The Portland daily press., 1900-08-15
HAS BOUGHT LAND.
Terminal Plant To Be
Built at Cape Shore.
1t Will Cost Half a Million Of Dol
lars.
w ork Will Begin This
Autumn.
Railway to Be Constructed to
Connect With Boston & Maine

The Portland Railway and Terminal
company has purchased seventy five acres
of land on the Cape shore and will begin
In a few weeks more the erection of a set
Of docks, ware houses and railway
which Will cost them about 100000 be-
fore the work is completed.
The land which has been purchased is
at the shore end OF the breakwater and
runs back so that it takes in the shore
rights to the cove between the break
water and Cushing's Point. From the
breakwater this land runs along the
South Portland shore for some distance
aAd affords room enough for the building
of the seven docks for ocean ships which
are contemplated. From these docks
railway is to be built, following along
the South Portland shore to point near
the plush mills when it will strike off
through Knightville and then towards
the end of the bridge of the Eastern divi-
sion Of the Boston and Maine railroad.
If the plans which have been made by
Frederick J. Ilsley who has been engaged
by the company are carried out, this road
will be about two miles in length and
will afford connections with the Boston
and Maine and other railroads at the end
of this bridge.
The piers which are to be built will be
about 700 feet long and there will be four
large ones and three not quite as long.
On each wharf win be large warehouse
with railroad track running down on
either side of the house, and another
track inside each house. The cove, so it
is understood, is to be filled in and used
as a freight yard to give the company
facilities to handle a large number Of
cars at once. This plant will include an
electric plant to cost about SI0O, 900 which
viii afford power for the running of the
electric motors which win be used in
operating the railway ana also in
handling freight and for other purposes.
At this place VIII be built large and
modern coal pockets and ultimately steel
tanks for grain elevators are also contem-
plated.
Or these docks the largest ships may
find plenty of water, and it is understood
that the reason the Cape shore was picked
out in preference to the Portland shore
for this purpose was because property on
this side of tse harbor is held at too high
valuation, while great deal OF money
would have to be expended in dredging
and in building foundations for the big
piers which this terminal company con-
templates building.
Mr.. Ilsley informed a PRESS reporter
yesterday that he understood that the
money for this enterprise is assured, but
he did not feel at liberty to state who the
principal investors in this plant are. He
said that he was informed that the work
of building this plant would be COM
menced before snow flies. 1t is built in
connection with all railroads and has the
support of all of them, which have wes5-
ern connections. 1t is believed that in
the near future Portland is to become
great shipping point for western products
and this company believes that it will
have all the business it can attend to or
care for as soon as these piers are built.
The South Portland people who have
been interviewed regarding this project,
and who have got wind of it are said to
favor the plan and will be disposed to
give the new company all the assistance
and encouragement it requires, believing
that this plant Will in a large measure
increase the value Of real estate at South
Portland and also be the means of locat-
ing many other ind ustries in that city.
One of the things which the new COM
pany is said to have in contemplation lis
a railway ferry similar to those in opera
tion in New York This will run between
the South Portland piers and the Grand
Trunk wharyes and win be used to
transfer loaded freight cars from the
Grand Trunk docks to the other side of
the harbor.
AS has been said the plans for this en-
terprise have ali been made, the money is
said to be assured and the preliminary
surveys have been made by Mr.. Ilsley
who VIII be the constructing engineer for
the new company. This enterprise means
a great deal to South Portland and Port
land. Its promoters are said to be sure
that Portland has a great future before it
as shipping point of western products.