The Portland daily press., 1888-11-15
GRANTED A HEARING.
Special Meeting OF the Board Of
mayor and Aldermen.
The Matter OF Locating the Portland
q Rochester Track Considered.
The Nearing Postponed After Dis
cussIon Until Next Week.

There was a special meeting of the Board
OF Mayor and Aldermen yesterday afternoon
for the purpose Of granting hearing to all
persons interested In the location Of branch
track Of the Portland & Rochester railroad.
connecting 1t with the Maine Central track
at point near the Union Station. Before
granting the hearing the following petitions
were acted upon:
OF Littlefeld & Co.. for permission to erect
new wooden building at "a Wateryile
street. Referred
OF John w. Psllitt to maintain pool Ia
pie at 152 Commercial street. Granted, sub
leet TO the approval Of the City Marshal.
vi William Carter for permission to put In
OF Isaiah Webb for permission to erect a
STAPLE ns IN the jail yard; Granted.
vi Il. M. Lovejoy * Son TO erect a new
wooden building. Referred.
The papers appointing q guardian over
an insane person were signed, and James
Vickory, Dana Tuttle, A. johnson and
James Hitler were appointed special police-
men without pay.
Alderman Tukesbury introduced an order
that the City Marshal remove the wooden
building now in process Of construction in
the rear Of Machigonne engine house. Mr..
Tukesbury said the erection Of such a build
ing within the fire limits was In direct vio-
lenee OF the city ordinances, and he moved
that the order be given passage. The mo-
tion was not seconded and so no action was
taken.
The Mayor then stated that the meeting
was called chiefly to consider the matter
OF locating track connecting the Portland
& Rochester Railroad with the Union sta
ton. City Clerk Burgess read the pc
tition OF the railroad company. in which the
company asked permission TO extend a
branch Of their road to the main track of the
Maine Central Railroad near the Union Sta
tion. The petition was signed for the COM
pany by Mr.. Wescott, president of the road.
Mr.. Wescott, who was present to represent
the Portland & Rochester railroad, was called
upon by the Mayor to state more fully to the
Board what the railroad company desire.
Mr.. Weseott said I'm regard to the loca-
tion which Is asked by the Portland & Roch-
ester to extend Its tracks to the Union Sta
ton, have prepared a map, showing where
1t Is. IL starts from point In the old mill
pond, GOO feet from Green street, and 1t Is
proposed to have it strike the main track Of
the Maine Central railroad near the Union
Station. Two acts passed the legislature
last winter, authorizing the Portland & Roch-
ester railroad company to extend their track
to the Maine Central. The extension start
ing would be 100 feet In Portland, then about
1900 feet In Deering, and the balance would
De some 100 feet In the city OF Portland.
What we ask Is that the city give us permis-
sion TO locate our track within the city lin
rs. The track will be 1900 feet within the
u a aWrTAu ~ - FHa
Will run on the old road-oed for the first 600
feet 1T viii cross Grove street In a cut some
IL 70 IA feet deep; II will pass Is feet north
OF the pest house In a cut p feet deep; IL
WIN 90 over 81, John street 50 as TO be on
level with the Maine Central track" In re-
ply TO Q. question, Mr.. Wescott said that the
grade OF Grove street would not be changed
He also stated that all land expenses would
De paid by the railroad company, and that
made OF iron with stone abutments.
MI. Edward 4. Chase In behalf Of the
Overseers Of the Poor said: "We are here 10
look after the interests Of the poor house.
we think the location Of a track across the
farm Is going TO be great injury to the .ity's
property. II win injure the lot not only as
farm but as proposed site for fine resi-
dences. We are here to see II IL Is for the
interest Of the city TO have that track put
tnrongh there. The track viii come upon
the farm on a curve with a twenty foot cut.
Inc question comes up, are we to be paid
for the real damage that the layIng ont Of
the track would cause? That tract Of land
is one OF the prettiest inside Of Portland, and
the time Is not far distant when 1t will bring
high price and we need the money. AS an
Individual and a taxpayer / am opposed TO
having the track pass through there, because
II Is too near Deering's Oaks which we are
beginning 70 pride ourselves on / am op-
posed to u because 1t crosses Grove street
and that Is street over which women and
children like to drive inlgOlng out of town In
order 70 avoid railroad tracks. The taxpay-
ers OF Portland have done enough for the
Portland q Rochester railroad already"
Judge Symonds, who appeared Tor Mr..
Henry Deering, said: This Is a matter that
clearly affects the citizens Of Portland. the
city and certain private individuals. This is
fuller notice so that all parties Interested
may be represented at the hearing. 1t will
be remembered that when this act was
passed by the legislature there was consider
anle interest ielt and some ground Of opposi-
tion,taken. 1t was felt that it was rather differ
ent than 1t formerly would have been 10 ex-
tend track In the proposed location. In
the first place the track would have 10 90
through the park which Is becoming favor
i.e resort m ana should be free from smoke
property. 80 when the act was passed IL
was especially providedithat.the laying out Of
the track should be subject to the written
approval OF this board. 1t should be made
this track before further action Is taken.
The first question for this board to consider
Is as TO the necessity Of this road. The Maine
Central can be reached, by way. Of Wood
fords. 1t seems to us that IL this road was
to be built aroundit should be built ON the
low land. Where 1t crosses Mr.. Deering's
land 1t does unnecessary damage, What Is
a nne site for houses and fine outlook from
the park deep cut Is to be made. On the
east side OF Grove street, think Ii does un-
necessary damage 10 private property. /
don't think any very general notice Of this
hearing has been received by interested par
ties, and don't think the matter would
suffer by a little delay"
MIR. Deering stated that he knew of a per-
son who was much interested but who was
unable 10 be present.
Mr.. Hobbs thought that the board had
better adjourn and a more general notice
given Of another hearing on the matter
MIR. Wesc0tt said I'VE are willing To
adopt any location better than the one de-
cided upon that Mr.. Deering or the Over
seers OF the Poor can point out to us. We
propose TO make development OF Back Bay
by means Of this road. We are here asking
for what will be for the interest Of the city, I
believe that II the Maine Central road, the
Boston u Maine and the Grand Trunk will
join with the Rochester In this enterprise.
All these roads but the Grand Trunk have
appointed committees TO look into this
matter OF laying out the proposed track. We
are here to ask what Is fair and reasonable.
Alderman Hobbs moved that the hearing
be postponed until Thursday evening at 100
p. m, November p. The motion was car
ried and adjournment was called.