The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-20
The srackett Street Scheme.
10 the Editor of the Press:

To the EDITOR OF the Press:
have read series of articles in your
paper in opposition to the discontinuance of
The unused end Of Brackett street, and was
led by them to look with some doubt on the
proposition.
/ had supposed that it was proposed to re-
linquish the foot path leading up the steep
flight of steps which affords way from Com
mercial street the foot of Brackett street at
the end OF the bluff, and in my opinion they
ought to be retained for the benefit Of such
as find ii convenient to climb them.
But from your report Of the hearing be-
fore the committee Saturday afternoon it ap-
pears that such was not the intention on the
forever not only the width of those steps,
eight feet, but a strip 123 feet wide from
Commercial street TO the present end Of
Bracket street at the top of the bluff, pro-
vided the city will discontinue the remain
ing 371 feet of the 30 feet in dispute. at
least so / understand the report as published.
/ further gather that the whole area is in
controversy in the Supreme Court; that Mr.
Lane has sued The city for 1t, that he claims
that the extension was never legally effected,
that il it was, 1t was never laid out, within
the time required by law. that at the very
most only eight feet has ever been occupied I;
that he never had any notice or knowledge
of the proceedings, which were effected in
his absence, that he never received dollars
compensation for the land taken or for some
v
the city, and has been refused all redress for
35 years.
L do not observe that any of those state
ments were questioned by any Of the par
ties or lawyers who opposed the discontinue
ance before the committee, except as to the
legality Of the proceedings for the extension
Of the street in 1853. And as TO that, 1t
would seem from the statement OF the City
Solicitor that very grave doubts exist as to
the lawfulness of the city's action and its
rts.lA 49, ..kfk
IL such Is the fact, it strikes me that the
part of wisdom, as well as equity, would be
to save Ole-quarter part OF the cOntrOverted
land rather than to lose the whole, especially
IL that quarter is really the only part which
can ever be made available to the city; and
If, as seems to be conceded ON all hands, the
city never paid anything for its right of way,
or for the gravel which 1t has used. III the
city can settle law suit by securing, with
out cost or expense, all OF mans land,
which ever was or ever can be Of any value
to it, which it never paid for, and which it is
to say the least, doubtful that 1t can hold in
any other way, in my judgment it would not
be bad arrangement for the city to make.
notice, however, that the Boston & Maine
railroad intimates that it will claim damages
of the city If it should discontinue any part
of this extension of Bracket street. This,
l confess, strikes me rather comically, for
never heard of any traffic to and from the
track of that corporation from Commercial
street, over tnat extension OF Brackett street
except Of strictly spiritual nature. With
a regular station few rods farther east, ac-
cessible for teams of all descriptions from
that same Commercial street, it is inconceiv-
able that there is any occasion for a private
entrance to their track at the end of Brack-
EFT street, except for a class of freight which
IL is undesirable to deliver from public de-
pot.
But the thing which interests me as tax
payer of Portland, is the scheme unfolded
by the selectmen of Cape Elizabeth and Mr..
and which has been shadowed forth in sew
eTal communications to the PRESS, namely,
new bridge from the end Of the abutment
at the foot OF Brackett stree, on a direct line
Of nearly one thousand feet TO the draw Of
Portland bridge This new scheme for the
hTst time distinctly bIoached contemplates a
descent Of nearly fifty feet IN a straight line,
being at least grade Of one in twenty, or
five feet TO the hundred. | have made some