Seventeen miles from Portland, and forty-three from North Conway. For a short distance before reaching the lake, the run is devoid of interest and exceedingly tame; but as the road skirts the shores of this beautiful sheet of water, and its broad expanse stretches away in the distance, bounded by wooded shores and sandy beaches, the change is magical, and the contrast a most pleasing one. Sebago itself is twelve miles long and nine miles wide, and is connected with Long Pond by means of Songo River and the “Bay of Naples,” formerly “Brandy Pond,”—before the days of the “Maine law.” The entire chain of lakes, river and bay affords a steamboat ride of sixty-eight miles in the round trip. Bridgton, one of the steamer-landings on Long Pond, is the birth-place of the genial humorist “Artemus Ward.” From Portland, a pleasant and popular trip consists of a ride to Sebago by the
morning train, a trip over the lake to Bridgton, returning in time for the evening train to Portland.
CITY AND HARBOR OF PORTLAND, FROM CAPE ELIZABETH.
And thither, in the continuation of our excursion, we too must go. Only seventeen miles more of our long and delightful journey “from Chicago to the Sea” remain to be traversed. Almost regretfully we linger over the few last leagues of the trip, but remembering that either way from Portland our excursion may be lengthened indefinitely, we resume our seats in the train, and in fifty minutes are in
THE METROPOLIS OF MAINE.
Portland is pleasantly situated on a narrow peninsula projecting from the west shore of Casco Bay. This peninsula is about three miles in length from east to west, with considerable elevations at each end, giving the city a beautiful appearance as approached from the sea. Its harbor is one of the best on the Atlantic coast, being deep and capacious, and protected by land on all sides. The city is beautifully laid out, its public buildings are fine, and many of its private residences elegant.
The commercial and business interests of the city are extensive and important, the value of the shipping owned in the district being very great, and its manufactures employing a large amount of capital. The railroads centering here are the Portland & Ogdensburg, Portland & Rochester, Boston & Maine, Eastern, Maine Central, and Grand Trunk.
The leading hotels of Portland are the Falmouth, United States, Preble, City, Kirkland, and Merchants.
The climate of Portland is remarkably salubrious, the city being peculiarly exempt from epidemics, or climatic diseases of any kind. The source of water supply (Sebago Lake), and the excellent facilities for drainage, undoubtedly contribute much to the healthfulness of the locality. These circumstances, together with the proximity of beaches and other resorts, render Portland a desirable place for summer sojourning, a fact of which no little advantage is taken in the season of travel. The steamship lines running from Portland to eastern ports along the coast of Maine and the maritime provinces, afford the tourist opportunities to extend his trip “away down East,” as far as time and inclination will permit. One resort of special interest deserves mention while this subject is under consideration, on account of its remarkable attractiveness, and its increasing popularity.