The Portland daily press., 1872-03-19

Number of entries 8; defaults I; con5inuances Q.
CITY Affairs.
A joint meeting of both branches was held
last evening.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
The following communication from the Di-
rectors of the Portland and Ogdensburg railroad
was read ID ordered on file:
PORTLAND & OGDENsBURG r. r. Co.
Portland, March II, 1872 !
TO the Mayor and Aldermen Of the City of
Portland. 't- ~ to --E i ---
GENTLEMEN:-At the organization of the
Portland * Ogdensburg Railroad, nine gentle
men were selected as directors of said Company
who have twice since been re-elect ed. They
were supposed to be gentlemen of fair standing
i'll this community as business men and men of
integrity They believe that they have labored
faithfully for the benefit of the stockholders
and interests of the city. They felt that an
honor had been conferred upon them in the
great trust reposed, and they hoped to receive
the commentator of their fellow citizens as
the best and only reward of their labor.
To save the trade of Northwestern Maine
and of the towns in New Hampshire adjoining
from being carried off to Boston by the Great
Falls & Conway Railroad, they used the avail
able means of the Company and its credit, by
the issue of bonds, to complete the road to
North Conway. A committee of the directors
visited Boston, New York, Hartford, and tried
brokers, bankers, insurance companies and saw
ings banks, and finally disposed of the bonds
in snch manner as realized to the Company
more than could be obtained from any other
source. Having exhausted the means at their
disposal, they recommended the adoption of
the only plan by which the road can be built
Immediately the columns of two of our daily
papers were used by anonymous correspondents,
who, not content with the declarations of the
inability of our merchants to compete with the
Boston merchants, thereby cheapening our own
city and discouraging the country trade from
testing our market before purchasing else
where, finally resorted to insinuations if not di-
rect accusations against the integrity of the di-
rectors
Now, Mr.. Mayor and Aldermen, the charac-
ter of these directors and the estimation in
which they are held by their own townsmen, is
as important to them as it ought to be to every
right-minded man. They see the city anguish
ing for want of business; land unoccupied, rents
decreasing, mechanics out of employment and
they honestly believe that the opening of this
road, which will bring the trade of New Hamp-
shire and Vermont, and will connect us with
northern New York and the vast railway in
terests now developing in Canada, will do more
for us than the Atlantic & St. Lawrence rail-
road did. The engineers of the company have
surveyed the route through the Notch, measur
ed the earth and rock-cuttings, the fills and
masonry and have the plan and profile at the
office, subject to inspection by engineer or con-
tractor. 1t is believed that the road can be
built within the amount estimated therefor;
that the road, when built, will earn sufficient to
pay the interest on the whole amount of in
debtedness, and provide for sinking fund that
will provide for the bonds at their maturity;
that the city will never be called on to pay
cent of the principal or interest on these bonds,
either during the construction or after the road
is built that the road can and will provide for
the payment of such interest Immediately upon
the issue of the bonds; that the rate of taxes of
the city will not be increased, but on the COR
trary, by the influx of new business an impetus
will be given to every branch OF trade requiring
large stocks of merchandise, new stores and
buildings to be built, lumber and other freight
to be landed and stored, thereby furnishing EN-
ployment to our mechanics and workingmen;
thus creating additional property to assess the
taxes upon, and in that way to reduce the pres
ent rate of taxation.
Believing this, the directors have simply done
their duty in presenting to the citizens, the
stockholders of this road the only plan which
in their Judgment will accomplish these results;
and the responsibility now rests upon you, in
common with all the voters of this city, to con-
struct the connecting link of fifty miles, which
will unite Portland to the railway system of
Canada, TO the waters of the great lakes and
the Northern Pacific Railroad, and to Oswego,
Rochester, New York, Toledo and Chicago by
an independent line, by which through time
freights can be effected at all seasons of the
year; or to abandon the whole enterprise, with
sixty of the one hundred and ten miles already
built and on your hands. But they do claim
one thing, as an act of right and justice, which
is that having freely given their time and best
endeavors, with no sinister interests, with no
pecuniary benefits, their integrity should not
be questioned, their characters assailed, their
regulations furnished by false or reckless state
ments or insinuatiOns. The directors therefore
ask you, as the legally constituted guardians of
the stock owned by the city, to choose COM
mittee who shall critically and thoroughly ex-
anime the books of the company, their receipts
and expenditures, cost of construction and ope-
rating expenses, all trades and contracts, wheth-
er in purchases of iron and other materials, or
eys, and report the result of such investigation
to your Board
tSigned,)
Samuel j. Anderson, John E. Donnell, An
drew Spring. Frederick G. Messer, Wm. Deer
ing, William L. Putnam, Horatio N. Jose, ID.
r. Hastings, Directors.
Petition of Thomas Marley ct ais, for sew
er on Washington street, from Congress to
Gould, was referred to the Committee ON Sew
ers, when said committee is appointed.
The Mayor nominated for City Marshal,
Charles Clark On motion of Aid. Corey the
nomination was laid on the table until next
meeting. The mayor stated that the nomina-
ton of deputies and policemen would be defer
red as it was necessary to consult with the Mar
shall, when appointed, in relation to the matter
The Mayor nominated the members of the
Joint Standing Committees on the part of the
Board, which the Council subsequently joined
and the committees are as follows:
JOINT COMMITTEES. .
be- On Accounts-Alderman Corey; Cauncilmen Samp-
son and Small.
On Finance-The Mayor Aldermen Josselyn and
York; Councimen Davies, Rich of Ward and
Dewey.
yxY:.o iii W
Councilmen Clement, Brunei and Greeley
On Streets-Aldermen Corey and Littlefeld Coun-
cilmen Samrson, Clark and Yeaton,
On Laying out New Streets-The Mayor, Alder
men King and Mccarthy; Councimen Rich of Ward
3, Newhan and Randall
On Public Buildings-The Mayor and Alderman
Josselyn; Councilmen Kimbal, Randall and Cox
On Judiciary-The Mayor, Aldermen King and
Mccarthy; Councimen Daveis, Barrett and Perry.
On Public Observation-Disclosures King; Couucil-
men Foster Barrett and Yeaton.
On Cemeteries and Public Grounds-Alderman
King; Councimen Clement, Daves and Rich Of
Ward
On Engrossed Bills-Alderman Mccarthy; Coun-
cilmen Clark, Thurston and Rich of Ward g.
On Bells and Saskatchewan Josseyln; Coun-
cilmen Kimball, Small and Rich of Ward 3.
On Street Lamps-Alderman Littlefeld; Council
men Newball, Perry and Gill.
On Salaries-Aldermen Corey, King and Littlefed
Councilmen Brunei, Cox and Dewey.
On Water and Observation-Disclosures Winship and
York; Councilmen Clement, Gill and Greeley.
On Harbor-Aldermen Josseyn and York; Coun
cilmen Perry, Thurston and Yeaton.
The Mayor made the following nominations
which were confirmed:
Special Policemen without pay-Charles A
Beaie and Benjamin c. Miles.
Undertakers and special Policemen withou
pay-Edwin H. Ripley, Louis Bunce, William
A Stillings, Henry S. Bennett, Mark Wiggin
James Jordan, Dennis Tobin, James P. Skill
in. Jacob Quinby, Andrew j. Rich, James NJ
Currier, s. C. Rundlett, Charles H. Lunt, Joe
w. Merrill, Edward N. Bates, Hugh Carney.
The bonds of Cyrus Novel;, City Auditor
VIM H. Bigelow, keeper of Powder Magazine
and Alonzo H. Libby, City Constable. were re
ceived and approved.
Notice of hearing was ordered on the side
walk assessments for the past year.
Petitions presented and referred-Of Props
If Franklin Wharf for leave to lay track t
connect with that of the Grand Trunk road-t
Committee on Streets with power; of Edwar
r Ramsay for compensation for injuries re
ceived: of Allen Haines for leave to operate
steam engine in the brick bloch on the corne
of Middle and Church street-notlce ordered; c
e. d. Niles, to be appointed lamp-lighter
The following scale of prices was adopted. &c
licenses for the fiscal year 1928, yiz:-Circu'
es and shows under tents, $40 per diem; negr
minstrels, sleight of hand, feats of agility, ba
ancing. ETC., Except local associations, whlc
by CONSENT of the Mayor shall exhibit free y
per night each; theatres 81 per night; and
shall be the d,;ty of the Marshal to see tina