The Portland daily press., 1889-01-03
THE ROCHESTER EXTENSION.
Hon. George p. Wescott Makes a
Statement In Regard to II.

In the proposed extension Of the Portland e.
Rochester to the Union Station. At the
hearing before the Mayor and Aldermen the
petitioners roughly outlined their plans.
Some objections have since been made, which
we had supposed were fully explained at the
hearing, but as it now seems our plans are
not fully understood we will briefly refer to
some Of them.
II you will examine the map issued by the
company you will readily see that the pro-
posed location does not enter the limits Of
the park (Deering's Oaks and that no tracks
will be laid as near to the Oaks as the present
track Of the Portland & Rochester road near
Green street.
We do not propose TO make, nor will there
be made, freight yard Of any part of this
location. The Maine Central and Boston &
Maine freight will be handled west Of the
Union depot and between it and State street,
while the Portland & Rochester and the
Grand Trunk will handle their freight east
of Green street.
We believe that an increased value of
property comes from increased facilities af-
forded the public to do its business expedi-
tiously and with safety. The construction
of that part of the road between the Union
Station and the connection with the Portland
Il Rochester will bring to Back Cove the
Boston & Maine and the Grand Trunk rail-
roads. At the foot of Preble street CEN
tral passenger station will be erected and
maintained for the joint use of all these
roads and others who desire TO occupy 1t.
This Improvement In contemplation will
give announcement to the owners of proper
ty on Back Cove to fill the flats and further
aid the development Of manufacturing in
Of these flats will add one-eleventh to our
territory, largely increasing the valuation OF
the city, and 1t will also abate permanent
nuisance which is now a perpetual menace
to the health of our citizens.
There are, say, fifty acres Of flats outside,
and about seventy y-six acres inside, the Mar
ginal Way, the ownership inside the Margi-
nal Way being as follows: J. @. Schwartz,
40 50-100ths acres; Gould and Boyd, 2f acres
Moses Gould, II acres; estate Of Daniel
Gould, 1S-1OOths. acre; Portland & Rochester
railroad, II S4-100ths acres; Henry Deering,
l f5-100ths acres; City of Portland, about
71-100ths acres; Adams, Conant aud Geo.
p. Wescott about one acre each. believe
these owners cannot fill their flats, and
know that the Portland & Rochester rail-
road is wholly unable to spend 100000, the
amount required to fill their fats, without
the hope of being able to obtain the assist
ance Of outside corporations, who will oceu-
py them after being filed, and unless better
facilities are afforded to manufacturers on
Back Cove, these flats would not be used If
filed. Therefore, the filing Of the flats Is
dependent upon the facilities to be afforded
for their occupancy.
with the Portland q Rochester will be spe-
clally benefited by its construction. but, Ike
all good citizens, they are Interested In the
development Of our oity and In all that per
tains 10 its welfare.
Rochester crosses at grade the following
streets: Green, Brattle. Paris, Hanover,
Alder, Preble, Elm, Cedar, Chestnut, Myr-
tie, Wilm0t and Franklin. The operation OF
trains across these streets In doing its busi-
ness Is a source Of constant danger to the
lives OF our citizens who have to 90 out and
come In to the north side Of our city, as well
as great detrlment to the value OF all prop
erty South Of Kennebec street This con
templated improvement, when made, Will IN
time enable the Portland X Rochester %
abandon its present location and thereafter
operate all its business beyond these cross
ings. With the exception Of Green street,
no grade crossings will be then made be-
tween the Union Station and the Grand
Trunk road. This Of itself should be- Of
sufficient Importance to the city Of Portland
for it to give its unanimous consent to the
proposed location.
The area of the flats to be filed, between
the 0akes and the land of the Deerlng heirs
and between Grove street and the Portland
& Rochester track, exceeds eight acres. BE
fore this area can be filed a sewer must
be constructed from Grove street
to Green street. At the pres
sent time these flats receive the deposit
Of all the sewerage from the settlements
west Of Weymouth street, and public nnis-
ance now exists in the Mill Pond. The rap
i'd increase of population on this territory
will soon compel the city TO make this i'm
improvement. The Portland & Rochester,
in constructing its track TO the Union Sta
tion, would have from sixteen to twenty
thousand yards Of surplus material which
could be utilized in filling the flats OF the
Park. and the filling could be done in this
manner much more cheaply than In any 9TH
er way.
We have been asked II we had made any
proposition to the city, having in view the
filling Of those flats in connection with the
extension to the Union Station.
We have not done so, because the negotia-
tions have not reached a point where this
can be considered. We now ask for l0ca-
ton. When this Is granted and the loca-
tion is made, the railroad must pay for the
land covered by it. To obtain the land we
should make application 70 the city 70 put
city farm. At this point the question Of the
value of this strip, together with the queS-
tiOn of damages, will be considered. The
city and the corporation may then make
such stipulation and agreement In regard IN
the material TO be removed from this loca-
ton In connection with the question Of dam
aScs, nc they deem F.adiant-
The question Is also asked, how win Grove
street be affected by the proposed crossing?
Grove street Will be an under grade cross
ing The company will raise the sag at the
foot Of the hill four or five feet, then grade
the hill 10 cover the bridge, and thereby
greatly improve the grade Of Grove street.
The trains for distance Of from four to five
hundred feet east Of Grove street would be
entirely 0bscured from view in passing
through the deep cut.
GEo. p. WEscoTT.