. Portland [Me.] its representative business men and its points of interest. their opportunity, and perceived that here was a tide in the affairs of men, whichtaken at its flood leads on to fortune. To John A. Poor belongs the honor of conceiving, pushing, and bringing to a successful conclusion,the project of a railroad to Canada, thus cutting the Gordian knot of the evils which had stopped thedevelopment of the city. A less broad minded man would never have originated so elaborate a scheme ;a less sanguine man would have despaired of gaining the support essential to its consummation ; a less
. Portland [Me.] its representative business men and its points of interest. their opportunity, and perceived that here was a tide in the affairs of men, whichtaken at its flood leads on to fortune. To John A. Poor belongs the honor of conceiving, pushing, and bringing to a successful conclusion,the project of a railroad to Canada, thus cutting the Gordian knot of the evils which had stopped thedevelopment of the city. A less broad minded man would never have originated so elaborate a scheme ;a less sanguine man would have despaired of gaining the support essential to its consummation ; a less PORTLAXD AND ITS JO/XTS OF IXTEREST. 19 energetic and persevering man would have been discouraged by the many great and the innumerabe pettyobstacles met with in carrying it out. And, therefore, while giving high credit to those wlio aided in thework, all wlio believe in giving honor to whom honor is due. will unite in pronouncing Mr. Poor to be thefather of the magnificent railway facilities now enjoyed by this city, and, consequently, the founder of themodern View of Wharves and Harbor from Commercial Street. When the practicability of the proposed route to Montreal had been demonstrated, and the enterprisefairly inaugurated, the business men of Portland — alert and progressive as ever, now that a means ofescaping from the net of circumstances was opened to them — heartily supported the undertaking, and bentall their energies to the task of making it a success. City bonds to the amount of $2,000,000 wereutilized to aid in securing the vast amount of money necessary, and the work of construction went rapidlyon, the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad being completed to the point of junction with the Canada roadfrom Montreal (a distance of 149 miles from Portland) in 1853. Our merchants were now prepared towage the battle for commercial supremacy on equal terms; they were in connection with the centres ofpopulation in Canada and the Provinces, and with the north-
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidportlandmeitsrep00baco
