The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-23

Oh wards i, 2, 3, 4 and TO take trains OF the
several railroads at the Grand Trunk rail-
way junction and at the foot of Preble street
In addition to the new Union station. If
man In the lower wards Is going to Boston
ne can take his train at the Grand Trunk, at
the foot OF Preble street or at the Union
depoL II ne Is going to Canada by the way
stations.
Second--It will afford means for the deyel-
opment OF all Of that part of our city living
between Green street and Tukey's bridge,
wnlch Is ABOUT one-thirteenth Of the entire
territory OF the city Of Portland, there be-
Ing no less than 124 acres now covered by
water, which when filled will afford am Die
accommodations for the extension Of manu-
factures within our city limits; to fill each
acre OF these hats VIII cost in labor double
the present value Of any acre of the city
farm, and after once filled its value will CON
tinue to increase for the purposes Of taxation
more rapidly than the land Of the city farm
when covered by residences. The amount
of money required 10 construct this extension
and to fill these flats is very large, far beyond
the ability Of the Portland q Rochester to
perform without the assistance Of other rail-
road corporations who will aid them in its
development II the petition Of the Portland
IL Rochester railroad Il granted.
Third-The principal arguments advanced
for the aid extended by the city to the Port
land q Ogdensburg railroad were
that we should be able to increase
the export business of our city,
inducing foreign lines Of steamships to come
here seeking its business. Again. when the
Canadian Pacific came here TO negotiate for
its purchase, low price for the property was
made on the ground that 1t would bring 9TH
er lines of steamers 10 Portland to transport
the great business which was destined to
come here. More recently the same argu-
ment was used for the sale Of this road to
the Maine Central railroad, and 1t was be-
lleyed that the Maine Central, being a corpo-
rstion with unlimited credit. would be able
TO- furnish terminal facilities, includi ng
wharves, docks, elevators, etc. Now, IL these
arguments have any force, and IL the expect
ations OF our citizens are 10 be realized, the
traffic from this road, II any comes for ex-
port must lpass over the track connecting
the Maine Central and Boston & Maine rail-
roads. near the Union Station, with tide wa
ter outside Of the Grand Trunk railway
bridge, near Curtis's ship yard, which is the
only available place in Portland for the econ
omical construction Of such terminal facili-
ties as must be afforded to induce lines Of
steamships to come TO this port. This Is the
plan which was recommended by commits
sion appointed by our city In 1867, OF which
our esteemed fellow citizens, the late George
+. Shepley and Judge Nathan Webb were
members. Included In that commission was
some of the best engineering talent in the
country, and, as result, they located that as
the only available place in Portland harbor
for terminal and dock facilities
OAAapo oohO AnoJ odJ tuC odlut bCutLuc
has been talked Of on the Cape Elizabeth
side, and why may 1t not be done on the
Portland side? l will tell you. A gentle
man who has had great experience In excava-
ton and dredging says that the material in the
front harbor Is very hard while in the Back
Cove IL is soft, the proportion being about
three to one, and In an estimate made on
this matter an expert says that for $4,000 he
Will dredge to the walls proposed here, Civ
ing ~ feet OF water, which on the front side
could not be done for 100000.
Now 1t is no swindle for corporation TO
come here and ask for location when they
are willing to pay all the money 10 costs The
value OF the City Farm, II 1t was to be sold
tomorrow, would not be over SAT, goo; that Is
$1,000 an acre. Perhaps 1t might be worth
$500 an acre. have been dealing in real
estate around that farm for about three
years and l certainly could have Sought all
the territory around there on a basis nearly
as low as that.
led the railroads TO ask for this location. In
my judgement 1t Is an imperative necessity
sooner or later. believe that whatever ac-
ti0n this board may take at this time, it Is
sure to come In the future.
REMARKS OF MR.. II. II. BURGESS.
Mr.. ii. FL. Burgess, Of Burgess, Fobes &
Co., said that he represented the board Of
overseers Of the poor who have in charge
this lot Of land belonging to the city. That
board have, during the past eight or ten
years, filed in the low part Of the land as
they were able, intending that by and by
that the house should be torn down and the
land sold. and the proceeds go towards the
purchase Of other real estate In some other
locality for the purpose OF a poor farm. He
desired that whoever should have the benefit
OF the land should realize as much money as
possible. He thought that If this road ran
through there it would occasion a great
shrinkage in the value Of the city property.
REMARKS OF JUDGE sYMoNDs.
Judge Symonds then addressed the board
in behalf of some of the remonstrances,
speaking substantially as follows:
do not wish to trespass too much upon
your time and patience; and have already
stated, in outline, the grounds Of my opposi-
tion to the location which Is here proposed
to be made. shall endeavor TO confne my
self strictly to the questions involved in this
controversy, and shall state more in detail
the reasons why l think the location should
not be granted. You all remember that two
years ago, when legislation was going on at
ter railroad and the new Union station, these
acts were very carefully guarded so that the
extension OF the Portland Il Rochester road
westerly to the Union Station should be sub
In the e act establishing the new ' Union Union
station 1t was so provided
and In the special act which granted the
Portland & Rochester authority to make the
western extension, the same provision was
inserted. This was done because 1t was felt
that other interests were involved, other
great improvements, and that 1t was thing
which should be subject to municipal con-
troll, and might necessarily be subject to mu-
nieipal restraint or prohibition. So the
question now comes directly under these
acts whether case has been made out or
not such as to induce this board In the exer-
else of its discretion and JUDGMENT to give its
consent to this location. This Is question
now to be considered with reference to
the existing state Of things. This Is not
question whether hereafter occasion may
arise for the location of road to connect
the flats In Back Cove and the Union Sta
tion. The question Is whether 1t Is necessa-
ry now, whether such public interests are in
volved, whether there Is such a public exi-
gency as justifes an interference with pri-
vate rights and heavy pecuniary loss to the
city for the purpose of making that connec-
tion now. Now ! say that the burden rests
heavily upon these petitioners to satisfy this
board that on grounds Of public
expedieney and promotion Of the pub
lie interests, it Is imperative now
for that location to be made. or else the con-
sent should not be granted. 1t Is not suffi-
cient to show that hereafter system of inn
provements may be inaugurated that will re-
quire such location TO be made, but the
question Is whether in the present situation,
In view OF the existing facts at Back Cove
and the present facilities which the railroads
have, there Is now an emergency which re-
quires this sacrifice to be made. Notwith-
standing what has been said here this eve
ming, / must still consider this petition as
largely confined to the action of the Portland
q Rochester railroad. The President Of
tnat road has read a letter from an official of
the Grand Trunk in which he says that he
hopes the location will be granted, and II 1t |
Is granted, he will be willing to talk with
him with reference to some possible use Of
it by the Grand Trunk. Are we to author
ize such a location TO be made and fixed
against such objection as exists to this loca-
ton on the score Of promoting the interests
OF the Grand frank when all the Grand
Trunk says Is that they will talk about
some possible use Of II after the location has
been made? We have n D petition from the
Boston Il Maine that indicates that
they are TO use it. or that they want
1t. We have letter from
the president Of the Boston & Maine In
which he says he hopes the petition will be
granted l submit that it Is not such action
as you would have had from other railroads
IL there had been general concurrence and
agreement among them, and they were
about to start upon a system OF large i'm
proyement for the purpose OF developing
Back Bay. We have absolute silence from
the Maine Central railroad. Am not right,
then, in saying that the petition is substan-
TALLY the petition Of the Portland & Roches-
ter railroad? The city Of Portland has not
dealt with the Portland q Rochester road 10
any niggardly spirit In reference to the de-