Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-05

IN
sloo000; tax on 100 acre farm sl55. 90.
Is it awonder that these oyer-burdened people
OF the 9TH ward look with longing eyes over
the lines into the prosperous towns of Cam
den and Thomaston and contrast the
hopeful situation there with the gloomy
prospect in their own city. Is it a
wonder that they are straining every nerve to
relieve themselves from this weighty incubus
which is now upon them: But it is argued
by the other side that this division W i'll create
great deal of trouble because of the large
amount of nonresident property which will
lie in ward seven. Let us examine this mat
ter of nonresident property. Real estate in
ward I, owned by six wards is as follows
Cobb Lime Co.. SCI l50, less one eighth of
same owned by ward 7, $50. 1872. Amount
owned by other parties s30, ,965. Total $751;
O9i. Rcal estate in six wards owned by the
lth ward s37, 44s, giving "A difference of about
S5O,0OO But ward seven has offered to COM
promise and give the city 400 acres of land
lying next to the 9th ward, estimated at $50
per acre or 100000. If this offer had been
accepted and the division made on this com
promise line, the balance of nonresident
property would have been the other way
But the city refused such compromise line
and proposed another line, viz: the old coun-
ty road leading directly through the settled por-
tion of ward {. This offer could not be enter
tanned for moment as such line would sep
aratc the property ofscores of indiv duals leav-
ing part in the city and part in the town, be-
sides subjecting the inhabitants to various
other Inconvenience toe numerous to men,
tion. Such a division would annihilate, and
it was intended to annhilatc, the ward Now
it has been argued by the friends of the city
that there is not a person upon the whole line
of this road who lives by farming and not
farm Of respectable size. Well, let us see.
The assessors books show the appraisal to be
s2O0,ooo on farms and farm buildings in ward
I, and it is a matter of record also tlnt ward
pays tax Of 5000 on farms and farm
buildings. If there are no farmers in ward
1, why do you assess $500, 900 on farm property
and why do you compel these people to pay
the sum OF 5000 on farm property if they
have none: You do it because the farms are
there. and the farmers are there also 1t is
folly to advance such an argument The fact
stands boldly out and cannot be denied
Ward is, and has been, and will be a COM
munitv of farmers and laboring men. The
question now is will YOU give these men
chance to live, or will you crush them down
and overburdcn them with taxes in the flu
turc as they have been in the past .?
An objection is raised on account of fnir
division of the Indebtedness. 1t seems to me
that the bill provides a fair way for that The
county commissioners under the provisions of
the bill are to adludicate upon the matter af-
ter giving time for the parties to appear be-
fore them. And to prevent any questions in
regard to the rights of parties being preserved
an amendment to the bill has been adopted.
giving the party aggrievcd the right of appeal
to the court. great handle is made of the
constitutional amendment limiting the towns
to an Indebtedness of not exceeding FIVE per
mt Of tla;r Il -, Al
Ward IS share of the city debt will exceed
five per cent of her valuation. therefore the
set off will be unconstitutional. Now il need
not take IA judge or lawyer to decide this
Any person of sound common sense can see
at glance that the constitution will not
apply. That amendment to the constitution
provides that mo city or town shall hereafter
create any debt or liability exceeding five per
centum of Installation" &c. The word here
after is used The amendment in no way
applies to debts and liabilities already con
tracted. The debts and liabilities of the city
of Rockland were incurred long before the
passage of this constitutional amendment.
That part of the debt which the town Of West
Rockland will assume is a part of the old
debt, and cannot be construed to be new liza
bility. Objection is made that the city will
not have room to expand, but if Senators will
look at the map and study the geographical
situation you can but see that vet there is
room. There is about 1000 acres of unoccu-
pied land around or in the back part of the
six wards. ard how long will it take to cover
this large tract of land with population at
the present rate of increase? The popula-
ton of Rockland in 1860 was 1916, in 1870,
1913, showing falling off in the last decade
of 243. How many centuries hence shall we
see the spare land all taken upg Look at the
bau y -,
in the city proper, 1880 acres. Now the
whole city of Portland contains only 1850
acres, and she has still room to expand The
idea that Rockland will be cramped for room,
when this other city located in the highway
of nations with three or four lines of rail
road running in, with the sails of ships from
every land and cline whitening her harbor,
the Queen city Of Maine has only 1850 acres
of land and still room to build. The idea is
absurd 'Tis only advanced to deceive and
mslead, and believe that the sun will never
rise on the day when the city of Rockland will
have covered with buildings her now unoccu-
pied land.
The prccedents adopted by this State are all
in favor of set off, and in this matter the
action of the past should have some weight in
determining what is right and proper as re-
CARDS Rockland. Manchester was set off
from Augusta, Farmingdale from Hal
lowell, West Gardiner from West Gar
diner. West Bath from Bath Veazie
from Bangor, and it was only last winter that
the Legislature created a little Island three
miles from land formerly part of Vnal
Haven into town by itself. Now after we
have created this little island, this storm
drcnchcd rock, surrounded on either side bv
the waves of the ocean, into municipality
with the high sounding name of Hurricane
Isle, and given to it all the rights and privi-
leges of other towns in the State. how can we
consistently deny the petition of ward with
her population that exceeds that of 200 towns
in this State and her S400 900 of property?
If there is no merit in this case, then the ac-
tion OF former legislatures setting of the
towns that have mentioned was wrong.
/ But il il claimed that ward wants to be
set off to escape taxation That was just the
reason why these other towns were set off. 1t
was considered to be a wrong and an injustice
10 -es;ssi.si Z, sfi,itig community nefp bear
all the burdens of a city and be subject to
taxation to pave streets and sidewalks, for
water and gas. and To help carry on the ma
chinery of city government from which they
,leriyxd no benefit. We owe our national;ty