The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-11
NO TRACK YET.
City Fathers Will Confer With the
Railway Officials.
A QUESTION as TO WHO SHALL
PAVE FREE STREET.
Hearing on the Petition for Track to
the New Theatre-The Question of the
Crossing of Tukey's Bridge by the

nearing on the Petition for Track to
the New Theatre-The Question of the
Crossing of Tukey's Bridge by the
Yarmouth Road Also Considered.
In the midst of the heat yesterday after
noon, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen
mustered a quorum after some effort and
convened to give a hearing on the
petition of the Portland Railway company
for permission to build track through
Oak street from Congress to Free and
thence through Free street to a junction
with the tracks in Congress square.
Mayor Randall presided and the alder
men were present with the exception of
Messrs. Kehoe and Pagan. The Portland
Railroad company was represented by
Hon. Charles f.. Libby, General Manager
Newman, William R. Wood, ESQ.,, and
Hon. William e., Davis. Messrs A. R.
Wright and E. B. Winslow of the theatre
corporation were also in attendance
Hon. Charles F. Libby, president of
the company, presented the reasons for
asking for the track. He said that it had
been done in accordance with representa-
tiOns made to the Railroad company by
the directors of the theatre corporation
that it would be a convenience to the
patrons of the theatre. The road was not
seeking an extension of its lines, but it
was willing to go to considerable ex-
pense to provide this accommodation.
The matter had been brought up when
the work on the theatre was begun, and
objection being then made it was allowed
theatre had brought the matter to the at
tention of the company, the petition was
renewed.
DR.. Charles d. Smith asked some
questions in relation to the proposed track
and the condition of the street. DIR.
shape, especially in front of the Baxter
building where the heavy teaming drawn
there by the stores was cutting up the
street. The mayor assured DR.. Smith
that it was the intention to put the street
in proper condition. DIR. Smith explained
that he did not appear as a gremonstrant
if the street was to be properly fixed.
Hon. E. B. Winslow of the theatre
corporation told the board at the request
of Alderman Moore how the company
looked upon the matter. He said that
the theatre had been leased to responsible
parties and it was the desire of the
directors that the track should be built in
order to accommodate both the city
patrons and those from Deering and West
brook
The hearing was then closed, Alderman
Rounds moving to table the matter in the
absence of Alderman Pagan in whose
ward the track would be located.
This lead to an informal discussion,
during which Mr.. Libby and Mr. New
man explained that the road desired to
begin the survey right away as the laying
of the new track would require consider
able special work, the standard switches
not being of pattern which could be
used here
Alderman Moore in opposing the
motion to table the matter, spoke Of the
public spirit which had at last given the
city theatre. He thought that if the
track was of benefit to the theatre and
an accommodation to its patrons, the per-
mission to lay it should be granted. The
alderman from Ward had had notice
that the hearing was to be held.
The motion to table not having been
seconded was not put to vote and then
Alderman Ilsley moved that the petition
be granted. AS an amendment TO this
motion, Alderman Rounds moved that
the Railroad company be required to pave
Free street from curb to curb. The.
amendment was adopted without a
division and the order as amended was
passed. ix
This action lead to an informal inter
change of views during which Mayor
Randall told the board that Mr.. Libby
informed him that it was a matter of
doubt whether the road would build the
track under the new conditions.
MIR. Winslow expressed the hope tn at
some arrangement might be arrived at by
which the street could be put in good or
der and the track laid. Mr.. Winslow said
that the street should be kept in such
condition that when 1900 people came out
OF the theatre as would often be the case,
they could walk over the roadway and
not be confined to the narrow sidewalks.
Alderman Rounds said that the
directors of the theatre corporationzShad
said that the building had been leased to
a responsible party and so he did not see
the point in the desire to bring people to
the doors to help the business. The Port
land parties were all right anyway.
Alderman Leighton said that this
question of the care of the streets occupied
by the railways was one that he'thouRht
the city authorities should consider and
he had gone so far as to have an ordinance
drafted requiring the companies to pave
from curb to curb. This was done last
April. but on the opinion of the CITY
solicitor that action by the state leeisla-
ture would be necessary before the ordi
nance could be given a binding force, 1t
had not been presented. Mr. Leighton
said that he did not know that this was
the time to begin consideration of the
question and he moved the reconsidera-
ton of the vote by which the amended
order granting the petition had been
gran ted.
The motion prevailed and then on
motion of Mr.. Rounds, the Mayor an
pointed a committee consisting of Messrs.
Rounds, Leighton and Moore, to confer
with the Railroad company and see if an
agreement could be reached as to thu care
of the street This committee is to report
at meeting to be held next Monday
afternoon.
TUKEY'S BRIDGE.
That ended the discussion of the Free
street extension, but the board had not
heard the last of electric road matters for
under the call for newt business, Alder.
man Leighton introduced an order in re-
iatlon to the crossing of the new Tukey's