Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-25

reo.rd 20 schools, Ward has one-nfth OF the
school money!, and one-eight Of the ech0lafs,
snd psys but oae-ninfh Of the taxet. why
sbouid there be q division? What separate
interests require il? Whist haFdships result
frnm the uniou? In his county. With towns
six miles square, having villages for the com
uoa Interests Of all, they would have tne
zane sroands Of separation A. Ward :. what
benefits the village, builds it up and i'm proves
il. also benefits the country portion OF tne
town. From general principles, a. ven a
the facts in the case, he should be opposed 70
the division Of the town. As whole tn's
CITY had gone forward in the psfnvas oi
and he trusted that no wnini OF
freak Of passion would now disturb tne
union.
M. B.Apropp said that ~ 4 legislator.
called to vote upon this important subject, ne
desired TO do so intelligpntly. II could not
be truthfully said that Ward is hardly
pressed in the matter of taxation. and was en-
loving more privileges than it is really taxed
for. There WAS q strong panic in ls53-4 Tor
the division of towns. but it is easier 70 dlviie
than to reunite q tswn. Ward cannot just
ly complain of ovcr-taxation. the items
Of hich he proceeded to give. The tendency "f
the times is not to divide towns, but to con-
solidate In proof of this, he cited the case
Of the city Of Boston, that had absorbed nve
or six of the AOurishing municipalities IN It's
vicinity. Consolidation helped to decrease
the burden Of carrying on the municipality.
II gives position to the place and more COM
manding importance. 1t is proposed to strip
Rockland Of its lime quarries; the division
lists we're not willing to have the division on
the county road on the Camden line.
Mr.. PArrEx said that last year he had vot-
ed against division, in contemplation OF
compromise. which was then promised. 1t
was VI it'll the understanding that if the COM
promise was not effected, he should vote 10
yet Ward Z, Oh in . town BY herself. he
knew from experience the hardships of peo-
pie who live in the outskirts of large busi-
ness centres. In the country roads can be
made and be kept in repair cheaper than they
can be made in the city. Farmers can work
out their taxes, instead ofpaying money. In
school matters the teachers are broken in in
the suburban districts He spoke of the va
rious expenditures that were very prop
er in their places in q city, but for which
the country gets nothing in return. Will
Rockland ever need this large section to
spread upon? He thought not. Principle
should guide him in his action to-day.
Mr.. BRADFORD, said that one-third of the
road tax il laid out in Ward Z. He stated
this in support Of his former action. He said
this proportion would be found in the matter
of schools, gas, &c. .s
Mr.. HARRIS said this ie . matter of the
greatest moment to the people of Rockland;
and while ordinarily he disliked a lobby, he
thought this il = case in which light should
be sought from citizens of the place on both
sides of the question. Rockland is perhaps
the most fourishing city III the State at the
present time. 1t had steadily gone on in the
paths of prosperity; 1t had come out well
from the stress Of hard times and we should
be very careful to do it no injury by unwise
legislation. The argument is, that the seventh
ward is farming community, and ought not
to be taxed for CITY necessities. The figures
shown in the circulars issued this morning. he
considered entirely unfair, rs no opportunity
had been given to answer them. The Gues-
ton is, shall Ward be separated from the
rest Of the city, and pay less tex, and compel
the other wards to pay more? The
question is one Of dollars and cents. He con-
sidered this entirely unjust. He showed that
the ward had received, its full proportion of
the highway and school money. The legisla-
ture cannot establish town lines that will be
perfectly just to every interest. You will
find more or less of complaint everywhere,
but it ia beyond any remedy that the legisla-
ture can apply. And then in the new town.
should taxes be less, there would he removal
Of wealthy men from the city. to the great
injury of the city. This would be the sure
result. But the leading reason why the town
should remain intact, is because the lime
quarrics are all in Ward Z. Here is n unity
Of interests that cannot be found in any other
town. LIMERICK is the substratum upon
which the prosperity Of the town depends, and
should some convulsion Of nature destroy
that, the city would soon decay.
Mr.. SMITH replied to the assertion that the
lime quarries were all situated in Ward Z,
by the statement that a large portion of the
limerick is derived from Thomaston
Mr.. ELLIS thought the question had been
sufficiently and most thoroughly discussed.
The division Of the town will not at all in.
validate the ownership in the. quarries that
may be situated in Ward 6. The opposition
seem to have set up two lines Of what thev
call arguments; one, that it would relieve
the city proper. and another that it would in
jure it. when we carefully consider and
weigh these peoples interests, we shall see
that they ought to have their rights. Thorn.
aston or any Of the adjoining towns have
just ~ much right to support these luxurie.
in which the city Of ROckland INDUCES. AZ
have the residents of Ward Z. Here are
altogether diverse interests, and he would
separate any town where such diversity ex.
listed, and that could be divided a. easily A.
this. These jealousies spring up and never
subside. These men have wrongs and
grievances, and they will come here wear
after year until they have their right.
The city of Rockland has space enough
in which to expand, even after the setting
of Of Ward Z.
Mr.. BRADFORD said that it had been asked
"What damage will be done, though Ward :
Is taken on!" You may as we'll hold I'M vour
right hand and inquire what damage viii he
done to 1t. though the fingers are taken off?
II this war il to be kept up, the only safe
way is to divide the ward by a continn.t;on
OF the other six wards.
The question was called for, and on motion
OF Mr. HARRIS, the yeas and nays were or
dered.
The Senate then BY vote Of II to II. ar
cepted the minority report and passed the
bill incorporating the town of West Rock.
land The vote stood rs follows:
YEAs..Messr.. Atwell. Barker, Barrett. Be,rv
FL. SComos, cornish. Dearborn, Duran Ella
r rsan., rarin Paiten. Rankins. Rogers, Smith
NAfs,Messrs. Bradford. Dinelev, Feru.h B.r.
rts, Hill, Halves, Lamsoa OF Sassdahoc isrr' %.
cher. Strickland. wak~Aeid-ii
On motion Of Mr. STRICKLAND. uor.e
document No. 81, relating to the reform
school, was amended by adding aetcr tho
word Council" in the second line NJ Tho
fhn