The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-04-25
Town Organization.

noticed an article on the above subject, re-
ferring chiefly to the recent applications of
Catawissa and Orangeville for borough
charters. We are unacquainted with the
facts and circumstances attending the ap.
plication OF the people of Orangeville, so
will have nothing whatever to say concern
ing their case. We do desire, however, TO
correct several misstatcments Of facts con-
cerning the application from Catawissa
and. In doing this, let 1t be understood that
there Is no disposition TO censure the emf
nent author Of the article, who would have
no interest, and much less, any inclination
or desire to state what was not strictly cor
rect His information has evidently come
from those most interested In opposing the
borough movement, and has either been
collected in grossly careless manner or
with an intention to wilfully misrepresent
the facts for the purpose of misleading the
over-credulous reader.
IL is not correct that the opposition came
mainly from citizens of the township out.
side OF the proposed borough. Every one
who has any reliable information concern
ing the borough movement here knows
that 1t was mainly opposed by ur individ-
uals, all OF whom live within the limits of
the proposed borough, and that there was
only one man in the township who took
any decided stand with the opposition,
while on the other hand a majority OF the
leading citizens In the township have ex-
pressed themselves as being in favor of in
corporation.
The township of Catawissa, outside the
limits of the proposed borough, would con-
tain IA square miles or $500 acres Of terri
tory, and would not be left in the form of
shell or crescent. The Western bound
ary of the proposed borough is the Susque-
hanna river, which is also the boundary
line of the townships and the southern
boundary of the proposed borough is, for
considerable distance, the line between
Catawissa and Franklin townships, and
when it leaves the township line it follows
the base Of a high mountain-a natural
boundary-the remaining distance, so that
the proposed borough is taken from the
corner OF the township in manner that will
not Inconvenience any one in any respect
IL the borough is erected there will be
about So resident land owners left in the
township with enough nonresidents who
own properties there to make the number
100, and some Of these non-residents own
the largest and most valuable farms in the
township and consequently are among the
heaviest tax payers there. Some of these
very persons are most strongly in favor of
borough-strange and startling as it may
appear to the opposition. These citizens
of the township will only be obliged to
maintain 2lt miles of road outside of the
proposed borough limits, instead of 30
miles as enormously stated in the article be-
fore referred to. There are only 80 miles
in the whole township as now constituted
and y miles are within the limits of the
proposed borough. The foregoing state
ments, 1t seems, would show very clearly
that the parties who are most earnestly op-
posing the present movement to incorpo-
rate the town of Catawissa are not sincere
in what they say or do, or they would not
resort to Misrepresentation of facts. They
pretend to present a new plan, ostensbly,
to incorporate the whole township of Cata-
wissa, when in fact and at heart the whole
opposition are unfavorable to incorpora-
ton of any kind, unless their words and
actions go for nought, 1t is plan which,
If waited for and followed, means never to
incorporate. 1t is a last resort on behalf
OF the opposition, the purpose and design
OF which is to dissuade the public spirited
citizens from making much needed i'm
provement in their town here and now
which the opposition fears is becoming
formidable and which they know will soon
be inevitable 1t is cunningly devised
scheme by which they hope to mislead the
doubtful and unwary citizen and cause
him to abandon the well-bcgun project al
together. BE not deceived or misguided
by this new device of the opposition. We
have statutes prescribing the manner for
the incorporation of boroughs which have
been practiced successfully and effectually
almost time out of mind we have town
that is much too large to be well regulated,
or regulated at all, by township govern
ment-we have majority of the freehold
ers residing within the limits of the pro-
posed borough who are heartily in favor of
incorporation-why then sit here in the
mud and filth and wait for legislation that
may never be agitated or enacted? Special
legislation, such as incorporated the Town
OF Bloomsbury, is prohibited by the new
constitution and if ever "a general permis-
sive law" such as contemplated by Mr..
Buckalew, should be passed, the only
mode of procedure to incorporate under
such law will be just the same as now
viz; by petition of majority of the free
holders to the court of the county, conse-
quently nothing whatever will be gained
by waiting, while on the other hand, the
longer incorporation is delayed the more
expense will attend the grading and regu-
lation of streets
So, let the citizens of Catawissa who are
most interested in the building up and i'm
provement of their town, move right for
ward in this matter and have their town
incorporated and then they will be in
proper shape to be benefited by any new
legislation that may be enacted for the bet
ter regulation OF interpretations of this
kind ISooRpoRArE
April 81, 1884
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