Worcester daily spy., 1872-05-06
as the committee, aud unanimously accepted by

as the committee, aud unanimously accepted by
the audience:
Adm Thayer, William Dickinson. Harrison Bliss.
+ II kinnicutt Calvin Foster, W w Rice, George
N Rice John D Baldwin, VIM 7 Merriiield, George
singer james II wall. Edwin Morse, George
Crompton, Cyrenus Aldrich, z Goulding, Nathan
ie Paine, Warren Mcfarland, John w Jordan,
Henry & Fish, A Hammond, Arthur L Esta-
brook, Benz Zaeder.
Loud calls were made for Judge Dewey to
come forward and address the meeting. The
chair appointed DIR. o. Martin to invite the
judge to the platform. DIR. Martin announced
that Mr.. Dewey declined to speak, owing to his
peculiar position, but that he was in full sym
pathy with the meeting.
DR.. Martin suggested that the committee be
authorized to devise some system for an equita-
bic apportionment Of the tax, and that the sub
iect should be freely discussed, so that the COM
mittee may act in accordance with the wishes
of the people. 1t is necessary to decide whether
We wish to pay this tax at once, or leave part
OF it as afunded debt. He advocated funding
large portion of the debt, and then make a
seem fair that we should be obliged to pay the
entire cost of an improvement which will bene-
fit the future population OF the city as much as
it does The speaker illustrated the inequal-
ity of the present assessment by his own tax;
the cost of constructing the sewer in front of his
lot was about S5.75 per foot or $500 for the
whole distance, while his tax and that on the
estate nearly opposite amounted to $3.50,
more than twice the cost of the sewer He said
the city had been very eXtrayagant in this
matter of sewers, and the man who inaugurated
the system knew as little about finance as a
boy ten years old.
On motion of Mr.. Dickinson ten gentlemen
were nominated by the meeting to serve on the
committee, with the twenty-five already chosen.
The following gentlemen were nominated and
unanimously elected:
DIR. o. Martin, T. c. Harrington O. A. Kelley
James White, James Estabrook, VIM. s. Davis
Joseph Mason. Horatio n Tower, Putnam w Taft,
George s. Mason.
DIR. Martin moved that the committee be re-
quested and authorized to prepare and present
to the mayor and aldermen plan for the assess
ment of the tax
Hon. George NJ. Rice opposed the notion
the mayor and aldermen, and that they would
be willing to adopt plan that would be salts
factory to all.
DR.. Martin suggested that if we found fault
with this plan, we should present a better one
The object of this meeting is to get out of the
dilemma if possible, and, in his Judgment, the
best way to do this is to devise plan by which
the tax may be more equitably distributed.
DIR. Reuben Spaulding spoke earnestly in de-
nuncation of the present system of assessment,
saying that the burden fell on a small minority
of the citizens. He said great injustice had
been done by this city government, and that
set of school boys could have performed this
work better than our board of mayor and alder
men have. The sewer was more OF public
benefit than private one, and the tax should
be borne by the citizens at large.
Hon. Adm Thayer said be had not purposed
entering into any discussion as to the duties of
the committee. The first resolution covered all
the ground necessary. 1t is universally con-
ceded that the tax is an unjust one, aud it is
not necessary here that we should 20 into the
details of the inequalities. The meeting has
done all that is necessary to do in delegating
we have confidence. They are instructed to look
into the matter and examine it eXhaustvely,
and report at an adjourned meeting. In the
meantime the committee are authorized to act
with full powers, and to petition for an iniunc-
ton, if it may be necessary. This tax is either
right or wrong, and it must be decided which,
Nothing is ever definitely settled in Wor-
| cester till l. is settled rightly. We have no
| pride of opinion in regard to this matter;
if we are in the wrong. our committee will take
| the back track, and if we can convince the
mayor and aldermen that they are wrong, they
| will, undoubtedly, recede from their position
| The present mayor and aldermen were the
| choice of large majority of citizens, and it
| is safe to assume they have acted in good faith
and with the best interests of the city at heart,
and they will be ready TO take the necessary
steps to rectify their error, when it shall be
properly presented to them. MIR. Thayer urged
upon those present the importance of standing
by their committee and aiding it with their
advice and council. He closed by moving, that
when this meeting adjourn ii be TO meet at the
call of the committee, and it was so voted.
B. w. Potter, Esq. offered the following reso-
luton:
Resolved, that, in the judgment of this meeting
the present sewer assessment is unfair lnequtable
and illegal, and we therefore council and advise
those who have been assessed, not to pay any part
of said assessment till the committee appointed at
this meeting shall have advised what course ought
to be pursued in regard to the matter.
Mr.. Potter said the question had been raised
as to whether money paid on this assessment
could be recovered if the plan should be proved
illegal; in his judgment it would be better to
stand by each other in refusing to pay until the
matter is finally decided. He considered that
the plan would not stand law, and thought we
needed a little of the patriotic spirit of &c to
protest against unjust taxation.
Mr. S. V. Stone said the great burden of this
assessment fell, not upon the capitalists, but
upon the workingman. There is many a prop
erty holder who has felt that he could not afford
to enter the sewer, and yet has to bear his pro-
portion of the tax. No man should be called
upon to pay for benefit not received; when the
benefit did come then let the tax be levied.
j. +. Manning, Esq, spoke briefly, saying that
the trouble arose from the original legislation
on the subject, and he asked that the acts of the
legislature regarding it, should be read Tor the
information of the meeting.
The chair said the acts would be read if auy
gentlemen could furnish a copy, but as they
were not forthcoming, the vote on Mr.. Potter's
resolution was taken. 1t was adopted with slight
opposition aud the meeting adjourned.
The hall remained crowded to the close, and
during the progress of the meeting many per-
sons went away unable to obtain even standing
room.