Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-03-08

there were several competitors tor the
nomination. but the best OF feeling pre-
vailed, and the result was unanimously
acquiesced in. Mr.. North is too well
known to our citizens 10 require any in
PRODUCTION at our hands. He will be hand
somely elected at the polls and fill the Of
ice with credit to the city and himself.
TIE MAINE CENTRAL OFFICES.
Dispatches announced several days ago
that the offices Of the Maine Central now
located al Augusta were to be removed to
Portland The announcement was not
very startling to those who know the ways
of some Portland people, who with Sam
Weller's hopefulness, if not his jollity, are
forever making that city ridiculous and
hindering its progress by pratng of the
time when it will swallow all down east
and make Boston It's tributary. Most of
us have heard Of TIE great natural sea-
port Many o. Us have recollection OF
The Great Eastern that was to come there,
announced 10 be the greatest event in
Christendom, and especially great and
glorious 10 Portland. because it would es-
tablish forever the natural seaport
theory. We remember that the good ship
failed to make her appearance, that the
pyramids of doughnuts prepared for Tie
occasion grew mouldy and Portland peo
pie were frantic with disappointment. not
SO much at the loss Of the doughnuts as
TO think that the little city of New York
should lie preferred by the mammoth
steamer TO Portland, the only seaport in
the world and great entrepot Tor Her
Majesty's Dominions in North America
and Europe. The blow was humiliating.
New York was not eclipsed, and the day
of expected big things fer Portland was
suddenly postponed.
Then there was the removal Of the Cap
ital Of The State to Portland, SO long agi-
sated, so ardently hoped Tor, SO confidently
anticipated and predicted that the city au-
,horities went to work and erected build
ing for the reception Of the legislature
and State officers The vision Of the re-
moyal OF the Capital faded away, but the
house which they built in consequence was
not OF pasteboard, as the records Of the
Treasury amply show. How many more
schemes they have had for making them
selves the most astonishing city in the
United States, by advertising the wonder
LII ~
ton, in which even Puddle Dock is made
10 smell sweet. and by railroad and other
projects. it would require long time to
recite
Having at last come TO believe that the
great natural seaport" business is not 4
success; that they are not exactly the
geographical or political centre OF the
State; they have now conceived the idea
that they are a great railroad centre, and
this hobby they are riding to death q:
many one before. What a splendid
centre Portland is for the Maine Contra
indeed The road has clean stretch
through the State of l3S miles, Will
branches east and west, and Portland is
the extreme western terminus and never
can be anything else. How the centre OF
this road can be at one end of it is a study
in topography that Darwin may solve af-
ter he has established the relationship Of
the human race to the monkey. The Off
GERS of the road that would maintain such
q proposition would give very good evil
dence by such act that they were not Ca
apology for them woald be that they are
insane on the Portland idea Of centres
and "seaports,H but rational on other mat
tiers. The business Of the road has been
conveniently. economically, faithfully,
ably done at Augusta, since first the road
came into existence. The stockholders
are satisfied with the location Of the Off
ces. The public does not complain The
buildings are here, the officers are settled
here. No remove can be made that wout
not add largely TO the permanent expense
of the company. For this expense there
would be no compcnsatiug advantage
Then again if the Portland papers and the
votes of her representatives in the legis
lature are any test, there is an uniliendll
spirit there to the road. The tiercest op
position to the Maine Central comes from
Portland. In this city and the kennebcC
valley the road has found its tried friend
and ablest defenders There are excep-
tons OF individuals in Portland who have
done splendid service for the road, but
Portland has been its enemy, or newspa-
pers and votes misrepresent public scnti-
ment. To remove the management from
this city to Portland would be removing
it from the house Of its best friends to
that OF its lifelong enemies.
The Offices viii not be removed because
Portland asks them and needs them to
occupy someof her vacant buildings. We
regret that Portland is poor, that business
fails, and her resources are not ample to
prevent the seedy look which many Of the