The Portland daily press., 1890-02-20
"reminiscences OF A GREAT PROJECT.
[ooNrrNuEp FROM FIRST pAaE.l

with that prince of stage drivers, Water
house, whose tandem team cut through the
drifts higher than the horses backs. He sent
out 'videltes" to break the path and before
O'Clock we bad reached Wardwelps. Din
per was quickly done, and, with his cousin,
Jere Wardwell, we put forward for Andover,
the region of sn0w-drifts and north-westers
All along the way we turned out the wi
dettes." two, three and four at time, who
hitched to and dragged us through the drifts
to Andover Corner. Mr.. Purington was
soon ready for the Surplus. and two young
men volunteered to break the path on horse
back. Without this, progress would have been
impossible IN the dark. At the Surplus, six
miles from Andover, we got change of
horses, and Mr.. Wallace Abbott OF Andover
continued to pilot us through the woods.
Capt Brown, who had been In readiness the
day before. was soon on the ground at B. l
dispatched Mr.. Grove across II miles to get
him, as he was three miles off from Bragg's
From b: to Enrol, nine miles, we could
make no faster progress than on walk
about two and one half miles an hour. The
snow unbroken lay some eighteen inches
deep: The cold was most cruel and intense.
We dispatched a man ahead of us from Is.
Mr.. Morse. by whom Capt Bragg was
aroused and we found cheerful fire and
hearty welcome. William Bragg was soon
ready to carry me through THE Notch to
ColeDrook. Two young men volunteered to
go ahead and break the path and as they ap-
preached the Notch they started out other
horses and riders so that we had four horses
and i've men to put us through this wonder
full chasm or pass. This stupendous curios-
lty OF which no adequate description has
been given seemed more sublime than ever.
The perpendicular walls rising on either
side for some thousand feet hung in frightful
masses overhead and the narrow pathway
not more than thirty or forty feet wide was
piled with drifted snow. Where our path
lay it was sloping angle of 45 degrees and
no sign of footsteps anywhere.
Wedug track for our horses, carried our
baggage sleigh through by hand. The wind
howled fearfully through the chasm, and the
drifting. snow darkened the air which at the
depth OF the gorge always seemed somber
and blackened.
In less than two hours we made our way
through the Notch, though one drift as we
approached the western entrance seemed TO
bar all approach, we cut pathway into it
and by treading the snow, dragged our horses
through. though they passed out of sight as
you LOGGED across the track. The daring and
was most remarkable. The cold was Intense
the air filled with snow and the wind blew
with such violence you could scarcely keep
on your feet. With the greatest composure
and apparently ENJOYING, the sport these
apparent relish for the excitement and would
accept no compensation for their aid.
Such storm has not been known for
many years. Had l left one day sooner
should have found q splendid road and could
From the Notch to C0lebrook, and Canaan
we found the snow less and path broken
for us all the way. was enabled to reach
Compton before 9 o'clock in the evening
though the road from Canaan was much of
the way drifted full and without any track
Here l met Mr.. Penny, most efficient
railroad man and an accomplished gentle
man, who volunteered to carry me on to
Sherbrook in the morning, where | remained
the next day and had an opportunity of con-
versing with our friends.
Alto O'Clock on Sunday Osgood started
with me for CRANKY 46 miles where we ar
rived at O'Clock p. M, dragging through an
untrodden road with 28 inches of snow.
From this place found better track and
at hall past i've a. m of Monday l was at
the Exchange. The cold was intense, some
IL below zero and in crossing the st. Law
renee. over two miles, the mist of the frost
entireiy prevented one seeing the road
ahead.
After three hours of sleep went to meet
the board OF trade who had the matter of the
railroad before them. Here l found Gait
and Mr.. Lyford of New Hampshire.
presented maps and documents to the
board OF trade and entered into variety of
calculations and statements showing the ad-
yantages OF railroad to Montreal and the
peculiar claims of the Maine route.
was happily met with an attentive recep-
sion OF several members of the board that
| any other route but that of Portland would
fail to secure to Montreal the great advan-
tages OF the trade Of the ST. Lawrence val
ley.
| :. Upon Mr.. Poor's return from Montreal,
the greatest enthusiasm In the undertaking
was observable. The whole town seemed to
take personal interest in the enter prise.
VI course there were some who criticised
the undertaking, and to them. lions in the
way We're numerous. Great SHOWS would
prevent the trains from running in the win
ter which would greatly restrict the expect
ed traffic between the seaboard and the st.
Lawrence. The cost of building and opera
ting such road would be enormous, and
those who invested their money in it would
never see 1t again, but such objections were
without force to the earnest men who had
the enterprise in hand. They but served as
| gentle stimulus to more energetic effort If
| more were possible.
One of the most enthusiastic and volumiu-
| GUS writers on the subject was John Neal,
whose trenchant pen did lood service to the
| cause. In series of ar icles published in
the Portland Advertiser during the winter
and spring of 1S45, he discussed the subject
| In all its phases, fortifylng his argument by
statistics, which were SO convincing to his
readers That nobody attempted to question
| their accuracy. Really it Is instructive to
examine these statistics today and the many
arguments which Mr. Neal pressed into the
oOlfiCc VI Iuo pIUJtCt6u TdllTCdu. ddrQly q
point possible to adduce In its favor escaped
his notice.
In the mean time the people of Canada
were being aroused to the Importance of
railroad to the Atlantic, and their papers
soon Tsa began to take up the cry in its favor.
renee Railroad was signed on the 10th of
FEBRUARY, and on the evening of the
ilth an immense public meeting was
held in City Hall. To quote from the re-
port:
The City Hall was crammed at an early hour,
50 that by O'Clock, it was hardly possible to find
standing room, and crowds kept coming to the
aoor; and going away discouraged. The whole
p pne meeting was called to order by Mr.. John
| Parinton, and Eliphaet Greedy, mayor of the
ely ely, was placed in the chair. and John Neal
| Messrs. Moore and Pennoyer, from sherbrook.
ro,S.i ,n aS Iotmer az one time captain in the
Parliament, and the latter thorough going man
OF business, were then introduced to the meeting
ana received with hearty and general outbreak
Mr. Henry II. Body moved that they shoald be
welcomed with three hearty cheers, which were
given till tie house shook to its foundation,
Judge Preble, chairman Of the provisional COM
mittee, then made his report, commenting at
length upon the liberality and the wisdom OF the
charter, its safety for investment and its parti-
cular as well as general character, He was inter-
rupted again and again by applause. and especial:
ness, and the friends Of the bill in the
legislature of the state for their prompitude and
liberalIty. Having posted out the advantages OF
the charter OVERALL OTHERS IN OUR COUN-
TRY, and explained certain of the clauses reiat-
ing to taxation the right Of way. and the prehase
OF lands for depots, &c., &C., so as TO snow tne
property of stockholders to be forever free from
possibility of taxation, except unier their own
laws and at home, and having dwelt upon the TACT
mat the legislature could never interfere with the
iignts OF the corporation so long as they behaved
themselves nor even when they misbehaved; 9TH
e S than by due process of law, he announced
MS intention to set off for Montreal, tomorrow
c cbsr1eg at four o'clock Cheers bearing the
nlt ~ ana hoped to arrive there on friday
.gSs ~ another and longer road (but more used
Motel. and eni INA. running through the Dixve
, sng.1, by complimentng the gentlemen from
wa ara Ia ane onering set of resolutions which
were 1aanssousty adopted and re-adopted with
gle dissenting voice. "i'''0u' SIN
After the adoption of the resolutions,
which space will not permit to be copied.
Mr.. Anderson, the Collector of Portland WAC
then called up az the further end of the hall He
said he did not rise, for that were impossible he
and five hundred others having stood the whole
evening; that he and they found II harder getting
hal hall tho