The Portland daily press., 1877-10-09
CITY AFFAIRS.
Special Meeting of the City ConnciI.


City Council was held last evening"
| BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
| A communication was received from Gen. S.
| j. Anderson inviting the members of the City
| Government to accompany the merchants on
| the Burlington excursion.
The Portland Railroad Company was granted
| permission to lay turntables at each end Of
| Congress street to enable them to run one horse
| cars on that street
| W. d. Jones was licensed as an auctioneer.
| The committee to whom was referred the me-
| tition of G. L Bailey to erect a powder house
on Washington street. reported without recon-
mendation for the action of the full board.
| and on motion petitioner was granted leave
| to withdraw.
Report of Committee GA Fire Department on
| the proposition of the Water Company to Law
mains ia certain streets in the western mart of
the city came up from the council and was
laid on the table, it being understood that it
will be acted upon at special meeting to be
held next Monday evening
IN COMMON COUNCIL,
The Committee on Fire Department to whom
was referred the petition of S. E. Spring and a
number of others representing that that part of
the city west of Emery street and south of the
Reservoir, is poorly supplied with water by
reason of the water pipes not being properly
connected, and praying for an extension of the
water pipes through the following Streets VIZ,
Vaughan from Bracket to Danforth, Danforth
from Emery to Vaughan, Spring from Neal to
Vaughan, Pine from Carleton to Vaughan,
Thomas from Clifford to Spring, and who were
instructed to confer with the Water Company
to see what arrangement could be made for Sc
curing the connections prayed for reported,
submitting the following propositions of the
company without recommendation:
PORTLAND, Oct. 4tb 1877.
To the Committee on Fire Department:
Gentlemen: In accordance with your request
we enclose herein proposition of this company
to lay water main west of Emery street. where
required, to furnish supply of water in that
part of the city for fire purposes.
You are aware that the greater part of this
territory is already supplied with water for do
nestle use; but the pipes being small are of no
practical use for your department.. We regret
that our financial condition did not permit the
laying of larger pines, also that we are unable
to pay the taxes assessed by the city, aud to
make this extension of over onejmile of pipe
which will cost US for labor, pipe, gates and
connections, nearly four thousand dollars but
if the abatement of the tax be made, or the
amount provided mi any other form ge will
commence the work at once.
We think the City Council is authorized to
make the exemption asked, The legislature
authorized the City Council to exempt the
property of the water company from taxation
for term of six years. In 1870 the City Coun-
Gil passed an order to exempt the company
from taxation for five years, being one year
less than the legislature authorized
After the Supreme Court decided in 1873 or
1874 that the exemption, by cities and towns, of
manufacturing corporations from taxation was
unconstitutional, the assessors of Portland laid
tax on all such corporations, and also on this
company, for the reason, as they said, that we
came under this decision.
The Water Company not being manufac-
turing company declined to pay the tax and by
agreement between the parties the matter was
carried to the Supreme Court to determine if
the exemption OF our property was legal or not
About two months ago rescrpt was sent
down by the court, from which we copy the fol-
lowing, viz:
The City of Portland VS. Portland Water
Company. 1t is within the constitutional au-
thority of the Legislature to empower the City
Council of the city of Portland to exempt from
taxation for term of years property belonging
to the Portland Water Company in consdera-
ton of an undertaking and agreement by said
company to furnish free of cost to the city a
supply of water for its public and muncipal
purposes.
The taxes assessed to April, 1875, have been
abated
The tax for 1876 remains unpaid The six
years exemption named in the act of the lsgis-
lature would cover this tax.
We would say that in case our proposition be
accepted, and the tax for 1876 abated, that we
will pay the tax assessed for 1877, amounting to
1875.
Very respectfully yours,
Portland Water Company.
By GEO. 2. WEsCoTT, Treasurer.
PORTLAND, Oct. 4. 1877,
TO the City Council OF Portland:
Gentemen,-The Portland Water Company
hereby agree that in consideration of an abate-
menJ being made of the tax assessed by the
City of Portland against said company for the
year 1876, OF in lieu thereof on payment of two
Thousand dollars, that the said company will
lay water mains suitable for fire purposes in
me following streets, viz: A six inch main
through Vaughn street, from Bracket lat the
Reservoir) to Danforth, thence through Dan
forth to connect at Emery street with our six
inch main; also to extend aud connect with
the vaughn street pipe the mains now laid in
Spring and Pine streets, and to extend the
Ihomas street pipe to a connection with the
Spring street main, a total distance of about
5000 feet and to complete the same by the first
OF December, thereby connecting all the dead
ends and giving to that part Of the city full
supply of water for all purposes
PORTLAND WATER COMPANY,
by Geo. P. Wescott,
Treasurer.
Report was accepted and the following or
der passed, IA yeas to nays:
In BOARD OF COMMON COUNCIL,
October s, 1877.
Ordered That the Assessors of this cjtv are