The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-26


Both the spirit and result of the railroad
meeting at Nashua on Thursday were most en-
couraging to the friends of an Independent
through line from Portland to New York and
the South and West; for it placed beyond a
| peradventure the success of the proposition for
| connecting link between Rochester and
Nashua. The meeting was quite large, peo-
pie coming through the intense heat of mid
summer sun from along the line of the road to
take part in the proceedings. The amended
charter. granted by the last Legislature, was
accepted without a dissenting voice, and the
various acts calculated to promote the estab-
lishment of line OF railroad between the two
points, were adopted, and, SO far as legal en-
actment was necessary to give vitality to the
enterprise, the groundwork is solid and sub
stantial. And SO far as the pecuniary means
are concerned, the prospect is especially graft
flying. The total amount of the subscriptions
were 100000, considerable of which was bur-
dened with conditions. The city OF Nashua
had voted 100000 in her corporate capacity
with more than $50, 900 of individual subscrip-
tions, on conditions, and the sentiment of the
people of that community, since the meeting,
is, so far as has been expressed, in favor of re.
moving all restrictions. By the provisions of
the amended charter, the Directors are author
lied to lease the road, when built, to any other
railroad company on satisfactory TERMS and it
was distinctly stated that the Worcester &
Nashua Railroad Company were ready to
effect the lease for twenty years at per cent.
semi-annually, free of tax, making the invest
ment to New Hampshire stockholders equiva-
lent to per cent. The result of the PROPOSE
ton was that some real friends of the road,
who had withheld their subscriptions, came
forward and placed their names on the book,
and more than one doubled their subscriptions
on the spot. The committee who were APP
pointed to canvass the different towns have
now gone to work with renewed zeal, confi
dent that nearly if not quite all the conditions
of subscribers will be removed, and the re-
naming $500. 900 of the necessary capital will |
be taken up at once. At any rate, so sanguine |
are the Directors that the remaining stock will |
be taken at an early day that they will proceed |
with the work of preparing to put the line |
under contract. The report of the engineers
is highly favorable, and selection will soon
be made by one of the three routes proposed |
oo'"oon NASHUA anu Epplng.
When the Worcester and Nashua road was
some fifteen years ago, it was urged |
in opposition that all the passengers along the |
line could be carried in tri-weekly coaches and /
three horses would do all the freight transport
tation between the terminal points. When the
road was opened its stock could be bought for
$40 per share. To-day it is quoted at $15O
Now if this success has been effected on
branch road, what must be the result when it
becomes trunk line, with feeders on each
side, and carrying business between sea-
port on the east to New York, transporting |
European imports by direct line and laying
them down in New York at least four DAYS
sooner than is now done. The guarantee of
the Worcester & Nashua Railroad Company
has evidently removed all doubts in the minds
Of the people of New Hampshire, and unless
we are greatly disappointed in their pluck we
shall see ground broken the present season,
and year hence a through line from Portland
TO New York, via Worcester, in operation.