Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-10
The VOICE OF rHI PEOPLE.
Public Meeting Of the Citizens Of Aueu.-
t. IN Granite Hall.
= Liberal Policy Favored b. q I.r..
Majority.

Last evening there vas a meeting of the
citizens in Granite Hall to see if the civ
would advise fixing the taxable valuation q,
the Edwards Manufacturing Company in An.
gusta At stated sum for the term Of ton
years, inclusive Of the present year.
The facts of this case are still fresh in the
minds Of our readers. Just one wear .vo
next Sunday the Edwards Manufacturing Co
purchased At auction the Sprague property
IN this city, the price paid, being $3.50. 600.
Twenty well-known and leading gentlemen
OF this city, each purchased $1,000 worth of
the company's stock, amounting in the aygrs-
gate to $4,000. 1t was at once hoped by
the citizens that this would be the beginning
Ct prosperous era in the history of the civ
All knew that in the water power furnished
by the kennebec river lay mine of wealth
which. if but developed by capital, business
energy and experience. by men who knew
what they were about, would eventually raise
Augusta to the position of large and opu-
lent manufacturing city, and thus by adding
to her commerce and trade bring prosperity
to her citizens. When the conpanv
came here spirit of disbursement
had settled over the city. For
more than year the spindles of the mill had
been silent. Business was dull upon the
street and all healthy enterprise seemed par
allied. Our citizens AGED on the river with
its immense water power unused, on the
silent mills falling into decay, with feeling
OF dependency. But the Edw ards Manufac-
turing company, one of the staunchest and
solidest firms in New England, came, conf.
dence was restored, and the busy hum of
spindles, sweeter than music to the ear. was
again heard after a silence OF more than four
teen months. Already, although the mills
have been running less than a year the pulse
Of business has quickened and there is re-
newed activity on the street
The price paid by the Company was
claimed by several to be much below its real
value, but on the other hand good Judges es
timated that this figure was not far from its
real worth. considering the condition of the
property and uncertainties surrounding its
title. The valuation placed upon the
property last year by the assessors
the Company held was too high
and in access of the valuation of similar prop-
erty in other localities. Last May the Board
of assessors gave hearing to the Edw ards
Manufacturing Company in relation to
the reduction Of the valuation and taxation
Of their property in this city. At this meet
.r1., ~ a. II
would make extensive improvements on
the property provided they were taxed
at a fair rate. Following the hearing the as
SCISSORS after due consideration fixed the to-
tai valuation on the property at $3.50, 565
This valuation the company were not salts
fled with and accordingly measures were TAX
| en- to call a meeting of the citizens, under sec
ton 90 of the City Charter A reausition
signed by some 225 leading men of the city
and directed to the Mayor and Aldermen Of
Augusta, requested them that the meeting
be called, and in accordance with the above
section of the City Charter the legal voters
of the city we're notified to meet in Granite
Hall last evening to consider the matter of the
taxation of the Company's property in the
city.
1t was a largely attended meeting. Doubts
had been expressed that the citizens would
not turn out, but they did attend, it seemed
almost to a man. For days ard weeks the
matter in question had been talked up, until
the public pulse was almost at fever heat and,
as a result every seat in Grants Hail. both
on the floor and in the galleries, was occu-
pied, while the space in the rear of the hall
and around the entrances was literally pack
ed
The hour having arrived, Capt. II. F.
Blanchard, City Clerk, called the meeting to
order and read the warrant. A committee
| consisting of Messrs. Rollins, Cross, Savage
and Sewsll was appointed to receive, sort and
count votes for moderator, which resulted as
follows: Whole number of votes thrown 217;
| necessary for choice, 1903. Col. j. Man
| chester Haynes had 206 and was elected. Mr.
Haynes made few opening remarks, in
which he said that the assessors of Augusta
had placed valuation on the Edwards Man.
ufacturing Co.'S property which was not in
equality with that on other property in this
and other places. The company, therefore,
came before Augusta citizens for the purpose
of changing. if possible, any erroneous opin-
ion that might exist about the matter. They
had come together for the public good.
Letters were read from &. l. Buker, Agent
Bates Mill, Lewiston, Hon. VIM. ID. Pencil
agent Lincoln Mills. Lewiston, s. l. Abbott,
agent Lockwood Mills, Waterville. II. S.
Howe, agent Laconia and Pepperhill Mills,
Bidde ford, Hon. j. II. McMullen, Biddeford,
and Hon. A. ID. Lockwood, Providence
X. l. All ,f these gentlemen testified to
examining carefully the property of the Ed
wards Manufacturing Company in this city
and they estimate its value at from 1925 900
to 1915. 1000, and stated that it is taxed more
than double the amount of any other cotton
| manufacturing property in Maine. Their
testimony was conclusive as to the valueless-
ness of the machinery in the mill here
and all said the property was not
worth over six dollars per spindle. They
compared this property to the various mills
| in Maine and said if other mills were taxed
at sl2 per spindle with all their improved
| machinery, this property ought not to be
| taxed at over six dollars per spindle.
w. II. Libby called for, and stated
that if the company was correct in its views,
the assessors of This city should apologize to
them as well as to the people of the city for
the course they had taken in fixing the valua-
ton as they did. He said that the assessors
had acted in good faith in the matter, and he
believed that they we're right. He had re-
| ceived letters from the Lewiston, Auburn and
Biddeford assessors, which showed that the
property here was not taxed higher than SINH
| lar property in those cities. The letters that
/ had been received hy the assessors of the city