The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-09

a.
and would not In any wise interfere with the
passenger business Of the Maine Central: in
deed. II would be but the completion Of
through belt line encircling the city OF Port
land ana offering all the facilities for freight
and passenger business which might be
expected from such line enclosing
such compactly built city as Port
land. Such line when completed
would relieve Commercial street from the
interruption caused by passenger trains run
ming TO and fro during business hours and
leave timetor receiving and delivering mer-
ehandise without delay. The danger 10 life by
the running OF trains Is quite as great on
commercial street as y can be anywhere else
and that would be relieved as far as passen-
ger trains are concerned. IL anything should
happen 10 the present passenger station Of
the Crank Trunk. or II the time should come
when the management should desire TO re-
the suggestion which i have made would
have much greater weight, because II might
De made an object 10 the Grand Trunk 70
unite In station upon Back Bay, instead OF
rebuilding and re-mOdeling their own; but Of
tnls matter cannot speak with any author
ity. Upon the general question Of the expe-
diency Of granting this petition. as a citizen.
nave, In common with all other citizens.
definite views. do not think. however. that
1t is necessary for me TO bring my personal
preferences and wishes into the discussion.
simply come here TO represent the Grand
Trunk railway and to say that its manage
ment desires that those facilities which are
alike for its advantage and for the future de-
yelopment and growth Of the city where lt
has made its Atlantic terminus may be grant
ed. think that there Is little doubt that
even II you deny this petition, the time will
come when II must be granted. | think the
delay In granting Il will be to the detriment
Oh the business Interests and the growth and
prosperity Of the city.
Mr.. THAxrER's SPEECH.
Mr.. s. w. Thaxter said he could not see
any present necessity for building this short
piece Of road; that the business part Of the
city would not get any compensating advan-
tages for the great destruction Of city prop
ertY that would ensue by going through the
city farm. He left out Of the question the
matter Of the Park. The Portland 4 R0ch-
ester say they require IL to facilitate the In
terehange Of freight. and the manufacturers
on Back Bay say that they regard Il as
very important matter 10 them. There Is
not foot OF railroad iron In the city Of Port
land that Is not now accessible 10 the Port
land q Rochester railroad. There II n0g
rod ON Back Bay but that any raw material
for manufacture at that point can be laid
down at the door OF the manufacturer at the
present time. III this short piece Of road Is
built, can they get any more than they are
getting now? To be sure, the Portland 4
Rochester and the Grand Trunk charge
small sum for moving cars from one station
around to another, but. are they going g ex-
pend one hundred thousand dollars there
Mr.. Thaxter did not think that there
would be any large increase In the value OF
property on BaeklBay. Manufactures have
been built on Commercial street, and have
given up the ghost. Within the last Is years
he had seen large depreciation In the value
OF real estate on Commercial street III any
manufacturer wants 10 come 10 the city Of
Portland he can be accommodated upon the
haroor side. where there Is plenty Of room.
lie did not think there was any prospect Of
property on Back Bay being enhanced By the
building Of this piece Of road.
As to the Canadian Pacific road building
terminal facilities here, or az Fish Point. he
regarded that as a m0uldy chestnut. We
have got the Canadian Pacific railroad here
now as mucn as We shall ever have It.
MIR. FoBEs's SPEECH.
Mr.. Chas. 5. Fobes said he had not dollar
Of interest in this matter; be didn't own a
foot of land that would be benefited or In
iured by the building Of the extension. The
only reason he said anything was beca use it
had been stated that II was singular that no
business man had a word TO say al these
hearings. He said that he y~as a friand ~
the railroads; there never has been time
when any railroad has asked anything Of the
city that he had not done everything he
could for them, and II he felt tonight that
the granting Of this petition was for the in
against 1t. But. looking at it simply as
business matter. balancing the advantages TO
the city upon the one side with the disadVan-
tages upon the other, he thought the latter
great disfavor upon the proposition to sell
the city farm as whole. He was willing
. that the part where the buildings are should
be sold, but he believed that the city had
future before It,, and that this territory,
which Is now vacant, will before many years
be wanted as an extension for the Park. It
will not be many years before we should he
willing to give not only $4,000 but $3.50, 600
to have that same territory as part of the
general park PARK; IL Applause II this extsn-
stroyed. This is the only direction In which
the city can grow. Suppose IL was proposed
to start a railroad, which should run between
Congress and Spring streets, cutting through
High, Park, State, Brackett and Clark streets
| would that improve adjacent property On
| the contrary, would not Il materially injure
distance?
When the road was first conceived, under
| the name Of the York Il Cumberland, q Vas
| with the idea that it should be through line
| to the West, cutting out Boston. When Il be-
| came the Portland 4 Rochester II was with
| the same idea. When the Portland 4 Ogdens-
| burg road was built II was with the same
| idea, that II was 10 be an additional line %
| the West. and we we're TO be independent Of
| Boston. Now, after we have loaned our
credit, built the Marginal Way, put In our
money and lost it. the road comes aud asks
property, causing this damage and great loss,
and on what ground? Why, 70 connect u
with Boston. Applause and laughter
There Is another weighty thing in my
mind. III rumor Is correct. the directors Of
the Portland IS Rochester road are net unani-
nous In the opinion that this extension IS
| required.
Mr.. Putnam-That Is not correct some Of
the directors doubt whether II IS for the in-
terest Of the Portland d Rochester railroad
Mr.. William X. Wood. said that he had
heard one of the directors OF the Rochester
road say that he was not in favor Of the
| Portland X Rochester extension.
Mr. Henry Deering said that two 0f the
directors had told him that, personally. they
| were not In favor Of this extension.
Mr.. Il. +. Chase said that he called upon
| one Of the directors and asked him 20 sign a
| remOnstrance, but that that director had said
| that although he was In sympathy with the
| remOnstrants. 1t would not look well for hun
u sign Il unless he resigned bis position as a
| director.
Some one asked the names Of the diree-
| tors
Mr.. Fobes said that he did net feel war
ranted in giving the names as the statements
had been made to him In private way. He
would suggest that the board ask each one
OF the directors Of the road whether they are
personally In favor OF the extension Of the
hOdus as tlLlLtnS OF IOftldnd. ana thgn. IL
any member Of the board thinks he, Mr.
| Fobes, had mlsrepresented them he would
| be glad to withdraw the statement In as pub
| lie manner as he had made IT, Applause. ]
Mr.. Putnam said that he did not consider
! II OF the slightest consequence whether two
/ or more OF the directors favored the scheme
/ or not The only question 10 be deterniued
is, whether or not il Is for the interest OF the
! city Of Portland? He had said himself
( when IL was first proposed. that IL was too
/ large job u be now undertaken by the
/ Portland 4 Rochester railroad, buL while
\ that was his opinion In regard % the rail-
/ road, he did think II was for the Interest Of
I the City Of Portland, and that they would
J jump at the chance 10 have this gap hlled AZ
I the expense Of the road.
In reply TO Alderman Galley, Mr.. Putnam
said that instead Of its being the desire on
! the part Of Back Cove 10 reachkoSton, IL Is
the desire Of Boston 20 reach Back Cove.
JUDGE sYMoNDs's SPEECH.
Judge Symonds then addressed the Board
at some length, going over much Of the same
ground that he went over at the former
hearing. He addressed himself strongly IA
the question whether the petition should b.
granted at the present time. A decision. said
ne, adverse 10 the petitioners can be changs !
az any time hereafter, when the petitioners
snow that there Is necessity for II, but. II
the petition Is once granted and the location
CONTINUED ON FOURTH PAeE.l