The Portland daily press., 1872-04-24

A WORD FOR PoKTLAND.-The Boston Com
mercial Bulletin under this head has the follow
ing appreciative notice of Portland as a future
manufacturing centre: Z. E.1' ~
The energy displayed by the Portland Board
Of Manufactures has been before commented
upon in these columns. They are at present
especially directing their efforts to secure the
conversion of Browns Sugar House, in that
city, into steam cotton mill. There are also
many reasons for believing that in this they
will be successful.
The facilities that Portland can offer to such
a manufacturing enterprise for moving freight
by railroad and water are invaluable and un-
surpassed by any city ON the Eastern coast
Sixty-five railroed trains leave and enter the
city daily. Steamers leave daily for Boston
and semi-weekly for New York. The fine har-
Dor of Portland has long since attracted ship
ping interests to that city, and the cotton mill
would find unlimited freight accommodation to
all the ports OF the country. Portland has also
weekly and semi-weekly trans-ocean steamships
for six months of the year, and it is the centre
of the coasting shipping interests of Maine, be-
sides possessing quick and easy communication
with the British Provinces. -f-faaFls t
1t has now sites adapted for mills and other
manufacturing establishments ranging upon its
shore line, extending for five miles of harbor of
harbor front, having depth of water from ten
to thirty feet, and enabling vessels to discharge
alongside the factory. This is an item unpos-
sessed by inland manufacturing cities One of
the largest expenditures of cotton mill to be
run by steam would consist of the cost of coal
to produce the power. This would be much re-
duced by the facility offered of discharging the
same directly on the wharf of mill -
In the matter of water, Portland is equally
favored. The water of Sebago Lake is a source
of supply inexhaustible, and withal pure, hav-
ing been shown by analysis to make close APP
proach to absolute purity. The Water Com
pany OF Portland guarantee a supply from this
source lat rate not exceeding that Of the
most favored localities in the country"
The English steamers to Portland bring skill
ed labor at almost every passage. There is also
generally, as at present, large surplus of UNI
employed labor in the city. Food is readily OBJ
tanned from the interior of the State, the Can
adas and the West, and the cost of living is
rather below the average of New Engla nd
cities As city Portland can offer to the resi-
dent, clean and well drained streets, public in
situations OF a high order, beautiful suburbs and
climate that has caused that city to be fav-
orite summer resort of tourists t4i
Much more could be said in favor of this city
being entitled to attract manufacturers. 1t has
city government devoted, not to their own
private gains, bul to the prosperity of the city,
and their action in freeing the capital of manu-
featuring establishments from taxgtion is a fair
illustrat on of the liberal views they hold The
Board of Manufactures has already secured
from them substantial a support, and when a
good opportunity is presented we shall no
doubt see the city's purse strings loosened fur
Their. -. q f1 k-sf
The Secretary of the Boards, w. w. Thomas,
Jr., the Swedish emigration commissioner,
a gentleman whose experience and ability rem.
der his services in that position peculiarly val
liable. All communications addressed to him
ON the manufacturing question will receive the
most courteous and prompt attention.