Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-25
the vote of the Portland & Rutland corporators


the committee appointed July 22d by the corpora
tors of the Portland 4 Rutland r. r. Company, to
confer upon matters pertaining to the general rail-
road interests of our city.
true copy, attest, M. N. Rich, Clerk
This ended for time the discussion, as said COM
mttee of the Portland Il Ogdensburg Railroad cor
porators never met US, or proposed meeting, but
declined all intercourse, on the ground, as un-
derstand, that they would not be trammeed in their
operations, but locate their line to suit their
wishes.
The Portland & Rutland Railroad Company waited
patiently till the organization of the Portland and
Ogdensburg Railroad Company in January, 1869,
and on the 2lst Of January they adopted the follow
ing votes:
Voted. That in view of the importance of har.
mcny Of action and of cooperative movements be-
tween this company and the Portland h Ogdensburg
Railroad Company in forming a trunk line for the
use Of both companies from Portland to the valley
of the Great Ossipee rver That Messrs. Poor Rice,
Farmer, Gould and Wm. II Fessendon be commit
tee to confer with the Directors Of the Portland and
Ogdensburg Railroad Company on this subject, in
the latter company shall desire such conference
as intmated to the committee by parties friendly to
both companies"
"Noted, That Judge Fowler be invited to take
part in such conference the representative Of the
New Hampshire Central Railroad Company
copy of this vote was laid before the directors
Of the Portland Ogdensburg Railroad Company,
and a conference had with said directors, Judge
Fowler being present by invitation, but arrange
ment could be made with said directors, any pro-
position of any sort obtained.
On the 18th Of July, 1869, the Executive Com
mittee Of the Portland d Rutland Railroad Com
pany adopted the following resolution:
"That it is the opinion of this committee that the
several communities interested in the construction of
the Portland Rutland Railroad should persevcre in
all measures needful to the carrying out the same
in order to its location practicable
after the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad Com
pany shall have located its line from Portland,
with view Of connecting the Portland and Rutland
line Herewith as near possible to the mouth of
the Great Ossipee river, locate 1t from the city
of Portland to the State line in the Portland
Il 0gdensburg Company declines omits to locate
its line by the most practicable route in the direc
on Of the Osspee valley, fails to locate its line
upon the open waters Of Portland harbor and secure
facilities for the handling of western produce equal
to or like those contemplated in the recent surveys
of Munjoy Hill and the adjacent waters of Portland
harbor, under the direction of the Superintendent
of the U. s. Coast Survey, and thereby relieve
western trade, and the transit of merchandise of
all interference Of draw-bridges."
This resolution was published in the daily papers
of Portland on the following day, it being under
stood that the location of the line of the Portland
Ogdensburg Railroad was then under considera-
tion by its directors.
On the 30th Of July, 1869, the Committee of the
Corporators of the Portland d Rutland Railroad
Company held meeting and adopted the following
vote:
"Whereas, the directors of the Portland &
Ogdensburg Railroad Company have publicly an
nounced location of their line from the city of
Portland through the town of Windham to Sebago
Lake, by an independent line without any connec-
tion with the line of the Portland & Rochester
Railroad, or securing direct line to the mouth of
the Ossipee river, as heretofore proposed, which
,aks1 Al n
Railroad Company has rendered it necessary for the
Portland Rutlaud Railroad Company, as q part
of the Transcontinental Railway, to extend their
line from some point the line of the Portland h
Rochester Railroad, or from tho deep waters of
Portland harbor to the State line Of New Hamp-
shire, to give necessary facilities for business;
therefore, Voted, That John A. Poor, H. ]. Libby,
n. c. Rice, Moses Gould, and Samuel Hanson of
Buxton, be committee to confer with the direc-
tors of the Portland Il Rochester Railroad Company
for such connection with, such union of inter
ests as will advantageously and economically Sc
cure a proper terminus in Portland, and proper
connections with railroads east of Portland with
necessary facilities for business said line shall
extend westward, for which ample powers are
granted in the charter Of said company"
Thereupon said committee addressed to the Port
land Rochester Railroad Company the following
communication:
To the President Directors and Company of the Port
tdfth ana hoCHtSfc hdfFodu company
GENTLEMEN At a meeting of the Executive
Committee of the corporators of the Portland and
Rutland Railroad Company, held at Portland on
the 30th day of July, 1869, votes were adopted
looking to a connection with the line of your road
on the part of the Portland and Rutland Railroad
Company, which votes were printed in the news
papers of Portland within day or two thereafter.
certified copy of said votes is herewith enclosed,
as part of this communication.
The subcommittee charged with the duty of
entering into arrangements with your company as
contemplated by said votes, deem it proper to say
that there seems to be every reasonable assurance
that line of railway under one management or BY
corporate union, forming single line, may be ex-
tended from the deep waters of Portland harbor
through the Osspee valley, and by the way of Rut-
land and Oswego to the city of Chicago to be known
as the Portland, Rutland, 0swego and Chicago
Railroad and we enclose you slip published in
the Eastern Argus, under date of Nov 0, 1869,
which gives brief statement of the plans for the
formation of said line.
The Importance of this measure to the city of
Portland and to the State of Maine, you fully
understand, and its value to the Portland and
Rochester Railroad Company. will be equally ap-
parent more especially, if we should make favor
able terms with your company, for a connection at
some point upon its route east of Alfred.
From Buxton Center, our line could run over
most favorable route to the village of Cornish pass
ing the several villages upon the Saco river, where
there is an abundant water power, as yet but
partially developed.
The Portland and Rutland Railroad Company is
authorized by its charter to extend line of rail-
road from some point upon the line of any existing
railway in the counties of Cumberland, York or
Oxford, to the western line of the State, in the
valley of the Great 0ssipee river, looking to line
of through traffic from the West
We deem it advisable that our line should COM |
mence at the deep waters of Portland harbor on
the line Of the Grand Trunk Railway at the east
ern end of Munjoy hill.
In making arrangements with your Company for
the proposed connection, regard it as equally
important to your Company, that the most ample
should be secured by you for the
of business upon tide water as above in
Gated.
To meet your suggestions and come at once to an
or an agreement, wo propose on the
'rganizaton Of our company to locate its line from
'ome point on the line of the Grand Trunk Railway
company, accessible to deep water at the end Of
HunJoy hill, to the line of your present location in
Back Cove thence along side your located line with
-FOUR consent, using as far as may be the existing
'oad bed and right of way ; to point of embranch-
nent, where our line shall take its direction to the
valley of the Great 0sspee as on full survey shall
Dc found advisable, with the right on the part of
The Portland and Rutland Railroad Company, to