Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-13
The Contamination Of Names
Dream
(Portland Press Heraldli-,

portland Press Heraldl~,
Fifty years ago Maine had some
| men possessed of vision.
1t was a time when railroad con-
struction was building up the West
Maine money was being poured into
the Golfers of those who were help
ing build a great empire in the
West. There were those in this
State who realized that there were
great opportunities here as we'll as
in the West. So they tried to real
lie these hopes and to do so mort
gagged their own resources and. to
a considerable degree, those of the
! State as well.
Maine money helped to build two
railroads, each one reaching out to-
wards the West. One was the Port
land and Rochester, now part OF
the Worcester, Nashua and Portland
Division of the Boston and Maine.
This railroad offered connections
with the Boston and Albany to the
West. 1t circled Boston. 1t af-
forded Maine shippers way to get
to New York and the West without
paying a tribute to Boston. The
Boston bankers killed this railroad
and never permitted it to accom-
plish its purpose. It cost Maine
fSopiC oCN CT al lilllIlOHS vi uOIldGS anu
the taxpayers of Portland are paying
for it today.
Then the Portland and Ogdensburg
Railroad was built with this same
idea in mind. 1t absorbed a great
deal of Maine money. Portland con-
tributed towards it's construction.
Again Boston and Maine interests
interviewed and killed this Maine
railroad. President Hustis of the
Boston and Maine, speaking at Au-
gusta the other day. referred to the
things his railroad had done for
Maine in the past. He thought
Maine people should be grateful to
the Boston and Maine and so favor
it's plan of railroad consolidation.
These are two things it did for
Maine. Our people are now paying
the costs. 1t may account for the
fact that few Maine people who
know about these things feel CRATE
full to the Boston interests which
brought them about.
Again, when the Canadian Pacific
Railroad offered to take a railroad
off the Boston and Names hands in
the operation of which it was stead
lily losing money and which for
every reason it ought to have been
glad to pass over to~the Canadian
railroad, Boston prevented the deal
going through. The Canadian
Pacific intended to make Portland it's
Eastern terminal. It would have
made Portland great trans Atlantic
shipping point all the year round.
Unquestionably this city would have
become city twice as large as it
is today had this plan gone through.
Boston stopped it because it sought
the Canadian Pacific terminal for
itself
This is another thing the B. & M.
did for Maine. Those who know it
as many do, have no feeling of
gratitude to the Boston and Maine
because of it. Portland in parti-
cular has not forgotten it..
Today Names men of vision are
seeking to realize the dreams of
those who were on the stage fifty
years ago. They wish to give Maine
direct trunk line connections with
the West. Thew propose to do this
by means of the $50 called "McDon-
aid Plan" which will link ND Maine
railroads with the great New York
Central lines. This proposal. If car
ried out, will give the State the
backing Of n great and prosperous
railroad system. one that is not
bankrupt but in a strong position:
one that has resources which will
he devoted to Names DEVELOPMENT.
The Boston and Maine has nothing
like this to offer.
The realization Of the mcdonald