly by municipal subscriptions. The Sec
tions across Canada, and from the st. Clair
river to Chicago, will no doubt be completed
in due time.
The papers of Buffalo, speak with entire
confidence of ability to extend this line to
Buffalo, across the Peninsula of Canada since
the passage OF teh act, lin corporating) the
Canada Southern railroad company, which
can run ills line to a point opposite Buffalo
and cross the niagara river at that city, at
toe head of the rapids, under charter al
ready obtained, to aid the building of which,
the city of Buffalo has voted large sum OF
money.
A line from Buffalo to Oswego passing
through rich and thriving country, including
the prosperous city of Rochester, will be as
direct as by way of the suspension bridge, or
the proposed crossing at the whirlpool.
The city of Buffalo has only to favor this
line, so essential to her prosperity, to become
established in her position, not only as a great
city but forever retain her place as the great
est on Lake Erie now being strongly contest
ed for, by the rising cities of Cleveland and
Toledo.
The Board of Trade of Buffalo in May last,
adopted resolutions favoring the building OF a
cirect line from the Navigable waters of Lake
Erie at Buffalo to the head of Lake Cham
plain and to the shipping docks of Portland
harbor.
The Michigan Air line Company has ensur-
ed the success of their railroad from Chicago
to the st. Clair river by the wisdom OF its To-
cation ever the most direct practicable route
from Chicago to Portland, Boston, New York
and other Atlantic ports.
The agreement of union,or of cooperate ac-
ton agreed upon at the Osxeso convention
has been faithfully adhered to, so that our
labors can now be devoted to the construction
of thai portion, of the line that has been as
signed to us, in New Hampshire and in
Maine, the completion of the section IRON
Portland to Meredith, distance of Is miles
by the way of Buxton, of which 60 miles re-
main to be completed.
The friends oil this section 10 New Hamp-
shire and Maine, work in complete sympathy
and harmony, and we have every assurance
that the completion OF this section will ensure
the early construction and cotemporaneously
in point of time, the various sections of the
great line to Chicago; and if is now publicly
announced that the construction of the
Northern Pacific Railway will be immediately