Year: 1873

MIR. Editor The general interest awakened
by the proposition to extend the P. S. & P
Railroad, within the limits of the city of Port.
land, seems not greater than the case demanded
The various interests jeopardized by the enter
prise are so important and so numerous, and so
extensive, that the whole body polite appears
affected-not the city of Portland alone, but
also the town of Cape Elizabeth - between
which and Portland the relations are the closest
possible.


Peninsularlike, Cape Elizabeth is largely
hemmed in by the salt water; her only Dusi-
ness connection and outlet being with Portland
and this connection centering practically upon
the Portland County bridge, the surrender OF
which to the County cost Cape Elizabeth SO
much money. Not even horseman can pass
without circuitous detour from one to the 9TH
er except by this bridge-and when it is re-
membered that busy population of over 5000
people on the one hand, and city population
of upwards of 10000 on the other, so united in
business and interests, are obliged to make their
interchange over one narrow bridge, a moment s
thought will give the reason why the number of
teams and vehicles passing thereover hourly is
NSNHeNN ny iuuuiCuS-duu commercial Street
might suppose that when single plank or pile
of this costly connection is in danger. the sweet.
est and most prodigious ''sop" would hardly suf-
nee to keep the people quiet. Nor is the pres
ent or past attitude of Cape Elizabeth. with ref.
erence to the public rights in this affair, go very
Judaslke as to insure her conciliation ever
with sop


That is the only connection across the Fore
River, either present or prospective, conceivable
mr. pn1 har c
ficentiy obstru.ted by bridges and the authorl-
ties have forbidden any increase to their num-
ber. The long water conn ctlon across the low
er harbor is only an insufficient passenger ferry,
and the growing wants of the Ferry Village
alone will vie with the growth of ferry accom-
modations Vaughan's bridge is a connection
between Portland and the towns westerly
toward Saco and can never be available to only
handful of Cape Elizabeth people-whence
the Portland county bridge must be as the great
aorta to the prosperity of Cape Elizabeth-and d
its severance or obstruction would be viewed By
Cape Elizabeth business as seriously as would
Commercial Street like operation upon his
"big jugular."


Indeed her citizens have been unable for lit
tie time past to foresee how with few more
concessions Portland can escape, not only the i'm
position OF great burdens upon her team trans
portatlons, the Importance of which is sug-
gested by remembrance of the "Epizootic,' ~
but also monopoly Of all herpublic approaches


n0A ooo., ~ noe noi Wuoie Wdtcr-Iront-an0
OF her most important business street. And
now, since the discontinuance of Summer street
and the new arrangement thereabout has been
effected, and while the whole business and trav-
ell of West Commercial street and Cape Eliza.
beth is obliged to treao its way between paral-
lei railroads extending from Vaughan's bridge
to Maple street, distance of one-and-a-hali
miles-no team with any considerable load be
ing able to pass from this long reach of street
to the upper part of the city without making
the wide detour to High street-that tits urged
that her business and convenience demand the
discontinuance of that too-the case becomes
extremely cloudy and suggests the idea of a
walled city whose gates only open to the sound
of whistle, or the whir of descending winsg.