The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-04

THE BOARD OF MANUFACTUREs.-An ad-
journed meeting of the Board was held in the
Mayors rooms Saturday evening, Mayor Kings
bury presiding. 1t was decided to ask the
Mayor to present the memorial of the Board
heretofore published, to the Board of Mayo
and Aldermen at the regular meeting this eve
ming in order that it may come before the Com
mon Council a week after. There was a free
and informal interchange of views respecting
the scope of the proposed exemption from tax
alton, in which the Mayor Messrs. Kimball,
Jackson, Dow, Thomas and others participated.
From what could be gathered from the scope of
the remarks, it was not the purpose of the
Board to diminish the present taxable property
of the city dollar by the measure presented
to the City Government for its action, and it
was the opinion of the members of the Board
that the proposed orders were so carefully
drawn as to prevent it. The Mayor said it was
the purpose of the City Government to reduce
the taxation of the city. During the past year
the rate of taxation had been reduced from
$3.50 per $1,000 to $780, and he hoped that fur
ther reduction of at least ten cents on $1,000
could be made next year. He was, therefore,
hostile to any measure that would reduce the
taxable property, for it would result in an in
crease of taxation upon those the least able to
bear it. Mr.. Kimball and others declared
themselves as hostile to any such plan as was
the Mayor. The same right was claimed, how
ever, for parties now manufacturing in this city
who propose to largely increase their business
as is accorded to such as come here with capital
to invest in manufacturing enterprises under
the offers of the city, namely, that the new in
vestments be exempted. Mr.. Kimball claimed
it was one of the purposes of this movement to
reduce taxation. 1t requires, to within a small
sum, as much to run the machinery of the pres
ent City Government with 10000 population as
it would with 10000. This increase of manu-
features will bring the population and such
property as will largely tighten the burden of
taxation.
Walter Wells, ESQ.,, Secretary of the Board,
presented plan for bringing before manufac-
turers in an attractive manner the advantages
of Portland as the location for various manu-
features. Among the advantages mentioned
were the central location, its rare advantages OF
transportation, being connected with the West
by one line of railroad and soon to have anoth-
er completed, its railway lines to the interior in
all directions and with Boston, its steamboat
connections with New York, Boston, Halifax,
St. John and the coast of Maine, its harbor
which rendered it possible to unload coal and
heavy or bulky raw material fIom the vessel tc
the yard of the mandatory without the heavy
expense of re-shipment, and the abundance Of
water chemically pure for manufacturing pur
poses furnished from Sebago Lake.
Mr.. Wells, as Secretary, was authorized tt
invite the owners of unoccupied buildings anc
lots within the city to furnish the location, ex
tent and such other information as is necessary
The notice will be given in the daily papers
Mr.. Wells stated that the interest already ere
ated by the action of the Board of Trade ani
its committee has attracted the attention Of
manufacturers, and that there had already
been several inquiries of no little importance
for buildings and that important negotiation
were going on, all of which were dependent
upon the favorable action of the City Govern
ment.
In the course of the evening Mayor Kings
pury remarked upon the pressing necessity O
the erection OF market and of the great bene
hts TO be derived therefrom. The city owns
lot costing $48,OOO, from which it is deriving n
income, thus losing more than $4,000 annually
All the gentlemen present favored the enter
prise. G. e. b. jackson, Esq, urged immed
ate action in this matter by the city as one G
the most important of measures to secure bette
and cheaper living by bringing the various dea
ers together where rents would be much cheaI
er and the other facilities better.
The meeting adjourned at % o'clock to met
at the call of the chairman.