The Portland daily press., 1883-10-10
PORTLAND 8 oGDENsBURe.
Meeting of the Special Committee
and Canadian Pacific officials.
The Canadians not yet Ready to
Make Proposition.

room at o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The mayor called the meeting to order and
stated the purpose for which the committee
had assembled.
Hon. W. L. Putnam then arose and said he
desired to ask the committee to adjourn until
7.3O in the evening. He said he had consult
ed with the Messrs. Cleayes, who represented
other parties who proposed to make a proposi-
ton for the city's interest in the Portland &
ogdensburg, and they had agreed to the post
ponement
1t was accordingly voted to postpone the
meeting to 1880 o'clock p. m.
EVENING SESSION.
The special meeting of the committee of the
City Council to receive proposals for the sale or
lease of the Portland & OgdensbuYg railroad,
adjourned from ihreelo'clock yesterdsyssssafter-
noon met at 7.30 last evening. The meet
ing was called to order by the mayor who in
troduced Mr.. George Stephen, president OF the
Canadian Pacific. Mr.. Stephen said:
Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen-T hardly ex-
pected 10 be called upon to make a speech
when came here tonight, and am afraid you
Will be disappointed If you expected anything
of the kind. However, as we are here; it is
proper that we should give you some idea OF
let me thank you for the courtesies we have
received since we have been here. We have
had very pleasant day, and have seen great
deal more of Portland than have ever seen
before. [ have been here several times before,
bat only just passing through the city, and
knew but very little about it. ] see what q
magnificent harbor you nave, and what splen-
did facilities you have for becoming great
Atlantic port, and will confess you have a
fine outlook.
IL.
Railway has been at work for three years
Three years ago we made contract with the
Canadian to build q line of railway from Mon
treal to the Pacific Ocean, a distance of about
$500 miles, and we have progressed SO far that
[ think / am safe in saying that within two
years, or two more working seasons the road
will be complete, and q main line connecting
with the Pacific Railway at Montreal to the
Pacific Ocean will be complete.
In addition to that we shall have by Janu-
airy or February of this coming year line of
railway from Montreal to Chicago connecting
at st. Louis with the Canadian Railway, Civ
ing us through road from Montreal to Chica-
go. That brings us under the control Of the
Canadian Railway and from the Pacific ocean
to Montreal, a line from Chicago; and it is not
unnatural, having reached Montreal, land as
you are we'll aware, Montreal being only six
months port,) we should be looking to the ques-
ton OF reaching the Atlantic, and it is not UNI
natural that our eyes should be cast upon the
to accomplish our object will depend little
upon yourselves. We think ,as said before that
Portland has great capacity in that respect and
may say for my colleagues and myself we are
anxious to do all we can to endeavor to get
foothold here. What the advantages, direct or
indirect of our coming here you are as able to
foresee as l am. 1t is with that object in view
that we are here tonight. And in wandering
about to-day, General Anderson has been good
enough to show us all there was to be seen Of
the harbor-and there were a great many things
turned up that we did not fully appreciate or
fully comprehend before, or at all events, we
had not the same comprehension of the situa-
ton that we have now; and as the question is
a very important one to the Canadian Pacific
Railway we cannot afford to make any mis-
take, and wish to say now that we want to
take little more time to consider this Ques-
ton to see what offer we can put in, what
offer we can make for your road that would be
most acceptable to you and to the company
which represent. I say this because notice
by the paper to-day that there was some idea
that we should make an offer, or that this
meeting was to receive offers tonight. wish
to say now that we want to consider that a
little more than we have had an opportunity of
doing.
do not know, Mr. Mayor, that there is any
thing more that can say about the matter. If
there is any question about the company that
any gentleman would like to ask me, would
be glad TO answer, and give any information /
can, only would like to take this opportunity
to impress upon this meeting that I
doubt whether it would be possible for us to
succeed with our purpose OF getting here un-
less with the hearty cooperation of the people
of Portland, and by that do not mean the
question of property | do not know that there
is anything more / can say.
Mr. Putnam said: / have consulted with
Mr., Gleayes. who sits --hy ~saes.assa,h,ebl ss4
the committee when they adjourn to adjourn
subject to the call of the chairman
Mr.. Cleaves said: In justice to your Honor
and the members OF the committee, would
say that we represent in this matter Hon.
George Z. Wescott, who is well known to the
| citizens of Portland, and while we did not
anticipate any further delay would be asked,
still, as my brother says, We do not object
The Mayor said: This meeting was called
| py vote OF the committee, requesting all
parties who wished to propose for the city,s
interest IN this property to make their PROPOSE
tlous this evening, and also to state who the
parties were they represented Mr.. Stephen
Is mere to answer for himself and for his road
and Mr.. Cleaves for Mr.. Wescott and others
Ii there are any other parties who have any
proposition to lay before the committee, we
wonld be glad to hear them If there are any
questions which any member of the committee
desire to ask Mr.. Stephen, he will be glad to
all the information he can.
Alderman Emery-Mr. Abbott from Mon
treal, of the Canadian Pacific, is here, and we
should be very glad to hear from him in regard
TO this matter.
Mr. Abbott-My friend, the president. has
stated exactly what we desired should be stated
and do not know that / can add ANYTHING to
1t, except that l hope you and the COMMITTEES
will understand that we shall give the matter
the most serious consideration possible, in
order to present by and by when the proper
time arises, business-like proposition. which
we hope will be acceptable to the city, and one
which the city will have confidence in seeing
carried out.
must also second what my friend, the
president, says with repect to the reception
given us here. Most OF us have seen Portland
before, but never under such pleasant and
auspicouS occasion as today. We have had
the pleasure OF not only passing through the
town but have seen il from end to end. 1
must express my qualification at seeing your
beautiful town, its beautiful roads and ave-
nues OF trees, something we are not able to
raise in our country at the north. All that we
are denied. am sure the citizens of Port.
land can congratulate themselves on their
beautiful harbor, and have no doubt it will
reach the position which it ought to hold, one
OF the largest and most prosperous seaports on
the Atlantic coast. (Applsuse.)
Mayor Deering- For the information of the
committee will sag that the parties in New
York who have been writing the city in re-
gard to the Portland and Ogdensburg railroad
property, sent messenger here on SATURDAY.,
He left Saturday evening to return to New
YORK. lie was given all the information
Soulu give uilus aHu bUuay lucy 86ub the fOl-
lowing telegram: I'VE are ready to meet the
Council when you are ready to name q price
for your property, and make a prompt settler
ment of this question" That is the telegram.
and that is all there is of it.
Mr.. Stephen-It has just occurred to me that
| have forgotten point which ] would not
have forgotten, that of seeing letter in to-
days paper from my friend, General WASH
burn of Minneapolis. l will now simply say
that we have about completed a branch
line of the Canadian Pacific, that is now With
in eighty miles of Sault Ste. Marie, the point
General Washburn contemplates, and we
have undertaken to build these eighty miles
and reach the sea as soon as they are ready to
meet US. We have engaged to meet them at
Sault Ste. Marie, and when that connection is
made, it does not require very fertile imagi-
nation to see what is going to be the effect on
the poris at the Atlantic, receiving -four from
Minneapolis in enormous quantities. If we
can manage to get the -four manufactured at
Minneapolis shipped to Portland you will have
a very busy harbor.
Alderman MARI would like to ask the
gentleman the condition of this road from Min
neapois to Sault ST. Marie. Is it merely CON-
templated, or under process of construction?
Mr.. Stephen-I know nothing about it, ex-
cept what have heard from General WASH
burn All the Minneapolis millers, / under
stand, and st. Paul people are interesting
themselves in 1t. General Washburn says
they are certain to build it. That is all / know