The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-18

Ihe Oswego mud New EDGfnno N "hFoao.
The following article from the Boston Com
n,erciaE Bulletin will show what the people of
the New England metropolis think of the rail-
road that Mr.. John A. Poor and his associates
are so assiduously commencing to the people
of Portland, and which Mr.. Poor has seen fit
to antagonize with the Portland & Ogdens-
burg route:
we learn from an authentic source. that
measures are being taken for an Immediate
survey OF route for the proposed Osweeo and
New England railroad, and to organize COM
pany under the laws of New York, which
~ snortly enter upon the work of building
me entire line. This enterprise, as is well
known, was set on foot by the Railroad Con-
sentlon neld In Oswego, in October last, os-
tepslDly in the interest OF Portland as an oh
Iecuve point of Western trade, and for the
purpose OF opening direct route between
That city and Chicago, via Oswego and its
Western railroad connections.
a committee was appointed by that Con-
fooAon TO take charge of that portion of the
route lying within the State of New York.
ana extending from Oswego to some point on
tle Eastern line OF that State, between Albany
anu Wmtehali, where connection can be
made with our New England railroad system.
This Committee, in the discharge of its du-
V, has since held meetings at Boonyille. Sar-
atoga and Oswego, at the last of which sub.
committee OF two was delegated with the au
lnorlty 10 complete the survey as aforesaid
Inc next meeting of the former BODY. we are
assured, is to be held in Boston.
But though our Portland friends were the
prime movers of the Oswego Convention, the
idea OF direct railroad line from the foot of
Lake navigation to the Western border of
New England, did not by any means originate
with them, but has been discussed and urged
by leading railroad men in this State, for
many years past, in the interests of the com
merce OF Boston. The want of an independ-
ent line via the Hoosac Tunnel, to neutralize
the hostile influence of the New York Cen
TaI-which has made our Albany route more
OF feeder to the Western traffic of New
York than that of Boston-has long been felt
oy the business men of this metropolis.
Hence the latter are disposed to give every
encouragement to the enterprise known as
me oswego and New England Road; and il
II Is to be built at all, they are the parties who
VIII nave to put their shoulders to The wheel
and push it through. The enterprise will
douptless command some local aid from the
interior towns of New York; but our Port
land naghbors, however much they may pro-
NJ oy the undertaking, will hardly be able to
render it any material assistance. They will
have quite as much as they can do in making
the New England connection which is 10
anlte their city with the trunk line across the
State of New York.
Inc managers OF the Oswego Convention,
actlng In the interest Of the Great West, were
sagacious enough to understand this, and they
also realized the fact that, in opening for Wes-
Tern trafnc new route to the seaboard across
tne Adirondacs, Boston instead of Portland
must be the objective point. They decided
hi IA
afford the most direct Communication with
this port, as the chief centre of the manufac-
turing industry and foreign commerce of New
ENGLAND. VI Ave"
Hence committee was appointed to take
enaIge OF the work, who fully sympathized
WITH their views, and who now propose to
carry them out with the utmost fidelity This
committee, whose duty it is to locate the
route, while they will afford the people of
Portland every possible facility to make the
desired connection via Rutland and White
nali, are now making arrangements for sur
vey winch will bring the Eastern terminus of
.he me down to that point of the State Dor
eer, wnere 1t can be most conveniently con-
nected with the Hoosac Tunnel route in Mas
sachusetts,
Upon tue expediency of this arrangement
tney are fully agreed. We have now before
"a = Ntter tdated Jan. 81 written by the chair
nian Oh TINS committee Hon. Gilbert Morris
son, d Oswego,) to a prominent citizen of
Boston, from which, by permission, we make
the following extract:
we fully comprehend the value of Bos-
ION connection on the most direct line, and in
our surveys shall seek it, The trade of Bos-
on ~ OF great Importance to us, and its great
wealth we look to to aid us ia building the
ROAD. With direct line to Boston, we can
Dranch OF at a suitable point and connect with
Portland. look, however, to your city as
our objective point upon the seaboard. Oswe-
90 now manufactures 100000 barrels of -four
annually with capacity of 100000 annual |
"; we cannot reach our capacity because of |
e. excessive railroad freights. With this direct
!lne TO Boston and New England, and fair
Fates OF freight, we can at once reach the
Smount OF one and half millions of barrels
- one item of trade for the new road.'