The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-17
A New Rival.


Mr. Ep1roR:-There has recently been a
new railroad combination in Boston which has
attracted special attention in New York as be-
ing hostile to the commercial interests of the
latter city. Reference is made to the New
York and New England railroad which has
now passed under the control of Jay Gould.
Russell Sage and other large operators. The
purpose is to make that trunk line to the
west, in connection with others under the
same management, and to make Boston the
ontlet for its business Those who are familiar
with Boston are aware that the terminal facili-
ties for ocean commerce of the road referred to
are on large scale and have been obtained
and constructed with view to make them
equal to if not superior to any on the Atlantic
coast. II this movement has excited interest
not to saw alarm in New York, Portland can
not be Indifferent to it.
Both Baltimore and Philadelphia have had
tho benefit of railroad connection with the
west under single management, and IN those
cities the handspring of the efforts OF the
managers has been to make their respective
ports the great and commanding outlets for
her products. This has furnished an immense
business at those points and seemed an I'M
portant advance and prestige which we in the
east have been slow to observe. New YORK,
however, has heretofore been the great ship
ping port of the country, though watching
with eagle eye rivals south OF her. Now Bos-
ton threatens her on the north, for altnougn
the Boston and Albany has done very large
western business and has excellent terminal
facilities at East Boston it has been dependent
on the New York Central for its trunk, and
the latter is a grand artery whose outlet Is az
New York city and naturally carrying freight
along It's whole line instead of allowing 1t to be
| switched off at Albany to reach tide water at
! Boston.
Portland has enjoyed the benefit of o trunk
| line to the far west under one management,
and in this particular has heretofore had tne
| advantage of Boston. But while sucn mas
| been the fact, to ordinary observers 1t seems
| strange and somewhat unaccountable that the
| Grand Trunk has sent large amount OF busl-
| ness to Boston over the Vermont Central IN
stead of bringing its freight over the whole
length of its line, constructed for that purpose
/ and laying it down here. The only explana
ton of this suggested is, the lack Of proper
| terminal facilities here, and the advantage
which Boston has over US of being a port o.
large importations which furnish business 1ol
lines going west in excess of what comes Z
Portland Be this as it may it is both un
natural and undesirable that business which
ought to come over the eutire length OF tht
Grand Trunk should be switched off to Boston
and if there is any practical remedy for IL tns
same should be applied SO as to make thlS
port what nature intended, the principal out
let on the Atlantic coast. Our local advantage
have often been pointed out but these seem t.
have been quite slow of appreciation. Ii
point of nearness to Liverpool. ease OF access =
our harbor in all weather, depth of water ant
cap city, port charges, and facilities for DIS
patch in the handling of freight, out position
is unmatched, aud unless violence is done Y
the natural course of things, and apparent;
TO the interest of our railroads stretching OF
TO the west those ought to command the sltua
ton and distance all rivalry. There is n
ground for apprehension that the scheme 0