Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-12

900. contracted during the war and the rail
road excitement. Every part of the proper
~ is holden to pay that debt There were
constitutional dificuirie. in the way Of divi-
sion. IS towns are shut of from planging
into debt more than five per cent. of their
valuation.
John Lovejoy, Mayor of the city. showed
the proportion of the tax which Ward : paid.
which consurred with the statement of Mr..
Hall. Some 20 of the scholars of that ward
attend schools in other wards. They have
had their proportion of the Offices from
that ward. Expense of school build
ings in ward for the past ten wears. about
$4,000
Mr.. White, who has been engaged in the
lime business, testified that more than half Of
all the rock is hauled by Ward teams. The
lime business must continue TO be the pres
ent business of the place. The interests of
all parts Of the city are identical. and cannot
be separated or divorced.
ID. y. Mortiand closed for the remon-
strants. The committee not only act as leg
islators. but in n Judicial capacity. Ifpublic
policy demands separation. then it should
be granted: if not, otherwise. First, we are
only third of a township now The inter-
ests are all one. lis only village altogeth-
er, and we are all one. In every town there
may be some locality that may feel somewhat
dissatisfied; why, you might divide them all
up into little districts. He call attention to
complaints that were made on the other side.
In the item of police, is it not for large prop
erty holders in Ward to maintain IA police
or fire departments to guard their property?
These men are interested in the lime kilns.
They have to go down town at night tor their
mail. Would they expose themselves with
out police: Ii kilns should be destroyed.
where would the property of residents of
Ward go to: There had been an attempt
made to convey the impression that the resi-
dents Of Ward had been crowded in taxa
ton. No one had ever appealed to the coun-
ty commissioners for abatement of taxes.
The city of Rockland is greatly IN debt, but
we arc going to pay dollar for dollar, but all
OF us must do our part. Relieve these men
with all their wealth, won't the poor man in
the lower ward suffer? We want these peo-
pie to pay their share of the debt. and they
are able to do it.
o. ID. Baker, Esq, closed the argument for
the petitioners. For what do these petitioners
ask! He was surprised that the other side
had not made the slightest reference to the
bill. Every section of this guards the rights
of the citizens of the lower wards, and it pro-
vides that the new town shall assume its full
Indebtedness. There is no disposition to
shirk in this matter. The bill and not out
side TALKS the basis of our action here.
We ask to clear up the past and then raise
our own money, pay our own taxes. and
manage our own affairs in our own way. He
considered the constitutional difficulty which
his brother Hall had detected. That refers
simply to municipalities that create indebted |
ness. Nothing of the kind is proposed. |
Ward seven has every vital constituent ele- !
ment necessary to constitute n town. As to |
polls, inhabitants, and territory, we have the |
fair average of all the towns in the State. |
The schools. business and other departments
were alluded to, and points of counsel ans
wered. Poor men do not want to pay for tax
alton without corresponding benefits. They |
have no need of many things demanded by |
the aggregation of wealth in cities. They |
cannot afford the luXuary. They desire 10 |
run the town affairs in a less expensive man
ner. There are expenses over which we |
have no control, and on which we are out |
voted every time.
Forty thousand dollars have been expended !
by ward since the incorporation of the city. |
from which the residents have really had no !
benefit We want the property in the city |
proper to pay the taxes just the same as now. |
But we object to being taxed for luxurics
which we do not enjoy, and that belong ex-
to a=city. However we may desire !
that these sections should remain one, nature |
has ordered it otherwise, and we must submit |
to that. But the division will not lessen the
business or cause the breakage of friendship. |
The imaginary line of division will be found
no barrier to prosperity. In concluding, he
referred to the fact that year after year these
petitioners have come here asking for their
rights, and the only way TO close the question
would be to grant them.
The hearing closed at 100. The commit
tee reserve their decision.