The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-18
A SPECIAL SESSION
Of the Mayor and Board Of Alder
men.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT MATTERS
DISPOSED OF.

Special Policemen for the Summer Ap-
| pointed-salary of Building Inspector
Fixed-Other Matters.
The board of mayor and aldermen was
in session two hours yesterday AFTERNOON,
having been called together to give hear
ings on several petitions.
The petition of the Portland Railroad
company for permission to lay double
tracks down Grove street from the corner
of Portland to Brighton avenue and then
n single track up Brighton avenue, go
called to the Deoring line near the Maine
Central crossing was the first petition
considered.
Hon. Charles T. Libby, the attorney
for the railroad was present and explained
| that this location had been asked for by
many residents of the section which
would be accommodated by the proposed
line and though the railroad did not
think the line they had been asked to
build would be paying Investment at
first they had decided to build the road
into the new section with an idea of
stimulating the building of houses in
that vicinity and of accommodating the
persons who have already built there.
The road desires to meet the demands of
the public as far as possible and is pre-
pared to pave between it's tracks with
granite blocks and eighteen inches on
each side of the tracks and to keep the
part of the streets it will occupy in repair.
1t had been proposed to impose con-
ditions upon the road so as to compel it
to pay one-third of the expense of
macadamizing or paving the streets
through which the extension asked for
would pass with asphalt should the city
decide at any time in the future to so
pave these streets. This MIR. Libby said
he thought was asking too much of the
road, inasmuch as the railroad company
had agreed to build these lines in order to
| increase the value OF property in the
suburbs of Portland. The road had never
paid more than six per cent and it is ex-
tremely doubtful if it does pay more than
| this upon its stock for many years to
come. The demands of growing city
are such that the surplus earnings of the
road are taken up by the efforts of the
company to keep up with the demands OF
a growing city. Double tracks are asked
for over part of the extension because it
| is recognized to be fact that in many
cases double track is preferable to a
single track, and the traffic can better be
accommodated by two tracks than by one.
tod 10 rV,nr
the city would be obliged to pay for the
grading of Grove street or If the railroad
would do it. He also asked about the
bridge and the width of the street. After
some discussion it was voted to appoint a
conference committee from the aldermen
and settle the matters which had come up
during the hearing by comforting with
the directors of the railroad. Aldermen
Rounds, Dow and Merrill were appointed
on the committee and they will meet with
the directors of the road this afternoon
at q 30 O'Clock at the Railroad company's
office.
| The petition of the Consolidated Electric
Light company for per mission to erect
poles at the corner of Market and Fore
streets and Sheridan and Monument
! streets was considered and action on the
petition was postponed until the next
special meeting Of the aldermen.
The petition of G. W. 7. Cooling to erect
Is poles and stretch wires ON them in
order to furnish electric lights to con.
sumers betw cen the new theatre building
and the meeting house on Island avenue,
Peaks island, next came up for action.
Alderman Rounds asked whether G. W.
| Z. Cooling wanted this permission or the
Consolidated Electric Light company
Mr.. Cooling who was present said that he
had asked for the permission to erect
these poles. The Consolidated Electric
Light company had been running his
dynamos and maintaining his electric
service for the theatre and elsewhere in
years past and would probably do SO in
the future.
Alderman Rounds said there were other
companies who desired to furnish electric
lights on Peaks island and he thought
the city solicitors opinion should be
asked as to whether or not any other
companies had right to maintain light
ing plants on Peaks besides the Consoli-
dated Electric Light company.
Alderman Smith said he hoped there
would be no delay in this case as the
work should be done at once.
Alderman Rounds said it was also
necessary to have water on Peaks island,
but the aldermen had not seemed disposed
to hurry along the orders pertaining to
the Peaks Island Water company.
| Alderman Smith in answer to questions
said the committee on lights had talked
over the matter of making contract
with Mr.. Cooling or the Consolidated
Electric Light company to furnish some
lights at Peaks. The contract was for
$500
Alderman Rounds said the committee
on lights had no authority o. right to
make contract for over $500 without Or
der of the city government and when that
contract came up he should oppose it.
The order granting Mr.. Cooling per-
l isr 4 @l.- rrTs~.