The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-17
fiAsAos Rscuns,os Am ClAu BAKe,~,


arrangements for the proposed railroad pic-n
had full meeting on Saturday to decide upoi
details. The excursion party in the marco,
will leave the Steam Packet Company "''
foot of India street. at II o'clock a. ID, pfee'so
ly, on Wednesday July 10Th. "A" pe''vn.
will be required to be on board h'e HI
haforo11 o,clocL After the excursion dowh
down The barbor the party VIII oe iahoeo upon
tho n,ace selected on one OF the isiahas III the
barhor for the clam bake. Steamers VIII run
m and from the picnic ground from Portland,
dining the day. commencing at an early hour.
On the arrival upon the ground, the Governor
of the State is expected TO extend welcome &c
our guests from abroad. The Hon. Hanniba
Hamlin will then address the company pres
ent upon the railroad policy proposed in hi:
bill to secure cheap transportation. ARRANGE
ments Tor speaking will be In charge of com
mittee who will prepare the necessary platform
and other accommodations of W hich further de-
tails will be hereafter published. Spec bes
from western men, members of Congress, etc.
will follow Mr.. Hamlins' speech, and speak.
ing kept up Till the clam bake is announced by
proper sigual.
Alter the good things are disposed Of the
company will reassemble upon the speaking
ground and listen to It marks which may fol
low from gentlemen invited from without and
from within the State. Mayor Kingsbury is
expected to respond for the city of Portland,
Hon. John Lynch for the first District, Hon
VIM. ?. Frye for the Second, Hon, Speaker
Blaine for the Third, Hon. John A. Peters for
the Fourth and Hon. Eugene Hale for the
Fifth. Hon. Senator Morrill, of Maine, is ex-
pected to speak, if the condition OF his health
will justify it, Collector Washburn and other
prominent Portland gentlemen are expected
to respond upon commercial topics suggested
by the occasion.
The committee, as we learn, meet again this
morning at ten o'clock TO perfect more fully
the needed arrangements. Ii the weather is
favorable a pleasant occasion may be expected.
We understand that Senator Hamlin may be
expected at the Falmouth Hotel in this city,
on the 25th.
The difficult question to settle was the ad-
mission of ladies to the festivities, and the gal
lantry of the young men, we are happy to
say, carried the day in their favor.
FERRY IMPROVEMENTS AT CAPE ELIZABETH
For several years the ferry landings on each
side of the haIbor have been in a diseraceful
condition, and though considerable talk and
frequent efforts have been expended for inn
provements nothing practical has beer arrived
at until now, when our neiehbors at Ferry
Village have, by continued persistency, in
duced the town to take hold of the matter, and
the prospect is that during the present season
the ferry slip on that side OF the harbor will be
much improved and plan begun that will
allow of enlargement to meet any prospective
demand. Heretofore the way to the slip from
Front street has been over land owned by pri-
vate parties; now the town has purchased the
land and will lay out a town way to low water
mark. portion of the flats, 200 feet sauare,
has also been secured as room for tina future
improvements, the first of which is to be a
breakwater 200 feet long ON the easterly side of
the purchase, running about $50 feet direct
into the karbor, with wing 30 feet long, of the
same dimensions, at slight angie and directed
up the harbor. This will protect the ferry slip
from the rough northeast sea and the broken ice
in spring, which is carried in here with con-
siderable force. The breakwater is to be ten
feet thick at the base, eighteen feet high and
six feet thick at the top, to be constructed of
heavy split granite COPIED with large flat stones
and be faced on both sides. Some proposals
committee concluded to postpone action until
Tuesday, when it is possible other tenders will
be made. Naturally the next step will be to inn
prove the landing place, and a good substantial
road will connect the wharf with Front street.
Our neighbors have manifested commendable
zeal and enterprise in thus securing the begin
ming of an important work, and we trust that
Portland will at an early day do her part by
providing good landing on this side the water
The value of this ferry to Portland is over
looked by mary, and underestimate by al
most everybody. A population of $500 people
depend upon this ferry as a means of getting
20 market. They come to Portland for nearly
Ill their supplies; spending at our stores $780,
100 per annum; money earned by fishing, sea.
airing and other employments away from
nome. The need of a free ferry landing on
ibis side is increased by the establishment of a
line between the city and Peaks
Island, place that has wonderfully increased
n population and wealth within the past ten
years. and as this island belong to us and the
population pay their taxes regularly, they will
demand that the city shall give them good
landing place for their ferry, which the enter
prise of the Island has established. No better
time to secure place than now can be found;
and it is desirable that this should be done; to
be improved when the demand becomes urgent,
az it certainly will be in q few wears