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They finally memorialized congress to pass a special act, exempting the town site of Portland from the provisions of the donation act, which failed to meet with approval, being opposed by a counter-peti tion of the proprietors ; though whether it would have succeeded without the opposition was unknown. In the winter of 1854-5 a bill was before the legis lative assembly for the purchase of the Portland land claim under the town-site law of 1844, before men tioned, Portland having become incorporated in 1851, and having an extent of two miles on the river by one mile west from it. Coffin and Chapman opposed the bill, and the legislature adjourned without taking any action in the matter. Finally, the city of Port land was allowed to enter 320 acres under the town- site law in 1860, some individual claims under the same being disallowed. The decision rendered by the general land office in 1858 was that the claims of Stark, Chapman, and Coffin were good, under their several notifications; that Lownsdale s was good under his first notification ; and that where the claims of these parties conflicted with the town-site entry of 320 acres their titles should be secured through the town authorities under the provisions of the act of 1844, and the supplementary act of 1854 relating to town sites. prev next |