The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-06-03
Western Division p. & O. Railroad.
WADDINGToN, N. Y, May q, 1872.

To the Editor of the Press:
This town, which we reached at noon on the
25th, lies upon the st. Lawrence river. The
principal village is pictmesquely located upon
the river bank, which here gradually rises to
commanding elevation, and commands a
prospect of this mighty stream with its islands
for long distance. In the afternoon our
party with very large number of citizens of
Waddington, and of Morrisburgh on the Can
ada side, took survey of the stream by
steamboat, crossing to Morrisburgh by the
''Winter Ferry of the St. Lawrence" thence
entering the c,nal which gives passage by the
"Galops" ra2iI, and passing through the
canal to the smooth water above. We then
shot the rapid and returned to Waddington.
This is beyond comparison the most beauti-
full large river ever saw. Its waters puri-
fed by subsidence in the Lakes are of crystal
purity. The immensity of its volume, its
successive archipelogoes of islands, and the
commerce floating upon its bosom aie striking
and interesting features.
At this point theriver nerer freezes. The
little steam ferry-boat has crossed for years
daily, losing scarcely trip from ice, fog or
any other cause. Here is the winter Ferry
of the st. Lawrence. There is no other COM
parable with it as to unobstructedness, from
Montreal to Kingston. The ice from the river
above, in passing over the rapids is broken to
fragments, so that row boat can cross
amongst it. The vast importance of all this
for the purposes of the railroad is apparent.
The Canadian territory across the river is
vast grain-ield. Its product is immense. A
large amount Of the produce crosses the ferry
to Waddington and thence is teamed ten
miles to the ''Old Ogdensburg" road. Much
of it goes by the Grand Trunk. Much of it is
carried up river by steamer to Ogdensburg
and is there shipped by the same line. The
Portland and Ogdensburg road, once opened,
would command great body of freights as
above Cars could cross the river with un-
broken bulk and move on to the seaboard. /
here sdbjoin figures showing part of the
shipments of merchandise from Morrisburgh
in 1870: cows ], ,195, horses 1872, lambs 1921,
sheep 1921, bushels barley Is, 400, lbs. butter
$4,000, eggs, dozen, 526, 900, besides poultry,
grass seed, etc., etc.. to the value of S247, 900.
One firm shipped $4,000 bushels of oats to the
States; 100000 bushels of grain went from
Morrisburg in 1871 via Grand Trunk.
But railroad is to be built to Ottawa di-
rect from Morrisburgh. This will enable the
Portland road to shore in the lumber busi-
ness of that re gion. 1t will connect it with
the great lines building, and to be built from
Ottawa to the interior of the Dominion. A
charter for this road is now procuring from
Parliament, including bridge across the st.
Lawrence at this point. / send you herewith
an article from the Ottawa Citizen, which
gives important information as to this enter
prise. The st. Lawrence can be bridged
here for trifiing expense. Rock-bottomed
shoals, reefs and islands afford cheap and safe
foundations, across the whole breadth of the
river except 500 feet! Across this suspen-
sion bridge can be thrown, or a couple of piers
would afford all necessary mid-river support.
could hardly have believed all this if had
not seen it with my own eyes. Until the
bridge can be built the ferry will afford ample
facilities for freight, carrying over eight cars
at once. Add to these circumstances that a
proper harbor with deep water close in shore,
and never frozen, with the adjacent land of ad-
mirable form for depots and all other convent
ences, and the Importance of this point will
begin to be appreciated.
But further, this is one of the greatest wat
| er powers here on both sides of the river /
ever saw. An island three miles long living
up and down the river and along the course
Of the rapid, is connected by an immense
stone dam, with the WaddingtOn shore, near
the foot OF the channel thus formed, and a
Iall from to 10 feet established. The supply
OF water is all that goes over Niagara, with
large additions! A canal can be run for
mile below the dam, and an indefinite amount
| of machinery driven. This must become
vast manufacturing center in time. Whether
| there is fiffv or a hundred thousand horse
| powers here have not figured up. On the
| Morrisburgh side the "CsnaP serves for a
| fume. and the supply of water is similarly
inexbaustible There are lumber, wood
nulr,. fax, wooden and other mills, but nei-
ther room nor power are sensibly entrenched
upon. There is an unlimited supply of the
best of lime in Waddington. Some of it is of
! such quality as to be proper hydraulic lime.
1t is withal very beautiful building stone
| This towns population is 1900, valuation
perhaps twenty. The railroad meeting Sat
urday evening brought out the voters of the
town in mass The best possible spirit is
shown on all hands. The advantages of the
location are realized, and the determination
is felt to turn them to account. Capt Far
linger of Morrisburgh addressed the meeting,
also w. A. Loucks, ESQ.,, of the same place.
Gov. Hendee, Mr.. Brigham and Gea. Arder'
sen spoke for the VT. q Portland Divisions.
Prospects here are all that could be desired.
w.