The Portland daily press., 1875-08-09
PORTLAND & OGDENSBURG.
History of the Enterprise.
Driving the Last Spike i'm the
Notch.

T.
Driving the Last Spike i'm the
Notch.
The Portland &, Ogdensburg railroad begun
in September, 1869, was completely through
the Notch Saturday, when the last spike was
driven with appropriate ceremonies. The near
completion of this line is of great import
ance to Portland. and we trust introduces us to
increased business prosperity.
The Advantages which the Proposed Line
oGered-Organizntio of the Company.
In the fall of 1866 Mr. Horace Fairbanks of
St. Johnsbury, accompanied by Mr.. Lindsey, a
civil engineer, addressed the board of trade Of
this city on the subject of the construction of a
railroad from Portland to Ogdensburg, extend
ing through the Notch of the White Noun
tains. The case as presented by Mr.. Fairbanks
was this:-A tract of country, one hundred and
seventy miles long by fifty broad, had no rail-
road except at the extreme ends, and at one
to extended from Portland to Northern Lake
Lake Champlain; being bounded on the north
east by the Grand Trunk Railroad, and on the
southwest by several parts of roads parallel to
the Grand Trunk. It's area was $500 square
miles. What railroads there were in the dis
trict gave outlet to but a small portion of it,
and that at trade centre (Boston) compare
lively remote.
The territory of the western or Vermont d.
vision of this proposed line, embraced northern
Vermont, a region distinguished for its fertIl-
ity, rich in minerals in building and ornamen-
tai stones, roofing stones ores, lime, &C., and
also having important water power on the Pas
sumpsic, Moose, Sanville and Missisco rivers.
The territory is also one we'll populated. In
towns contiguous to the line there are $4,000
inhabitants, while in addition "a 315 people on
the Passumpsic Railroad would be attracted to
this line To these should be added several
thousands more on the line of the Vermont
Central, who by the P. & y. route will find
Portland Is miles nearer than Boston.
The valuation of property upon the Vermont
section of the line for the purpose of taxation
is 1921, 100000, while its real value cannot be
less than S55,OOO,OOO. The towns on the Pas
sumpsc Railroad have property amounting to
600.
1t was also surprising freight bea ring
Countrywide sum total, with meagre facilities
for transportation, beings 122, 900 tons year.
The eastern section of the proposed line was
distinguished for its extraordinary facilities for
manufacturing. The Presumpscot in particu-
lar offered facilities unrivalled The privileges
upon the Saco were likewise first class One
half of the territory from Portland to the Con-
necticut river was covered with lumber, so that
the road would open up great enterprise in
this direction On the head waters of the Saco
there were 4O00OO,OO0 feet yet uncut, and be-
tween the White Mountains and the Connec IT,
cut the amount of timber standing was esti-
mated at from 6,OOO,O to 100000 feet.
The towns tributary to the eastern section of
the line, including Portland, had a population
Of 1888, and the real value of their property
was 1874, 100000. The total number of towns
was % in Maine and in New Hampshire.
Beyond the mountains were twelve towns in
New Hampshire with population of 1929,
and property to the amount of SO, 56S 0OO either
lying directly upon this line or connecting with
it by the White Mountain railroad, that would
find their cheapest way to market over this
line.
But the great advantage of the proposed line
to Portland lay in the fact that it opened up a
direct communication with the granaries of the
West. The great object to be attained was to
obtain the shortest and best line of transit for
the products of the immense region of country
drained by the great lakes, to the seaboard
with Portland for it's terminus. 1t was estima-
ted that by the expenditure of 100000 Port
land could successfully compete with New
York and Boston for the prize of the western
trade.
OF course such advantages as this line offer
ed could not fail to attract the attention of the
capitalists of Portland The fall of 1866 was
it is well known, one of deep depression. The
city had been laid in ashes and capitalists
were bending all their energies to rearing again
| the fallen structures. Yet such were the adj
vantages this enterprise promised, that at the
next session of the legislature a charter was
| applied for and obtained, and an act passed to
authorize the city of Portland to loan its credit
| to aid in the construction of the road. This
last act brought the enterprise prominently
before the public, and the matter was canvass.
ed fully in the newspapers The late John A.
| Poor and the late Jabez G. Woodman bott
strongly opposed the road, contending that an
other line, the Portland & Rutland, WAS much
more practicable and would result in greater
advantages to the city. On the 3Oth of April
1867, however. the city voted to loan its credit
| to the road. At the session of the next legis
lature an act was passed authorizing the city
to subscribe to the stock of the road to the
amount Of its lean of credit. This move ex
cited considerable opposition, and the contes
between the advocates of the road and its op
ponents waxed warm, both in newspapers ant
| in public meetings, but the act was carried ani
Portland subscribed for stock to the amount o.
SILL, $780, The two prominent arguments
against the road at that time were the imprac
ticabiity Of the Notch route and the cost
which its opponents predicted would involv,
the city to the extent of $10OOO,0OO at least
The first objection, however, was put out o.
sight by the report of Mr.. Latrobe, engineer Of
the Baltimore s. Ohio road, which confirmed
|
| this route.
The books for subscription to the capita
stock were opened July 30, 1868, and at a meet
ing of the corporators July IS, 1868, it was an
nounced that stock to the amount of $266, 2O(
had been subscribed for by individuals-tht
largest subscribers being Hon. j. B. Brown
who took 200 shares, and the Portland Rolling
Mills and st. John Smith, who took 100 shares
each. At this meeting the company organized
electing Gen. S. j. Anderson President, and
Augustus E Stevens Treasurer and Clerk.
| Subsequently Mr.. John f. Anderson was ap.
| pointed Engineer.
LAYING OUT THE ROUTE.
The Work Of the Engineers.