The Portland daily press., 1882-07-01
CITY GOVERN MENT.
Special Meeting of the Board of Alder
men.

A special meeting of the Board of Aldermen
was held last evening to hear the petitioners
in the matter of extending the Horse Railroad
to Custom House wharf and along Commercial
street to India. Previous to taking up this
question the following business was transacted:
Messrs. Chase and Dean petitioned for per-
mission to erect two wooden buildings on
Pumpkin Knob Island and J. P. Hutchinson
for one on North street. The petitions we're
referred
T. G. Somerville was appointed and con-
frmed special policeman without pay at Cush-
ing's Island
E. M. Ross was granted an innholder's
license.
The bonds of A. M. Smith and Geo. Alexan-
der, fish inspectors, were approved.
The Mayor read the following petition:
The undersigned, representing Custom
House Wharf Corporation, respectfully repre-
sent that the wash from the city sewer which
discharges into the dock at the head OF said
wharf, has so filed up said dock as to material
ly lessen the depth of water therein, thereby
greatly damaging said wharf property. We
respectfully request that the accumulated de-
post from said sewer be removed, and that
measures be adopted to prevent the rei1lllng OF
said docks, from the same cause thereafter.
JOHN LYNCH, PRESIDENT,
PELEG BARKER, Secretary and Treasurer.
Custom Heuse Wharf Corpotlon.
The petition was referred to the committee
on health without discussion.
HORSE RAILROAD.
The Mayor then read a petition from the
directors of the Portland Horse Railroad that
they be granted permission to extend their
track on Pearl street from Middle to CONNER
a.,l oIO al 10
India to the present terminus. 1t was accom-
panied by several petitions, numerousy
signed by business men, asking that the petit
ton be granted. He then said the question
was open for discussion.
Hon. John Lynch spoke in favor of the petit
ton. He said it was signed by the largest tax
payers and business men of the city, the most
of whom he had seen personally. There is al
most unanimous expression in favor OF 1t all
over the city. There are but few objections
that can be raised and those can be easily over
come. The directors of the railroad are not
pushing the matter, but they want to show to
those who have been calling for improvements
that they are willing to do their part Ii the
city pursues HarrowcourSe 1t CANNOT De ex-
pected that they will be otherwise than con-
versative in matters of the kind that come up
in the future.
Mr. j. L, Farmer gave his reasons for not
signing the petition. He thought 1t would IN
lure the flour trade, as the running OF the cars
would interfere with the unloading OF the
fonr Also with both the seam car and horse
car tracks there would not be much room for
public travel The street would have to be
widened iu the future.
Mr.. Lynch answered that the -four dealers
had all signed the petition, and the largest tax
payers of the city, who ought to be capable of
looking after their own interests quite as well
as Mr.. Farmer, had signed the petition. This
objection was purely imaginary one, there
was to be no increase of taxation. Ii there
was to be- none would be quicker to discover it
than such men as S. e. Spring, Philip Henry
Brown Fl. N. Jose and other signers OF the Pc
tition.
Alderman Gould asked what the truckmen
said in regard to the matter. He also thought
there were more signers from the west OF Com
mercialsstrset than from the east, where the
TT ack was coming.
Mr. LYNCH said he had not asked the truck
men, as it did not occur to him. If they could
stand the skids, &c. across the way they surely
could the track. There were more signers
from the west than from the east because there
were more of them.
Mr.. Wheeler, President of the Railroad
Company, said the reason they wanted to go
along Commercial streetsinstead of stopping at
the Custom House was that it was heavy
grade down Pearl street, and they would be
obliged TO put on tow horse and put IN
turn-table. By the other route they could go
up India street and avoid this grade.
Alderman Thurston moved that the prayer
of the petitioners be granted.
Alderman Tukesbury hoped the vote would
not PASS He wanted time to look into the
matter. o4;..o,
laid over until the people understood 1t.
The motion was not seconded and Alder
man Thurston moved that the matter be, re-
ferred to the Mayor and committee of two to
examine and report upon it at the next meet
ing
and Gould were appointed the committee.