The Portland daily press., 1870-12-26
Sac0 River RailrOud,

An adjourned meeting of parties interested
in building saco River Railroad was holden
at Biddeford last Friday evening. A large at
tendance indicated growing interest in the
enterprise and desire to hear the subject mat
ter discussed. Among the prominent citizens
present were Hon. E. H. Banks, Mayor
Wedgwood, ex-Mayor Haines, VIM. Fl. Han
sos, John E. Butler, Thomas L. Merrill, E. 81.
c. Hooper, T. H. Cole, Judge Jellison. Samuel
K. Hamilton, Ira Andrews, Hiram Porter,
Charles Hardy, Joshua Moore, John II. Burn
ham and f. A. Day of Biddeford, Judge Tap
ley, Charlie, Hill, Jason w. Beatty, Joseph G.
Deering Charles Twamby, Gen. VIM. Hob
sou aud CHARLES Littlefel1 of Saco. The
meeting was addressed by Judge Tapley, who
suggested the importance of an early organiza'
ton of the corpora ors and the opening OF
books fer private subscriptions to the capital
stock. In his opinion something should be
done by individuals before asking the cities OF
SacO and BiddefOrd to aid in their corporate
capacity. He thought, however, that tnose
cities would be morally justited, in view OF the
public importance OF The ROAD III making smali
appropriations to cover me expense incident
to preliminary surveys He advocated the
adontion of route upon the eastern or Saco
AIDE of the river as promising to be less expen-
siye of construction, q d more advantage Gus to
Saco and BIddeford when built. He dsclaim-
ed, however, las did all who followed him)
such intimate knowledge of the various routes
as would justify him in speaking oracularly.
Mr.. Butler, OF Biddeford advocated route
upon the western or Biddeferd side of the
river, and dwelt at some length upon the FEAST
bility of striking the Portland & Rochester
road at WaterboI Oush Centre.
Charles Hill, Esq, of Saco, earnestly adyo-
Gated the eastern route. His very extensive
acquaintance with the configuration of the
country upon both sides of the river as well as
with its resources, people and possibilities for
development enabled him to make his remarks
quite interesting and instructive, and he was
listened to with great attention by all present.
Samuel X. Hamilton, Esq, of Biddeford,
commented upon the diminutioD of trade since
the completion of the Portland s. Rochester
ROAD, and thought that Saco and Bddeford
were somewhat in the condition OF criminal
with the black cap drawn over the head and
about to be executed. He regarded a rail road
to intersect somewhere with that road or the
Portland & Ogdensburg, CT both, as absolutely
indispensable to the continued prosperity OF
|" Saco and Biddeford. He favored the route on
| the western side of the river.
Mayor Wedgwood spoke at some length, and
| rather favored the route spoken of by Judge
| Tapley.
Another general meeting will be held next
| Friday evening, at the Municipal Court Room
| in Biddeford, and meeting of the COT porators
on the first Monday in January. 1t is sup
| posed that an organization will then be effected
| and subscription books opened.
1t is now about seventeen years since the
| scheme CT a Saco River Railroad was first
| agitated, at which time considerable interest
was manifested by Saco and Biddeford, and a
| route surveyed from Saco running on the east
ern side of the river to Salmon Falls, then
across the river through Hollis and Limingtcn
to Steep Falls, Hiram and Fryeburg. Nc
| further stems fakan nd fha; int.
died out But the very perceptible diversion
| of trade formerly reaching SacO and Biddeford
from Limerick, Alfred, marlborough and
other towns. 0ccasioned by the completion O.
the T. q x. railroad to Alfred, has convinced
| the business men of SacO and BiddefOrd thai
they are being left out in the cold, and hence
| this revival OF the Saco River Railroad aeita
ton. The Saco people seem to think that the
| route On the eastern side of the river would be
the most favorable. This rot t. " oald nndoubtad
| ~ include Salmon Falls, Bar Mills, Moderation
Limington, BonDy Eagle and Steep Falls, con
Meeting with the Portland & Ogdenshurgh al
the latter place. The starting point would be
Saco village. and it is thought by many thai
the transportation OF freight would call Tor an
| extension of the road to deep water at thu fer
We judge that the route most likely to meet
the appreciation of Biddeford would start a,
| BIddeford or Factory Island, Saco and run to
Goodwin's Mills, SO called, in Lyman, thence
| If found practicable to extend it further il 81
not unlikely tbat it would run about two miles
west OF Limerick village, through New field
| Sonth Parsonsfeld and Efdugham N. H., to
Madison, N. H., connecting with the Great
Falls and Conway, (now completed to Union
| Falls N. H. and with the POULAND, & Rut.
land when built. The location however cannot
| be decided until an organization is com pleted
| and the foregoing is mentioned merely to show
| the routes most talked about.
N IN q fhn IL
prise it is conceded that there must be first sa
more perfect uniOu" between Saco and Bidde.
ford than ordiHarily. exists, and secondly, thet
aIiarge amount OF the necessary funds must be
| raised by the cities in aid of the road,
1t is apprebended by some that the selection
OF route will dampen the ardor of part Of
| those most interested at the present time, and
| it is not improbable that there will be copsid-
cradle opposition to the movement for securing
the aid OF the cities. The enterprise of the
business men may, however, surmcnnf all these
obstacles and succeed in building road that
ehall be a feeder to thosd thriving cities.