The Portland daily press., 1900-11-16
Mr.. Wescott's Plan For
Back Cove.
No Definite Action Taken At
Yesterdays Hearing.

The subject Of harbor lines came up Tor
discussion at hearing at the Uniseu
States Engineers Office yesterday lore
noon. The present harbor line In the
main harbor extends along the ends oil
Central, Union and the wharves below
Browns wharf. The Boston Maine, ana
Browns wharves extend over the harpor
inc ont into the harbor. The government
does not wish to dredge up to the old mar
Dor line, but only up to the end OF the
wharves which extend beyond the haroor
line. The owners of the other wharves
think that the government should either
dredge up into the present harbor line, or
else allow them to extend their wharves
out to the line where the dredging Is 10
end thus necessitating the establishment
of a new harbor line. Among the IN
terested psople present were Elias
Thomas, L. q. Conant, Il b. Winslow,
George p. wescott, Henry B. Cleaves'
Mayor Robinson, Commissioner OF Pubic
Works George N. Fernald, William q.
Davis, William Il. Wood, f. G. Payson,
IL
Snow and Cook, Charles II. Libby, u.
Fred Murch and others.
Mr.. Farley, representing the Harbor
Commissioners, was opposed to an extern
sion Of the line. He said that the wharves
now extended into the harbor in such d.
rections that If built out still farther the
ends of many of them would very nearly
meet. This would result in narrowing
up the entrances to some of the docks SO
as to make them almost worthless. He
thought 1t would be a good tning IL the
government would cut OF the two often
sire wharves and pay for the job.
Mr.. Cook, representing the Boston &
Maine wharf, suggested that the harbor
line might be drawn to and around
Browns and the b. 81 NJ. wharf.
Mr.. Wood, representing Central wharf.
thought that either one line or the other
should be adopted lie did not think 1t
would be safe to dredge close to the end
OF Central wharf until the required 80
feet OF water had been obtained. 1t would
undermine the piles and the end Of the
wharf would be sliding away into the
harbor. He suggested that the govern
ment should not drsdge to depth greater
than 20 feet at the end of the wharf, as
that is all the piling will stand
1t seemed to be the consensus Of opinion
that the present line be maintained.
Major Roessler then proposed that the
matter of harbor line for the Cape shore
be discussed.
Mr.. Farley said that the line should be
changed so as TO give more room; that
the ferry company, the marine railway
and others wished to have a re-arrange-
ment but that as through some misun.
derstanding their representatives had
failed to be present st the meeting 1t
would be necessary to notify them again.
Major Roessler will give another hearing
to their side OF the case this forenoon at
his office.
Fore river was then taken up. Mr.. Far
ley said the present line was perfectly
satisfactory to everybody, that 1t had
never been encroached upon and sug-
gested that no change be made. This
met with Major Roessler's approval and
he turned to the Back cove question.
No harbor line has ever been fixed for
Back cove. 1t will be remembered THAI
when the city council was discussing the
adyisability of selling to the B. s. NJ. r.
X. permanent rights on the Marginal
way in Back cove this question of the
probable location Of the harbor line there
created much discussion. This sheet of
water, t low tide nothing but flats
with a channel dredged some years ago
by the government, Is expected In time to
be surrounded by industries which viii
require wharf privileges. Today the Port
land street railway, Watson's coal yard
and Winslows pottery are the only in
terests which have wharyes along Back
cove. The b s. M, having obtained its
perm anent right In the Marginal way and
having guaranteed to keep this way in
repair for all time has large interests in
Back cove and the establishment of the
harbor line affects them materially. This
road owns many of the fats along the
Marginal way and the city of Portland Is
another large owner in these flats. The
discussion OF proper location for a har
Dor line In Back cove took up nearly all
the forenoon. Mr.. George p. Weseott pre-
sented a plan for this harbor line. He
represented the interests of the b. & nj.
and contended thar the line should be