Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1908-03-01

upon Casco Bay without feeling some
thing of a thrill at its limpid beauty !
Portland dates back very early in
American history being a good second
to Jamestown (I6o7), having been set
tied in 1852. AS the city stands to-day
it occupies an anomalous position, for
it is possessed of wonderful vitality and
is making rather amazing progress, con-
sidering that its principal asset is its
energy. There are relatively few nat
ural resources of contributory value in
the surrounding country, so that Port
lands continued growth is due to very
peculiar conditions. The railroads have
done much, and the ocean traffic has
done its share in making it city with
a future 1t was almost three centuries
old before there was much of promise
for Portland, and the past fifteen years
dred The Portland of to-day is not
old, but the Portland of yesterday is
ancient, almost, as America goes, at
any rate, and has mistory that thrills
with interest Portland was in the
chain of points associated with John
Alden and Miles Standish, besides hav-
ing been the cradle of many men of
national -Longfellow, William
Pitt Fessenden, the silver-tongued ora
tor; Thomas Bracket Reed, General
Neal Dow, the apostle of temperance,
and many others of note
The city we'll merits its sobriquet, the
Forest City," for its elms form gothic
arches over many streets, making
summers picture of ideal loneliness.
There somehow appears a cozlness
about the homes of peculiar interest,
lending suggestion of snugness seldom
seen. With all of the bleakness Of the
rugged New England coast, it loses its
dread when one enters the hospltable
port of Portland. Twenty years ago the
great hill to the east overlooking the
bay of Casco was almost barren OF
houses. To-day it is densely populated,
so that a thousand beacons beckon the
incoming mariner, to say nothing OF
Portland Light itself, one of the most
powerful on the Atlantic coast line.
The population of Portland to-day is
above $4,000, and is growing along with
a speed above the average New England
city 1t is railroad center of no mean
Importance, besides being port OF en-
try of proportions. In the summer sea-
son the harbor is alive with craft from
every quarter OF lHc SlODe, anu IlI0
marine engines of Uncle Sam make calls
there during the annual maneuvres. In
point of picturesque beauty there is no
American harbor comparable to Casco
Bay. An old legend says there is an
island for every day in the year, and
many Of these are filled with summer
homes and resort hotels, boats plying
among the islands at regular intervals
during the day From the shore, and
looking always down from the heights
upon the shipping, a summer view of
Casco Bay is one of the most beautiful
spectacles in the whole world, it hav-
ing no counterpart anywhere. The
waters are of dark green hue, with
here and there a yellowish but cIea1
tinge, and altogether the scene is not
only attractive, but inspiring.
Of late years there have been throngs
of summer visitors pouring into Port
land from every quarter, until 1t has
become famous as a resort. Certainly
there could be no more inviting spot on
4l,o WOO o,,d 70 +bic &c added scores of