Year: 1864

/
crease with the increasing population of the
| State, then we ought to seek more favorable
locality, free from these objections, and re-
move to it,


That the present location of the capital is
| inconvenient and undesirable has long been
felt and acknowledged. Since its establish
ment here the application of steam to locomo-
tion has changed the whole course of travel
aud the habits of the people. The wants of
the public have outgrown the accommoda-
tions OF the place and demand change This
is no isnlt OF the citizens of the place, but the
natural result of her position


Augusta can scarcely be deemed either an
| interior or a sea-board CITY, Circumstances
have cut her of from both characters. The
| system ofrallways inaugurated by the great
lines running through our territory North and
East has passed uniavorable judgement upon
hef She IS left on one side. All the enterprise
OF her citizens only serve to connect her by
collateral ties to the great thoroughfare. She
lacks the commanding situation of city on
the broad highway of the State. What connec-
tions she has gained are for berown convenience
aud not 10 serve the general accommodation.
Too far from the coast to take advantage of
natures road over the waves, she is yet too
near it to subserve the wants of the vast coun-
try OF the interior. What facilities she has
for ccasting trade are rather fecilities for de-
parture than for access. The principal busi-
ness OF the place is connected with and de-
pendent upon the presence of the seat of gov
ernment and that it secures mostly during the
brieiEegslative session. Accommodations are
limited and prices necessarily high. Adition-
al accommodations will not be furnished as
capitalists viii not invest money where the
whole business:rests on:so narrow afoundaton,
This explains the fact that while the city has
been more than usually crowded during the
past two years on account OF being the rem
dezvouse of troops, prices have constantly
grown higher and no steps have been taken to
furnish additional Accommodations. In fact to-
day, the cost of living for soourners is higher
in this place than for similar conveniences in
any other city within my knowledge in this
country, and if the seat Of government is con
tinued here the salaries of State officers, and
OF members of the Legislature must be in
creased to an amount which would add $780,
600 tot the annual expenses of the State.


All the expenses of the government, such as
State printing, stationery, &C., are much larger
here than where there would bemore competition.
The amount paid by the State for printing, an
nually, is from twenty to twenty-five thousand
dollars, and for stationery, five to seven thous-
and dollars per annum. What business man
would think of making contracts of such mag
nitude in a market like thisy And can we
honestly transact the States business differently
from our own? | am informed by those who
know, and from what attention have given to
the matter have no doubt of the fact, that the
printing and stationery accounts of the past
year could be duplicated at a saving to the State
of from three TO four thousand dollars in a
large place where competition could be invited.
| have no doubt if Investigation could be
made into these matters, IL would be found that
the State has paid on these accounts since the
capital was first established here, more than
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
over aud above what the same amount of prin-
ting and stationery would have cost in q large
city. Other evils arise from the size of the
place and the character of its business. The
mercantile community are too few to support n
daily paper. They cannot give to it the profits
of a large advertising patronage. They have
no business associations for procuring and diff
fusng early knowledge of what is transpring
in the world outside. Members must rely upon
their private correspondence for what pertains
to their interests and learn public events wholly
from the journals they may find to read. They
lose the quick communication of passing events
characteristic of busy cities.


Contrast with this the city of Portland. She
Is brought by her extensive lines of railway into
connection with nearly all parts Of our own and
the United States, and by water communication
with all the extensive sea-coast from Calais TO
hittery. The substitution of steam for sail ves-
ses is fast reyolutionizing water transportation,
and the time Is not far distant when our whole
coasting trade will he carried on by steamers A
large part of our population is ON belt of ter
rltory along the coast varying in width from 20
10 40 miles, from the East to the West line of
the State. The whole tendency of travel is from
the interior 10 the sea board From our posi-
tion as North Easteriy border State the flow
of travel is toward the West and South, and the
city of Portland both by water and by land, lies
directly on the great highway of travel from our
State TO all parts of the United States


The attention Of our people has been attracted
to the great advantages of connecting the whole
OF the extensive sea coast and river lines of the
State by steamers. A line is already established
and in successful operation between Eastport
and Portland, and learn arrangements are now
beng made for renewal of that from Bangor.
and the establishing of others to Machias and
Damarlscotta, touching ut intermediate places
which will furnish, during the coming season,
direct and easy communication with the coun-
ties of Washington, Hancock, Penobscot Knox,
waldo and Lincoln, containing population of
2J2, ,455. Ultimately these lines will be extended
to every accessible town along the coast The
establishment of the seat of government at
Portland will furnish an additional motive 10
hasten the time of their completion by develop
ing the business necessary for their support.


The whole Western portion Of the State en-
braeng the counties of York, Oxford, Cxmber-
land and Androscoggui, and containing pop
ulation of POT l76 is in the immediate vicinity of
Portland, and connected with it by numerous
lines of railway, making total population of
,632, or more than two-thirds of the popula-





Portland than with this place; while Franklin
and large part of Sagadahoc may be classed
the same Now consider the position of those
central and northerly portions of the State thus
far lett out OF this view. Lying away from the
coast, they must have land passage. They will
aim at convenient stations along the line of rail-
ways that already traverse the country to the
Penobseot, and which We hope soon to see ex-
tended to the Easterly border of our State at
Houlton; and by it find easy and quick convey
ance to Portland. Thus we have parallel to the
coast-and so far away from it as not to inter
fere with the business of steamers-facties for
conveyance that will meet the necessities of the
mterior--and thus there is no part of the State
that will find Portland out of the way, but the
citizens of every section brought into business
relations and connections with her, will rejoice
III the opportunity to combine attention to pri-
vate business with devotion to public duties. The
buildings rendered for the of the State free so
long as it may choose to occupy them, are stu
ated in the most central part of the city, and are
much more spacious and convenient than those
We now occupy.


= There are ample accommodations for members
and persons having business at the departments
at prices very much lower than Mt this place
In ADDITION TO the hotel accommodations there
are large number of first class boarding houses
Kept Principally for summer travel, and COM
pafaliNeiy Tree OF company in winter. The accom-
molatlons viii always follow the demand in a
city like Portland. The cost of living to mem
bers and State officers would be very much less
than here and the comforts and conyenienees
very much greater There are twice daily rail-
way trains to and from Boston, and daily steam
boat communication.


There also daily trains to Montreal, Que
l. i