The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-11


| A meeting was held in the Common Council
room yesterday afternoon at four o'clock, at
| tended by the following gentlemen. who COM
posed a committee on ike part of that portion
of Cape Elizabeth DESTROYS of being annexed to
this city: Ferry Village-Col. Smart, Il. w.
Pickett. A., v. Cole, John Brewer, w. b.
Thompson, d. w. Kincad DR. Lowell; Knight
ville-Nathaniel Shannon, B. F. Prichard;
Turner's Islapd-Cyrus Cole, E. III. Watson,
Chas. L. Litchield, NJ. w. Pickett; Ligonia
Village-Wm. Atwood, G. r. Garden, John
Thomas.
The city was represented by the joint special
committee appointed at the last meeting of the
City Council.
The meeting was called to order by the
Mayor, who read the order of the City Council
authorizing committee to confer with the
committee from Cape Elizabeth. He then call
ed upon Col. Smart of the cape committee, who
responded as follows:
Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen:-The committee
from Cape Elizabeth have at this stage of af-
fairs very little to offer. The question of an
neXatlon has been agitated among us for only
about six weeks. Our first move, after some
little talk among individuals, was to call pub.
lie meeting. The meeting was well attended and
was addressed by Judge Kings6ury, who had
been invited to be present. The next week
Judge klngsbury, upon invitation, repeated his
address at Knightville. The following week a
similar meeting was held at Turner's Island,
addressed by several gentlemen interested in
the movement The week after the meeting
met at Ligonia. AT each meeting committee
was raised to represent the village where the
meeting was then held
The second move was to invite the agricul-
tural portion of the town to meet and advise
with the committees already formed. This in
vitaton was not responded to, and people from
that portion of the town held meeting of their
own ON Town House Hill. Subsequently at
meeting of the several committees sub COM
mittee was appointed to confer with the city
government and we are here for that purpose
to-day Our purpose is to annex certain por-
tions of Cape Elizabeth to Portland The Col.
then gave statistics showing what it is propos-
ed to annex: Ferry village with pa polls, 467
scholars, and valuation of $235,613 +; Knight
vile with Ill polls, $40 scholars and valuation
of S1S6,211; Turner's Island with SO polls, 100
scholars and a valuation of S166,921; Ligonia
with 80 polls, 166 scholars and valuation of
S122,1 Jos; portion of district No. 2 with 70
polls and 65 scholars Total valuation $50, $50,
population 1000, scholars LOO. If the Rolling
Mills, Dry D.ck and Point Village are added
it will make the valation overiun 81, 000, 600
The valuation of the whole town is 81, 514 421,
with 1850 scholare, 81, ~ school money.
Mayor Wescott inquired what steps the Gel.
thought should be now taken. Col. Smart re
Piled, that they had plan to propose if it was
thought best to present it. Mr.. VIM. Atwood
of Cape Elizabeth ON being called upon said:
There are two plans talked of. One defining
the boundary line as the inside line, beginning
at Fort Preble and running north of the North
Congregational church, crossing the Ocean
House road just northerly of the Brewery and
thence running in direct line so as to strike
the 2. S. & 2. Ra ilroad about a mile east of
the Scarborosline; thence running in anorthwes.
terly direction, striking the end of the Mussey
road near Clark's Mill and continuing on to the
boundary line between Westbrook and Deering
The second plan was TO begin the line at the
point wheIe the p. S. s. p. Railroad left Scar
boro for Cape Elizabeth, and run it straight
across the town to and including Cliff Cottage
This latter plan makes a fairer division of the
town. The question of annexation is very
important one and is essential to the interests
of Portland Portland is already cramped on
her harbor front. Annexation will give her
four or five miles of additional harbor frontage,
with more than double her present facilities.
Every interest of the villages along the water
line demands annexation. The taxes in the
city and town are about equal, and there is no
desire to call upon the city for additional ex-
penditure of money for improvements. The
only desire is to create a common interest and
bring all under one government. Those who
desire annexation represent over half the valu-
alton of the town.
The Mayor inquired of Col Smart if there
the city and town to unite without an act OF
the Legislature. The reply was, that the Leg
islature might pass an enabling act or they
might refer the matter back to the towns II
would be necessary to appeal to the Legisla-
ture and If the town should go there strongly
endorsed by the city, the Legislature would
probably grant their request without any furth-
er action.
Mr.. Atwood referred to the cases of LINER
ick and Limington, ard of Bunker's Island,
which were acted upon directly by the Legisla-
ture last winter Upon inquiry by the Mayor
Col. Smart stated the debt of the town to be
S54,O 900, and in the part proposed to be set off
there were six school houses, new and in good
repair.
Mayor Wescott stated that SO far as he knew
the citizens have LITTLE idea of the matter. This
meeting will bring out opinions. 1T may be
well to adjourn this ma tier so that they all
might become better posted on the subject and
then by and by call public meeting and see
what the sentiment of the people is For him
self, he should drive over the territory proposed
to be annexed and get some idea of it.
Mr.. G. R. Garden of Ligouia, said there was
one question discussed at the Cape to which he
would call attention, and that was where should
the lines be run so as to be acceptable to the
city? Dr. Shannon of Cape Elizabeth, said:
If you don't want us we don't want to come.
Mayor Wescott thought it would be good idea
for the best writers at the Cape to publish their
views on this question in the daily papers
member of the committee suggested that
it would be good plan to notify some of our
leading citizens to meet with the committees at
their next meeting and hear their views. If il
is thought best, after learning how this matter
strikes their minds, public meeting can be
called, then there would be an opportunity to
get at public opinion.
The meeting then adjourned, subject to the
call of Mayor Wescott.