The Portland daily press., 1879-12-17

In Saturday mornings issue we published
an interview between Sir Hugh Allan and a
Halifax reporter in which Sir Hugh expressed
the opinion that Halifax never could be the
winter port of Canada until her business men
bestirred themselves and afforded proper facili-
ties. Yesterday we mentioned that Mr.. Alex
ander, SO long agent of the Cunard Line of
steamers at Boston, had made arrangements
for splendid line of steamers which would
possibly run to Boston during the next year
from London.
1t will possibly be remembered that couple
of years ago Mr.. Alexander visited Portland,
and expressed the opinion that all Portland
required to make it leading shipping port for
Europe was terminal facilities. AS soon as
these were provided Portland would have no
difficulty about securing steamers. Her loca-
ton, her fine harbor her railway facilities for
loading and unloading, her low tonnage
charges, her absence of port charges, all these
were in her favor.
The prime requisite then to make Portland
what she should be is terminal facilities.
That is, sufficient wharf room, such as is en-
loved by the Grand Trunk, an elevator to hold
the grain, and tracks so arranged that the cars
can run right to the vessels. We are author
lied in this statement that combinations are
forming which, if carried out-and there now
appears no reason why they should not be
will afford all those facilities and utilize the
valuable Dry Dock property and surroundings,
some forty acres in extent.
1t is known fact that the productions of
or western States are increasing tremendously
yearly. 1t is fact that more business in ship
ping cargoes of grain, meats, and fine cattle is
going on from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New
York and Boston than ever before.
The other day gentleman Of large wealth
and deeply interested in the railroad business of
our Western States, as well as Canada, visited
Portland and saw the advantages Portland
possesses, as Mr.. Alexander did before him.
He also sees that the foreign trade Of this
country is still in its infancy; that the o nited
States, and especially the west, has got to be-
come the great feeder of large portion OF
Europe. 1t is reported that the gentleman is
one of the moving spirits in the new combina-
ton. At all events the intention of the
interested parties is to transform the
Dry Dock property into wharves, stor-
age sheds, and a grand junction for
the Boston & Maine Eastern, and Portland
and Ogdensburg railroads, with tracks to run
along the wharves which it is proposed to con-
struct there. An elevator will also form
part of the scheme, not a storage elevator like
that of the Grand Trunk, but an elevator
which will take this grain right from the cars
and transfer it at once to the steamer or sail
ing vessel. The plan proposes that vessel
shall come to this port, go into Dry Dock if
necessary, undergo repairs at once, pass out of
the dock to this elevator, commence loading at
7 a. m. and at 6 p. m. have received her whole
cargo, and be ready to sail the next day, the
cars of the Boston & Maine, Eastern, and Og-
donsburg furnishing the grain and the cattle
the latter being marched aboard the vessels as
they arrive or temporarily deposited in COM
Portable sheds close at hand. With present ia
cilities so many vessels could not load fast
enough at the Grand Trunk elevator, as that
road would have about all she could do to take
care of her own trade. A fast line of freight
steamers will then run regularly between this
port and Europe, and, as Mr.. Alexander said,
Portland will have no trouble in getting all
the steamers she needs The scheme is
grand one and we trust, from the character of
the men interested in this combination, will
be fully carried out. They are business men,
not chimerical spectators, and have it in their
power to carry out this plan in all its details.
With the Grand Trunk facilities and those Of
the new company, Portland could compete
with any port.
We also learn that there is a plan on foot,
by the Union Wharf corporation, to construct
an elevator on that wharf, which will accom-
modate some 100000 bushels grain-the Grand
Trunk contains 100000 bushels. The accom-
modations for vessels at this wharf are excel
lent, there is a sufficient depth Of water. and
the elevator at present prices Of lumber could
be built for about $4,000 This matter, how
ever, is entirely in embryo and nothing def
mite is decided on.