The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-12
PORTLAND e. ROCHESTER, RAIL
ROAD.
It's Completion and Formal
Opening.
Another LiHk in the Trans-COn.
ttnental hahn.
Rochester Greets Portland with Enthusiasm


was lncornorated by the Legislature of tn
| State of Maine by an act approved July &
1s46 There were thirty-seven corporation;
This list represented the prominent men of tn
several towns along the line of this proiecte
railroad. OF this number twenty hav
passed away and are unable to witness the re
suit of their early labors. The first meeting c
the corporation was held IN Buxton on tn
20tb of July, 1S48, when code of Bylaw
was adopted. The first board of Director
were elected Aug. 10, 1850 Articles of agree
ment were made and concluded on the 12t
day of August, 1S48, between this corporation
and j. G. Myers & Go. for completing the roa
between the city of Portland and South Der
wick for $19, 800 per mile. This included tn
whole expense exceptbuildings and land dam
ages. This agreement was afterwards materi
ally changed, SO that the amount paid per mil
was $4,000, including land damages and suit
able buildings One half If this amount wa
to be paid in equal proportions by bonds an,
stock. Yet favorable as the terms were though
to be for the stockholders, the completion O
the road was not accomplished. Trouble fol
lowed trouble, and obstacles legal ant
financial-suoceedede each other until the yea
1863, when the corporation was succeeded b!
a new corporation called the Portland &
} Rochester r. Il. Co., which was composed
chiefly of bondholders of the former corpora
ton. to whom the property and franchises were
transferred by trustees.
Last week the original plan, modified by the
substitution OF Rochester, N. I'll. for S. Berwick
as the terminus, was completed Yesterday
/ ha road xyacf form ;pou ofad l,u ho
rectors, who invited their stockholders and the
directors of connecting lines to 60 over the line
by special train and make the acquaintance O.
friends over the border. The arrangements fol
this excursion were made with elegant liberal
ity, and the day was one of real pleasure to al
who participated.
The train left Portland at 915 yesterday
morning with company of about $50 gentle.
| men on board, which was increased at differ.
| ent stations to the number of about 2OO Six
cars composed the train, which was drawn by
the engine Westhrook, elegantly decorated
with flowers flags and evergreen. Across the
front was the legend, portland and Roches-
ter surmounting two clasped hands. The
morning was beautiful, the sky obscured by
| Clouds which tempered the summer heat The
road was in coed condition, and the time card
was made up for pleasant and leisurely jour-
ney, as free from dust as possible Three hours
were consumed in the ride, and at precisely
II. 10 the train came to a stop at the depot of
the Dover & WinnepiseOgee Railroad in Roch-
ester. The party on board embraced the stock
holders of the Portland & Rochester, the City
Government of Portland and the directors of
connecting roads. The latter roads were rep
resented by directors or agents, as follows:-
President Coggswell, of the Boston & Maine ;
Messrs. N. M. Whitmore, Darius Alden, Geo
NJ. Patten, Joshua NSe, w. d. Sewall, of the
Maine Central; j. Porteous and VIM. Davis
of the Grand Trunk; Henry Ingalls,, of the
Knox & Lincoln; I. Fl. Kinnicutt OF Worces-
ter, of the Nashua & Rochester and Worcester
& Norwich roads; Judge f. II. Dewey, of the
Worcester & Norwich road; Jas. W. Emery of
Portsmouth and G. P. Stetson of Bangor, of
the European & North American; F. A. Will
son Of Bangor, of the Bangor & Piscataquis;
e. S. Turner, director of the Nashua s. Roch.
ester, and Superintendent of the Worcester &
Nashua; Col. c. I'll. Waters, director in the
Nashua & Rochester; and Gen. S. j. Ander
son and John #. Anderson, of the Portland &
Ogdensburg; Chas. Fobes and j. w. SWEET, of
the Portland Steem Packet Co.. Henry Fox,
of the Maine Steamship Co. New York;; and
James l.. Farmer, of the Allan Steamship
Line. The company was further augmented
by Mayor KiDgsbury OF Portland, with the
heads of departments and members of both
branches of the City Council; W. S. Dana,
President of the Board of Trade; Geo. E. b.
Jackson, of the Portland Rolling Mills; j. s.
Bedlow, Superintendent of the Western Union
Telegraph Co.; Hon. George A. Frost of
Springvale, Caleb B. Lord and w. G. Conant
of Alfred, s. L. Corser, Railroad Commission
er, Percival Bonney, Commissioner of the Ros.
ton & Maine Railroad, I. E. Simonton of
Rockland. II. j. Murray, H. B. M. Consul.
and Directors Babcock of Bamstead, N. H.,
and Foss of Strafford, of the Concord & Roch-
ester Railroad, and many other gentlemen of
distinction.
Rochester was thoroughly alive to welcome
the train, and even before the village was fair
ly in sight we heard the booming of cannon,
followed, as we reached the railroad grounds,
by joyful peal from all the steeples. Lines
OF flags were strung across the Streets and the
town looked as if it was about to enjoy gala
day. The Rochester Cornet Band was on the
ground, and after personal greetings between
the citizens and visitors, a procession was
formed. Judge j. H. Edgeriy acting as Mar
shall, and escorted by concourse of citizens
with the band at their head, they moved to
Dodge's Hotel, every part of which had been
placed at the disposal of the Maine delegation
by the landlord. Washing and busting fol-
lowed, and an hours chat in the parlors and
drawing-rooms. Meantime George Webster
and his assistants had taken possession of the
Town Hall, where tables had been erected by
the citizens; and at half-past the procession
made that their second objective point. At
the door they were met by Hon. j. II. Ella, ex-
M. G. from the Rochester district, who greeted
them most warmly, paying very handsome
tribute to the enterprise of Portland, and ex-
pressing the hope that this day might be the
beginning of a real and lasting friendship be-
tween the people Of an agricultural and manu-
featuring town aud the citizens of a convenient
and thriving seaport
Hon. John Lynch, President of the Portland
| & Rochester Railroad Co, in behalf of the
| visitors, thanked his friend for his hearty well
come. You have taken us by surprise, he said
and yet we ought not to be surprised for We
have long known that the hospitality of the
people of Rochester is as broad as your State
and those who have come within its influence
have felt that it was enduring as her granite
bills. We hope to reciprocate your greeting
on the shores of Casco Bay He then grace
fully called Hon. Benz. Kingsbury, Jr.. from
his comfortable seat under neighboring tree
| and introduced the Mayor of Portland.
Judge KiDgsbury said he did not expect to
be called on to participate in the speech max.
ing. He was not a railroad man, only in the
abstract. He was afraid that the efforts o
Portland in the success of the present enter
prise had been exaggerated by the Rochester
gentleman, but he had not exaggerated ou
will and sincerity. We this morning witness
the bridal of Rochester and Portland (here thu
rain began to falD and celebrate the event il
pure cold water
The audience then repaired inside the build
ing, where Webster had an elegant and boun
tiul repast awaiting them. Hon. John Lyncl
took the chair, and the divine blessing was in
voked by Rev. Mr.. Stone.
| Alter suitable time had been allowed fo
table duties, Mr.. Lynch called the assembly Il
ORDER He apologized for the Incompetence
of the line, and stated some OF the difficultie
which the directors had met with in their eff
forts to put it in practical operation to day
But the delay will be short. We have felt tina
Rochester that it would complete galvani
battery and form connection with the grea
network OF rails extending from the extrem