The Portland daily press., 1895-10-08

1t is time now to say to these gentle
men, you have got your charter. and TO
it you must stick.
Federal street is not subsidiary street.
1t is a busy, crowded street. So also Il
Market street busy. Both streets are
narrow, SO narrow that with this location
teams cannot stand on the streets; there
fore much of the business there must
move.
Mr. Bird said that it was not greatly to
the advantage of the city that the stock
of this road was not owned here. On
stock owned here the taxes came to the
city; on stock owned away, the taxes
went to the state.
Mr. Bird also brought up the point
that the charter of the road tied the road
to the Cross street terminus, and held
that the city government had no authori-
ty to grant the new location. If the road
could break away from the Cross street
terminus, it can go anywhere in the city
of Portland.
The new location would also hurt
greatly the United States Hotel property
Mr.. William H. Green, representing
Princes Express, told how an electric
road would destroy their facilities for
business on Market street.
MI. Charles S. Fobes said that the
interest he represented was quite small,
but he felt impelled to take issue with
some of the statements made. He began
by supposing that the road was already
built to the head of Gross street. Who
then would think of asking, on the
ground of public convenience, for the
roundabout route via Federal and Market
streets. He did not believe in giving up
the streets of Portland to this foreign
corporation. There should be more than
one of the longitudinal streets of the city
unincumbered by tracks Commercial,
Middle, Congress, and presently Oxford
streets, will have their tracks.
E. M. Rand, ESQ.,, trustee of the
United States hotel property, next spoke.
He began by commenting on Captain
Win slows speech, and the fact that he
held no stock. Mr.. Rand then said that
he had not heard single valid reason
given for granting this new location. He
agreed with Mr. Bird that the road was
limited by the head of Cross street and
Portland bridge for it's location. That
legal proposition was absolutely unassail-
able Mr.. Rand said that as trustee of
the estate of John W. Lane, he repre-
sented more property than any other
person present. That estate held the
block of five stores on the corner of
Temple and Federal street, as we'll as the
United States hotel property. The
United States hotel property is valued at
over S79, O0O and it is entitled to con-
sideration. The occupants of that
property object to this location.
Mr. Rand then spoke of the electric
poles around the Soldiers Monument
which are disgrace to this city, and
would be disgrace to any city, North or
South. He objected to any more tracks
or trolley wires in that square.
Mr.. Rand also held that by making the
spot in front of the United States hotel a
terminus, they would take away the
property right of free entrance to the
hotel This could not be done legally.
There was cat under the meal. He
would not say that the object was to get
another mile Of road on which to issue
bonds; or that it was to connect with the
Yarmouth electric All knew the great
commercial business between Yarmouth
bxy-t he. CpQ
The United States hotel was not
handsome building, and the time was
not far distant when new building
would be put there is credit to the city
The proposed location would be draw
back and hindranoe
Mr. Hale, replying to the objections,
dwelt upon the advantages of quick
suburban transit This it was that built
up great cities. This road had built nine
miles of road in a beautiful town that
Brother Rand had seen fit to sneer at as
+" Purpooduck, and they had legislative
sanction to change their location in Port
land. He had no doubt that the city
government had right to make this
location. If any one objected on this
score the courts were open to- him. There
was nothing particularly sacred about
the space in front Of the United States
hotel. The tenants of that hotel were
wrong in supposing that their business
would be hurt. AS to foreign capital,
was there anything pestilential or
poisonous about foreign money? We're
we afraid to DO Justice to a man because
he did not reside in this city? We're the
members of the city government. afraid
to give this corporation a chance?
Some controversy arose over the sigma
lures of Foss and O'Connor and Nathan
E. Redlon, tenants of the United States
hotel, to the petition for the location.
Mr.. Rand charged that they had signed
on the representation that the track was
to stop on Federal street.
Mr.. Hale did not think this was SO.
When the matter was discussed by the
aldermen, Mr. Zenas Thompson was first
to speak. He agreed with Mr.. Thomas,
and thought the proposed location would
be benefit. But he believed it was time
that the city should get something out OF
4J,aca fro =, oh iooy bo ya1panta in tbOcp