The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-19
The Portland q Rochester Location.

Senator from New York.
The Portland & Rochester Location.
The matter of the extension Of the Portland
q Rochester railroad around the city to the
Union passenger station is very important
one, and it is altogether fortunate that no ac-
ton was taken at the meeting of the Board of
Aldermen at which the subject was present.
ed last week. A decision at that time would
have had the appearance of snap Judgment,
and whatever its character large number of
our citizens would have felt. and with good
reason. that they had been denied an op-
portunity to express their views ON matter
that may affect them very seriously either
directly or indirectly The aldermen were
quite right then In postponing their de-
cision, and giving an opportunity for all who
desire to be heard
The plan as explained by Mr.. Wescott is
obviously an advantageous one to the Port
land & Rochester railroad. 1t gives that
road short and easy route to the Union
passenger station. Is it as obviously adj
Mntageous TO the citizens of Portland. for
when the legislature decreed that the loca-
tion of the proposed extension of the road
should be subject to the approval of the
Board Of Mayor and Aldermen it evidently
foresaw that the interests OF the Portland &
Rochester Railroad Company and the in
tercsts Of the people of Portland in this mat
ter might not be Identical, and practically
declared that In case of a conflict the
interests Of the former should control? Ii
the answer to this question be in the
affirmative then nothing remains for the
aldermen but to approve the location as
explained by Mr.. Wescott. The correct
ness Of such an answer is not univer-
sally admitted however. On the contrary
there is likely to be very strenuous in
sistence at the hearing next Thursday eve
ming that such an answer is incorrect, and
the exact reverse of what 1t should be.
The aldermen are the final judges. There
may be no danger that they will make any
mistake as to the exact question which the
legislature has submitted to them, and yet
itmay not be amiss to call attention to it.
Practically what the legislature did was to
authorize the Portland & Rochester railroad
to locate its proposed extension within the
city limits, provided such location was not
inimlcal to the interests Of the city Of Port
land, and Of this the Board Of Mayor and
Aldermen were made the judges. The sole
question for tho Board to settle then is
whether or not on the whole the proposed
location is in conflict with that interest.
How much advantage to the Portland
& Rochester permission to establish the
proposed location will be or bow much dis
advantage to that company refusal of such
permission will be Is none of the Board Of
Aldermon's concern. 1t is their business to
look after the interests of the city and not Of
the railroad.
tits practically admitted that the propos-
ed location will be detrimental to the pai k
which the city has spent good deal of mon
ey on, and on which It proposes to spend
good deal more. 1t is practically admitted
too, that 1t will spoil one of the most eligible
lots In the city for private residences. II is
admitted. too, that 1t win make less safe and
convenient for travel one OF the most i'm
portant thoroughfares leading out of the city
to the northwest Nobody will contend that
1t Is for the interest Of the city to have any
of these things done. 1t is obviously disad-
vantagcous to have tract Of land owned by
the city which is now, or soon will be, in
great demand for house lots, and which will
therefore command high price, rendered
utterly worthless for the purpose which
gives 1t its value, by running railroad
track through it, It is obviously, also, dis
advantageous to have railroad running so
near pablic park as to make the
park unsafe for some Of the pur-
fo~ xxrhf Al< \
and unpleasant for others. 1t is OBJ
vionsly disadvantageous, too, to have a rail-
road running through an important street,
whether at grade, below grade or above
grade. The location Of the Portland &
Rochester. as proposed, will certainly pro-
duce all these disadvantages. 1t is, there
fore, plainly the duty of the aldermen to re-
ject it. unless 1t will bring advantages
which more than compensate for
these disadvantages. Are any such advant-
ages promised? So far as we have observed,
the only advantage offered is more expedi-
tious transit between Back Cove and the
Union Passenger Station. 1t is not pretend
ed that the route proposed is the only posi-
BILE route between the two points. The OBJ.
jectiye point can be reached by the way Of
Commercial street, by way of Woodford's
Corner, or by. way of the existing
road bed. But passengers and freight
can get round little quicker by the propos-
ed route. There may be some other advant-
ages. but this is the only one we have heard
OF. Assuming this to be the only one. it is
for the aldermen to judge whether it is sufi-
cient to compensate for the destruction Of a
valuable lot and the serious injury Of a public
park and much travelled street. Wewould
not be understood as intimating that the
saving Of time and distance is of little conse.
quence. 1t may be Of SO great consequence
as to justify very great sacrifices to obtain it
The sacrifices involved in this case may be
justifable. That, however, remains to be
demonstrated, and until it is demonstrated the
aldermen ought to 60 slow. Let us have {
| full discussion of the matter.