The Portland daily press., 1871-06-06

The Portsmouth Journal in the course of a
long article upon "Down East" speaks of Port
land, Portland enterprise and Portland men.
as follows:
"SOon we catch glimpse of the ''West end"
OF Portland and the beautiful residence of Hon.
John B. Brown looming up fIom its lofty emf
nence, solid, substantial and grand as an En-
elish castle. 1t stands like a sentinel at the
very outskirts of the town, aud is one of the
first objects to attract the travellers eye. As
we near the station we the Portland Star
Match factory, said to be the most perfect es-
tablishment of its kind in the United States,
the Sugar 1efneIies, Soap works, and
near the bridge, several OF the beautiful boats
of the Portland Yacht Club, lying ''like paint
ed ships upon painted ocean,
We apprehend taat Portsmouth people are
not fully apprised of the immense strides which
Portland is making in wealth and business
1t is stretching out its iron arms in all drec-
lions, and gathering in the trade aud com
meIce of all the surrounding Hgion. Here is
the terminus of the Grand Trunk railway of
Canada, stupendous concern reaching up
into Canada and the Great Lakes, and trans
porting an almost incredible amount of
freight.
Its completion was the one great event in
the commercial history of Portland rescuing
il from the quiet impotence of a country town,
and breathing into its nOstrils the breath of
liie." The Maine Central and Portland u
Kennebec roads, now united under one man-
a2ement, run to Augusta and Bangor, connect
ing at the latter place with the European and
North American railway, which when COM
pleted in September, will afford continuous
line to the city of ST. John. The Portland and
Rochester road is now running to SpripeyaIe.
and will probably be completed to Rochester
N. ID. in July. Hon. John Lynch, M. c., from
the 1st Maine district is President of this road
The Portland 81 Ogdensburg is also in running
order for several miles and is 10 lie pushed
through the notch OF the White Mountains fur
nishibg short route to New York and the
West.
Commercial street is said to be one Of the
finest and most convenient business streets in
The country. II has a water front the entire
distance, aud the tracks OF the p. s. & p and
Grand Trunk traverse il from end 10 end A
car load OF -four direct from Chicago without
change OF cars is stopped in front OF the mer-
chants store, and rolled from the car directly
into his warehouse.
Since the great fire OF 1866 Portland has in
creased in population and business Its build
ings are models of architectural beauty. and
some OF its private residences are not only
beautiful for situation" but almost unriyaled
for taste and elegance. Its City Hail, costing
some 5000, 900, while the new Post Office of
white marble, and Custom House of granite
are among the most imposing public edifices to
be met with anywhere.
But the browning glory of Portland is to be
found neither in Its railroads, its beautiful
buildings nor its natural seaport, but in the
character of its men. OF these Hon John
Lynch. John b. Brown, Samuel E. SpriDr.
A. X. Shurtlef, and III. N. Jose are first
rate specimens. Years ago these gentlemen
were merchant princes" and might have
retired to private lie upon large for
tunes. Instead of doing SO however. thew
have used their time and means in building
up and developing the resources of the citv
ana VIII be rememl er.d hereafter as among its
nobest benefactors. We were greatly inter
ested in learning their history and present
mode of life Neatly all the active, enterpris-
ing and wealthy men of Portland came up
from the ranks, and carved out fortune with
their own right arms Mr.. Lynch after re-
celvlng good academic education, commence
ed lie as clerk, then became a partner and
afterwards the bead of the concern. He built
up and successfully prose cuted, an immense
business, and at the age of 49, as it is said.
placed himself in the front ranks of the
wealthy men of Portland. Pluck, determine.
ton and faith, characterized all his business
operations and brought him an abundant re-
ward. His career in Congress has not been less
successful An extensive and various knowl
edge of finance, business and the practical af-
fairs of life, have made him an invaluable leg
islator and given him a prominence before the
country which is well deserved On large
granite front on Commercial Street, can be
seen faded sign, bearing his name. it,
weather beaten appearance suggests the idea
that it was under this sign that be conquered.
IN hoe Sign0 Cinces." The Wholesale estab.
lishments on the first floor are now conducte
by other concerns, but on the second story be
has little pack office, about large enough 10
swing cat" n; where he receives such Of
his constituents as call upon him; attends to
an extensive correspondence rendered necessa-
ry by his political Connections. and directs the
varied railroad, sugar house and lumber inter-
ests with which he il connected.
10 somewhat diapdated brick store on
Fore street rs pointed out the place where
Hon. John is. Brown commenced active life
There is nothing about it to indicate the
splendid business career of its former occu-
pant He is now, with one possible exception.
tue richest man in Maine and has a rent roll
that makes one almost ache 10 think of. To
his public spirit the city is indebted for the
erection Of the Falmouth, hotel that has few
superiors in this country. Throughout life he
has been an earnest ADD industrious worker.
and acts as though even in old age, he intends
to allow no respite from activity and toll. He
Is first and foremost in all public enterprises,
and we are told that in cases OF emergency
can roll up his sleeves, and do q rather formi-
dable amOuut of mammal la hor