The Portland daily press., 1871-06-27
The Oswego Railroad.


A line OF railway from Portland to Oswego
in extension of the Rutland line, was deter
mined upon some time ago, and convention
at Osweso in October 1869, gave shape and
form to the plan, contemplating through
line and common interest, by the most d.
rect route, from Oswego to Portland.
Surveys of the route followed, and it was
not till October 1870, that they were so far
completed as to justify commencement OF
the work. The line in Maine was located in
1870, and arrangements made for uniting the
different sections under the Name charter,
apd the New England and Oswego railroad,
organized at Glen's Falls on the Goth of
March 1871.
No sooner was this accomplished, than a
new Convention was called at Oswego for the
14th of June 1871, of those friendly to di-
rect line to Boston, by the way of the Hoosac
Tunnel.
The Boston Daily Advertiser of the goth
published an elaborate report of its proceed
ings-evidently prepared under the eye of Mr..
E. H. Derby OF Boston, who was President of
the Convention, and chairman of the COM
mittee on resolutions, and the only person
present from New England, with the excep-
ton of Mr.. Croker OF the Fitchburg road,
who put in an appearance at a late hour in
the convention.
The report in helBoston Daily AdUertiser,
is rose colored throughout, and declares that
Mr.. Derby's speech, twas listened to through
~, ot@1 I'll
profound impression" fr..-
Mr.. Derby's speech more in detail, and their
report is in striking contrast with that in the
Daily Advertiser. According to the Osw ego
papers Mr.. Derby said, Massachusetts seeks
a connection with the Lakes. Our ambitious
neighbor, an offshoot of Massachusetts, the
State of Maine has been here and would
Jump over us, and claim the hand of the
BRIDE"
"The route to Europe is by the way OF Bos-
ton, Portland is too far North. =
We think the true route from Portland, west,
is by Massachusetts, let her come into the
Tunnel line" &C., &c. Nothing of this sort
however, appears in the Advertiser.
Mr.. Derby was allowed to have his own
way, as none of the prominent gentlemen
from Massachusetts, who were advertised to
be present, put in any appearance. Gov. Olaf
lin, ex-Gov. Bullock. Gen. B. F. Butler, and
the long list OF great men advertised to be
present, did not appear, though some of them
wrote letters explaining their absence.
The Boston Daily Advertiser in summing
up the proceedings says the route which
seemed most popular at the meeting "com-
mences on the Midland railway, A miles
from Oswego, and runs by Rome, Trenton
Falls, Gloversville, BallstOn Spa and SaratO-
or m no
line"
Gen. Batcheller of Saratoga said: "This is
convention for road from Oswego to the
Hoosac Tunnel; it has nothing tot do with
the Portland road; that road has had hear
ing, and is resting on its merits Since 1869,
he had been an advocate of the Oswego and
Boston route, without compromise with the
Portland line"
Several of the citizens of Portland attended
the Saratoga convention in 1869, and heard
the earnest appeal of Gen. BatcheIler in favor
of bringing the Portland line from Oswego by
way of Saratoga, but the evidence against his
route, known as the "middle route" was so
strong that he failed to make any impression
on the minds of the commissioners, and the
route then decided on was the one afterwards
surveyed, by way of Boonville, Piseco Lake
and Glen's Falls, over which route the New
England & Oswego railroad has since been
located.
The Boston & Oswego line received the ap-
proval OF every one present of the late con-
ventlon, because, as Hon. Gerritt Smith said,
they wanted to connect Oswego, or to use his
own language, he "would be happy to see Os
wego married (by rail- to Boston, Portland
and New York, and if Boston can show more
advantages than Portland, she shall have the
highest place among her husbands"
Hon. Gilbert Mollison, in reply to a call to
speak for Oswego, said he had been identified
with the Oswego and New England line,
while Mr.. Fost had been interested in the
Boston route. He did not feel prepared to
talk on the. Boston and Oswego line, though
he was warm friend to the road, but want
ed to see both in operation.
The movement of our Boston friends, in
opposition to the New England and Oswego
Railroad is precisely similar to that adopted
in opposition to the Portland and Montreal
railroad, after that line had been agreed upon
by Montreal and Portland people, Failing to
change the policy of Montreal, they started
new line to the st. Lawrence as rival, tie. :
minating at Ogdensburg
Mr.. Bently of Boonville said he did not be-
lieve in going into the Mohawk Valley "where
the New York Central would gobble up the
road" but with that exception the convention
was unanimous in the opinion that Boston
capital might choose its own route, and build
its own line by any route it chose from Bes-
ton to Oswego. But it is well known to all
practical men that there is no middle route
between the Mohawk and Sacondoga rivers
The New England and Oswego railroad oc.
cupies the valley of the Sacondoga, the most
direct line from Oswego to Boston, and will
gladly welcome the support of Boston capital
to aid the building of the road by this route
from Oswego to the Hudson river at Luze1ne
or Glen's Falls, the direct route to Boston
and to Portland.