The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-19
TO WIDEN FRANKLIN STREET..
Hearing on the Matter Held in TIL Rain
Yesterday by Special COMMITTEES.

Tho special committee of the city gov
ernment consisting of the Mayor, Alder
men Rounds, and Moore and Counoilmen
Gerrish and Brown, which was appointed
to Investigate the petition of many citi-
zens on the proposed widening of Frank
lin street. from Fore TO Commercial, gave
u hearing Saturday afternoon to the Pc
| titioners at the foot of the street. II
was raining quite hard at O'Clock
when the hearing WAS ADVERTISED to take
place, but despite the rain there was 3
large attendance of Interested citizens
who, sheltered by their umbrellas, made
their arguments in favor of the widen
the bearing besides the special city gov
eminent committee and the city engi-
nesr, Mr.. Fernald. were Representatives
from the firms OF Burnham & Morrill,
and Murdoch & Freeman, j.. j. Gerrish,
MI. Proctor, the real estate agent, Mr..
Isaiah Daniels, Mr.. e. A. Noyes, who Is
the trustee Of the Rumery estate, Mr..
John y. Coyle. general manager of the
Maine Steamship company, and seVera
other gentlemen.
These gentlemen, who are among the
petitioners for the widening of this
street, told the committee that to widen
Franklin street from Fore to CONNER
cial will not cost the city of Portland a
great sum of money if the work is done
at once and to widen the street will open
up another thoroughfare from the upper
part Of the city to Commercial street and
the Grand Trunk freight yards and
steamship wharves.
AT present there are only two streets
running from the upper part OF the city
to Commercial street which are VIDE
enough, and Of an even grade enough
to make them useful as thoroughfares
for heavy drays and truck teams. These
are India and Moulton streets and the
petitioners claim that another thorough.
fare is badly needed. franklin street
from Middle to Fore street is at present
quite wide and of an even enough grade
to admit of its being Used as thoro ugh
are, but that part of Franklin street
below Fore and between the latter street
and Commercial is very narrow and IN
poor condition. The petitioners ask
that this part of the street be wild ensd
10 feet. In order to do this it will be
necessary for the city to purchase 10
feet of land, the whole length of the
street on its westerly side between Com
merc1al and Fore streets. AT present the
old buildings formerly used by Quin n
q Co.. as u boiler shop, an old shed also
owned or formerly occupied by this firm
and the famous Stafford Block owned
by Mrs. Frasier, stand on the 10 feet
required if the street is widened and
these buildings will have to be torn
down. With this addition of 10 feet to
the present. width of Franklin street, the
entire width of the street will be about
As feet, making it an excellent thorough
fare from the upper part of the city TO
the busiest part of Commercial street.
just what this proposed widening of
the street is to cost the city was not es-
timated at the committee hearing yester
day afternoon, but the expense will
necessarily be considerable The COM
mittete took no definite action in the
matter, but will hold another meeting in
time to file their report seven DAYS prior
to the meeting of the city government
as the law requires.
On the way up town the committee
again paused in the rain to make an in.
spection of Fore street from the corner
Of Franklin to India. which il has been
proposed to straighIen. widen and pave
SO that it may be available as @ tho
rougbfare for heavy teams. The matter
was only talked over in an informal way
and no definite action taken.