The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-03-25
[For The Press.]
Boston & Maine 4 xteusiOu,


Mr.. EDIToE-As one of the Business men of
Portland, belonging to no railroad interest or
clique, nor owning dollar of railroad stock in
any road west of Portland, | feel in a condition
to speak with frankness and freedom of the B.
& M. extension, over which l had the pleasure
of business excursion, back and FORTH during
h present week. / improved the opportunity
for my own self satisfaction, to inspect every
rod of the new line-its bed, superstructure,
culverts, bridges, public road crossings, arched
rivers, and not emitting way depots; and with
some lutte knowledge of railroads and then
appointments in New England, l hesitate not
to challenge every railroad company in New
England, who have foIty-fonr miles of railroad
line, to name the equal of this forty -four miles
of extension, in its length of straight lines in
miles, in the comparative number of crossings
of public roads, that are over and under
the grade of such roads, in the lneal feet of
iron bridges, in the lineal feet of granite GOV
cred arch spans of rivers, with no sign
of bridgeway to the traveller, and in the miles
of low grade.
L. all these most important appointments of
railroad. pronounce this forty-fOur miles of
extension unequaled in New England.
Coming to the material elements of the road,
no road surpasses this extension, SO far as / am
a competent and disinterested judge. More
than seven-eighths of the line is upon natural
gravel and coarse sand foundation, with ample
SUNNY of "the same Sort for external repairs,
near by.
fnere are miles and miles of straight lines
from four to seven miles in length, and with
such road bed, every joint of rails clasped by
connecting outside JOINT, bolted to the track
iron, making it continuous, and grades, none
exceeding twenty-nlne feet to the mile, IN
either direction the run may be made at the
rate of sixty miles per hour, with perfect safe
ty. What New England road of like length
can claim this?
The iron bridges; of which say there are
more linear feet than upon any other forty four
miles in New Euglond are of the most approx
ed models, and tested by rule rendering them
equal to sir times the strain that ever practical
~ will be put upon them. Can any road in
New England beat this? If so, let it be de-
scrbed.
The way station houses are all amply spacious
and in good taste-ornamental and creditable to
the towns in VIII Oh they are located.
And what is pleasing to all the population
along the line of the road, no litigation about
right of way, cattle and cart cross ings, farms,
gravel and borrowing pits, &C., &c, the incl
dents of all railroads, remains to be adjusted.
The railroad company has wisely. prudenty
and amicably arranged all these so that no out
groupings of local and personal hostilities re-
main to rankle in the minds of the AUDITORS,
or to endanger the safety of travellers from
malicious tends. The company has pal. lib
orally and freely to accomplish all this; has
submitted to many unjust and unconscionable
exactions with grace, although sensible of the
injustice done them, bat for the sake of peace
and quetude, and for the public safety
Mr. Editor, l could write column more on
this tour of iacognito inspection, but your pa
thence is not equal to my supply of matters,
and so conclude with saying, that if Portland
don't give due credit and paying sympathy to
the liberality and enterprise of the B. & NJ. R.
corporation, they mistake their interest, and
lack in the attributes OF righteous judgment.
PROGRESS.