Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-05
Dailu 1srnnrbrc .Journal.
Extract from the Speech Of James Nor.
riSOn. Jr.
IN THE SENATE, February 2lst on the division of the
lIty of Rocklnnd.
Mr.. MORRISON said :

Mr. President. 1.-THE whole tenor of the re-
marks OF the Senator from Aroostook, is to
the erect that those men who are here from
the 1th ward of Rockand are contemplate
lobbyists and dishonest men. SO far as the
lobby j. concerned, wish to point the Sena-
tor to the powerful array here from the city
proper and to the almost superhuman efforts
which have been made to win the honorable
senator and other Senators at this board to
the cause of the city. Then the Senator fur
ther alleges that an attempt has Leen made
to sell out the Senate, or to use his own
words place Us upon the auction block In
reply to this have only to say that if ever
an attempt of that kind was made and came
near full contamination, il was when, on
yesterday morning, before the expiration of
the morning hour, the friends of the city in
this Senate, insisted on taking this bill up
out of its regular order and putting il, through
with a rush. Who | ask appears to have been
placed on the auction block? Who has the
appearance of being sold out: But am not
here to make accusations. There are parties
here from the 1th ward, and parties are here
representing the city proper. | accuse no
one of them of being dishonest. They have
the right to be here and each present hi.
views. All are presumed to be honest men
until they arc proven TO be dishonest: and if
they can give us any light, any information.
whereby we may arrive at a Just conclusion
OF the matter. to me that light or that ntor-
nation Will be very agree cable. But | come
to the main features of the case. The 7th
ward comes and ask to he set off from the city
proper and to be incorporated into a town. to
be known by the name of West Rockland. |
would not break up long established town or
city lines but for the gravest reasons Ward
I cannat ask separation but for the fact that
l,.Nl l,u.. L. 4
which cannot be reneded. Let us see if
ward is not entitled to considerations Let
us examine some of her grievances. We
have had the maps of the city before us
From them we learn that the six wards are
compact and border on the harbor The 9TH
ward lies in the rear of the six wards and eN-
tends along the whole back part of the six
The inhabitants of the 1th ward are princi-
pally farmers and laboring men There i. a
large amount of unoccupied land living be-
tween the city proper and the settled portion
the lth ward Now the citizens of ward are
taxed upon valuati' II of abont S497. .ol7. or
one seventh of the city property, and conse-
quentlv are obliged to pay one seventh of the
taxes assessed upon the city. Now the pcti-
TONERS claim, that there has been an unwar-
ranted increase of taxation. and that the af-
fairs of the city have not been managed in a
careful and economical manner. The whole
tax assessed upon the city in 1857 was S24,-
S32.s5. The tax in 1877 was Sl2377o
wing an increase of sos $3.50 .62 over what
the tax was twenty years ago. Now we are
all aware that taxes have multiplied doubled
and thrilled in hundreds of towns and cities.
but here is an increase of five-fod with
prospect of a continued increase in the same
ratio: and is not this fact sufficient to Justify
parties in waking up to realization Of their
"a 4 H.. IL.
the great grievance of those who live in the
9TH ward. is the fact that a very large propor-
tion of the money expended to run the city is
expended for certain things which ward has
no interest and derives no benefit The
YEARLY expenses for police for six wears end
ing 1850 was S2o2 IL. The yearly expenses
for six years ending 1873 was 81 92l IA or
about fourteen times much. The police
force of the city of Rockland may be ne
ce.sity for the city proper, but what possible
good can it be to this community of farmers
and laboring men living out on the old county
road in ward :. far removed from the citv:
How are they beneftil,d by this array of po-
lice. which is such an enormous expense and
for which they are compelled to pay their pro-
portional part? | answer, no more than the
inhabitants of the adjoining towns of Thorn
aston and Camden.
which the people of ward are taxed heavily
This department cost the city per wear for
six wears ending in 1860, SsGf2 "a for six
years ending in 1878 Sc. 70l %, or eight times
as much. Now since the incorporation of
the city, there has been 3ls fires three only of
which have been in ward T. and bv actual
calculation ward Z has paid during those
twenty wears the enormous sum of S2I .151 90
only 81 900 of which has been expended in
that ward. Is this fair? l. this justice? /,
this in accordance with the principle that the
public burdens shall bear equally? Then
there are other expenditures for which ward
pays. such ne gas. water, reservoir street
sewers, side walks, etc, all very necessary in
the city proper, but of no avail to ward I.
Indeed the amount which this rural district
pay TO help carry on the city governmenrand
all the attendant expenses has become so bur
dcnsomc TO these good citizens of ward that
they can stand il no longer. Their cup of
bitterness is already full. Look for a mo-
mcnt AT the expenditures for which ward I has
no interest and derives no benefit, for six
wears prior TO 1879 In '73. Sl7 ,035. in "A
s24 sol, in 10 S23,s $40, in '76 SIS, ,495, in ~
Sl2, IA. in rs SIS $780, making a total with
few minor items not included in the above.
of ,S97. in six short years. One-sixth OF
this would give ,4S3 in one year: one
9.
the amount that ward pays each year more
than she would if in atown by herself Does
not the fact justify the inhabitants of that
much abused locality to appeal to this Legis-
lature for relief?
Now Twill carry this mathematical problem
still farther. The amount expended for pur-
poses in which ward has no interest from
1854. the time nf the Incorporation Of the
city, TO 1878, "a years, has been carefully fig-
urcd out and the several sums are as
follows, including interest,": Police Sis.-
9i3.5i fire department, sl52. .i9G. -,
gas sl5,57 80. water S40,060.34. res
ervoirs 81 1925, street sewer ST, 6,42s 06
road damages on new street 81 $50. 90. Sea
street breastwork sl.77s.4S, Total $3.50
953.19 for the whole city. and one enti: o.
this, or $40. 136.24 for ward T. Have they
not been bled in the past, and is there any
hope for the future if the present state of
things continues?
Let us now make comparison Of taxation
as between property in the 7th ward and
property just over the line in the towns of
Thomaston and Camden. Farm property in
Thomaston adjoining ward Z, assessed value
$l6.25 per acre; rate of taxation slt.00 on