The Portland daily press., 1883-09-28
PORTLAND 8 oGDENsBURG.
Informal Meeting of the City
Council Last Evening.
The City Council Informally Votes in
Favor of Entering Upon Negotiations.


The adjourned informal meeting of the City
1 Council in reference to possible sale or lease
of the Portland & Ogdensburg railroad to the
Canadian Pacific Company, was held last
evening.
| In calling the meeting together the Mayor
| stated the object of the session and said he
would like to have full and free expression
| of opinion on the part of the members.
| Mr.. Putnam was then called upon and stated
| that he had received letter from the attorney
| of the Canadian. Pacific R. R., who said that
| officers OF the road would come here next week
| if all matters were favorable. Since the last
| meeting he had sent to the attorney of the
road the conditions he had submitted to the
last meeting of the Council, and had received
| a letter stating that they were correct. Mr.
Putnam said he had seen most of the holders
of the bonds, and had received options on the
bonds. The report that the Canadian Pacific
did not want to buy the road was not correct.
They do want to buy it, but he thought the
city could better protect itself by leasing the
road than by selling it outright. The COM
| pany will bay all outstanding bonds and
| would like to buy the citys interests He also
| stated he should ask for committee to be
| appointed at the next regular meeting of the
| City Council to confer directly with the officers
of the road on their visit here.
| A general discussion followed Mr.. Putnam's
| opening remarks. There was, of course, indi-
vidual views expressed as to details, provided
| a sale or lease of the road should be made, but
| the general sentiment was in favor Of negotia-
| tions for such a purpose. In answer to a ques-
| ton as to whether there was any opposition as
| to making Portland the terminus of the road
| Mr.. Putnam said he knew uf no orga nized OPP
position, but has heard rumor that there was
some movement to that effect. II the Grand
Trunk did not have this city now as its ter mi
nus, Boston would make such an effort that
that city would probably obtain the terminus.
| The question here to-day is whether the Cana
dian Pacific shall make this their line and
their terminus. How we'll based the rumor
mentioned is. he had no Knowledge. The gen
| tlemen who control the New Hampshire lines
| do net let their movements be known, as the
! city mas to in this matter. The first that is
known is when matters have been consummat-
| ed.
Mr.. Putnam being asked if the Canadian
Pacific had any connection at Montreal SO that
steamers take their freights there now, replied
that he did not know any details about the
matter He had the impression that the road
had rights and ran its trains to the water front,
30 that freights could be easily transferred to
| steamers.
In reply to some inquiries whether the Ca
madam Pacific would use Portland as a termi-
nus all the year round, Mr.. Putnam said
neither the Canadian Pacific nor the Grand
Trunk can control tue shipment of grain. 1t
is question of terminal facilities. If we had
more lines running into Portland and better
facilities for handling grain we should secure
continual line of steamers. We are just like
Baltimore. Under the Garrett system that
city has been largely built up but they cannot
ship any more grain there than we can here.
1t will 20 to New York, or Montreal or else
where. Boston has Dot the natural facilities
for shipping that we have, but they have a
steady line of steamers as a result of the COM
peting lines of railroads.
On motion of Mr. Gallagher an inform al
vote was taken to see il the Council was in
| favor of negotiating with any road for the sale
or lease of the Portland and Ogdensburg. The
vote was unanimous in favor of the same.
The meeting then adjourned with the un-
derstanding that large committee on negotia-
tions should be appointed at the regular meet
ing Monday.