The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-09
TO RELIEVE CONGRESS STREET.
HousehoIders Before the Committee
on Laying Out New Streets
From Congress to Wey-
mouth Streets.

The residents and householders on Con-
gress street, between Longfellow square and
Union station. turned out in force yesterday
afternoon at the Mayors office, where the
committee on layinR out new streets gave
them hearing
twill be borne in mind that last year a
new street was asked for to run from the
corner of Congress street and st. John
street, close to the Union railway station. to
the corner of Forest and Portland streets. 1t
was claimed that such street, if laid out,
would greatly relieve Congress street of the
heavy teaming now prevailing, because,
while the new street would make the dis
lance slightly longer over that route to the
centre Of the city, yet there would be less
draft upon the horses strength.
Among those who appeared at the hearing
yesterday we've Mr. Payson Tucker of the
Maine Central Railroad, Mr.. Clarence Hale,
Col Fred N. Dow. Mr.. S. T. Pickard Of the
Transcript, ex-Mayor Walker, Hon. f. ].
Rollins, Mr.. Eben Corey, Mr.. T. P. Shaw of
the Maine Central, Col Fl. S. Osgood of the
American Express Company, Mr.. George A.
Harmon, and many others. City Engineer
Goodwin was present, and the plans for the
proposed street were placed on the table in
the centre of the Mayors room.
Since the plan was drawn to run the pro-
posed street from the corner of Congress
and st. John streets to the corner of Forest
and Portland streets, 1t has been deemed adj
visable to change the terminus to the corner
of Portland and Weymouth streets. BY the
present route from the station to the Preble
House, via Congress street, it is 627 feet less
than via the Forest and Portland street pro-
| posed route, and by the Weymouth street
and Portland street route gain of So feet in
distance is made over the Forest and Port.
land street line. The grade of Congress
street, at Mellen street, is 126 feet above
mean low water, and at the corner of Con.
| gress and Preble streets 70 feet. At the
corner of Preble and Portland streets it is AZ
feet above low water mark, so that there is
| no grade to overcome on that route from the
station, while by the Congress street route a
| grade Of 81 feet must be overcome
The advantage of the route to the corner
of Portland and Weymouth streets, over the
route to the corner of Forest and Portland
streets, from the station, is that by the latter
way team has first to go down grade and
then up grade, a condition that does not ex-
ist by the former route, so that to overcome
the grade larger fill will have to be made.
However, If the first named course should be
decided on it is thought the earth can be
taken from Congress street to make the fill,
and the only cost of the fill will be the haul
| ing
Mr.. Tucker had some figures to show the
great amount of traffic from the corner OF
Congress and st. John streets that now has
| to come to the centre of the city via the pres
emit Congress street route. He took two days,
one stormy and the other windy, during last
week, and gave the number of single and
double teams actually counted passing that
point. There were on one of the days men,
toned over 900 single and about 500 double
teams, and he asked if such a traffic was
done on cold, clustering day, what must it
amount to in the summer days during the
great rush of summer travel
Mayor Melcher said that it was the inten-
tion of the city government to pave portion
Of Congress street where the heavy traffic
was done this year. but if this proposed
street was built either the idea of paving
must be given up or the rate of taxation in
creased.
1t was the feeling of all those present that
they would prefer to forego the paving an
other year if the street could be laid out.
Col. FL. S. Osgood of the American Ex-
press Company favored the new street.
1t was urged that the horse car company
could lay tracks through the new street to
connect with the Preble street line. The
cost OF laying out the street is estimated at
$4,000. while property along it would be i'm
proved.
The hearing was adjourned to the pro-
posed site of the new street to p M, April
21st.