The Portland daily press., 1885-05-14
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Special Meeting of Both Branches
Last Evening.
Hearing on the Petition Of the MOnu'
ment Association.

/ give them the lot now occupied by the OlG
City Hall as site for the monument to the
soldiers and sailors. Previous to the hearing
the Boards went in their respective chambers
Hn Beard of Mayor and Aldermen.
The board came to order at the call of the
Mayer, all the members being present. The
Mayor introduced the following order:
Ordered that a special committee to consist
OF the Mayor and Aldermen on the part oi
this Board with such as the Common Council
may join, be appointed to extend the hospital
tiles of the city to His Excellency, the Presi
dent OF the United States il he should visit the
| city on the occasion of the annual encamp-
ment OF the Grand Army of the Republic next
| June.
The sum to be expended is not to exceed
SlOOO and is to be charged to the contingent
fund.
Upon motion of Alderman Gallagher, the
order received a passage.
Aldermen Gallagher and Noyes were ap
pointed members OF the committee on behalf
| of this board.
In regard to the claim to the land now occu
pied by the Old City Hail as fled with the city
| clerk by W. M. Sargent, attorney, the Mayor
explained that even did the claimants make
good their title, he understood that the city
| could take possession OF the land for the pur
pose OF public park or square, there being nc
dwelling house upon the lot. Owing to the ab.
sence OF the city solicitor, Mayor D8erng had
| beeniunable to obtain his opinion on the matter
The Mayor further stated that that portion ol
Elm street directly in front OF the United
States Hotel had never been regularly laid ouI
or accepted by the city.
City Clerk Burgess explained that in 1924
! when the town voted to erect the Old City
Hall, they voted that they should have an ap.
| proach on all sides, and also clear passage
| entirely around the structure.
Orders were introduced by Alderman Gala
! cher, that the COmmitra1 n ra dan frnn ma
be authorized to expend a sum not exceeding
/ S4,5OO, for new steam fire engine, and sum
no. exceeding $1,000 for repairs on steamer
Falmouth, such amounts to be charged to the
appropriation for ire department. The order
received passage.
Alderman Denison introduced the petition
! of the Richardson Wharf Company for the
! dredging OF their dock. 1t was referred to The
board OF health. The petition represents that
| before the interceptipg sewer was laid tbrouo h
| Commercial street the deposit from the old
sewer entering their dock had SO filed the
same that it became and now is offensive aud
a nuisance, and needs to be dredged.
Upon motion of Alderman Noyes, the
shade trees were taken from the control of the
| committee on streets and placed in charge OF
| the commissioners on cemeteries and public
! grounds.
Papers from the lower board received con-
current action. a message was sent down re-
| questing joint convention, which the lower
board accepted.
I'm Joint Convention.
The council chamber was filed with psti.
tioners and remonstrants and interested citi-
zens. Mayor DeeriDg called the convention to
| order and read the petition of the association.
| Gen. John NJ. Brown appeared in behalf of
| the petitioners. He said that he was present
! to represent the Soldiers and Sailors Monu.
! ment Association, OF which he had the honor
I'm ba nreRidant Ia to tbe nf-,-
BILE meeting in which tho initial steps were
| taken towards raising by subscription the
amount necessary to erect a suitable monu-
| ment The money came in in cents, dimes
| and dollars, until the association has now a
| sufficient sum with which to begin the work.
| The association set about the task of selecting
| site. The spot must be in the centre of the
! city, where the monument can be seen. At
| the annual meeting of the association it was
voted to ask the city to donate the site now oc-
cupied by the Old City Building. The petit
tion was presented in accordance with the
vote, and referred to the present City Council.
Gen. Brown said that he appeared not only
| as representative of the association but as a
objections which had been raised, he said
Is it the business of the city to enter into the
maintenance OF q building for rent receiv-
| ed? Would Lincoln Park be taken for BUSH
mesa purposes? And If not, why should the
| city refuse piece of land because thereon ia q
| Would the structure be replaced in event of
| fire? All the association asks is that the city
| give them the land for a time, during which
they will beautity it at their own cost and
thereafter turn it over to the city for all time
It is said the building is to be taken for the
public library, an institution for which the
greatest respect is entertained, but in asking
for the building for this purpose the petitioners
valves the question of income. This is good
location for he library, but better location
for the monument.
In conclusion Gen. Brown said he hoped
that the city would not at this late day refuse,
after so many ether cities have given towards
the erection OF similar monuments, to give
this little piece of ground to the petitioners on
which to erect monument to their dead com-
rades.
DIR. s. @. Gordon said that the president had
mentioned the main things asked for and an
$ cred the objections, but he would like to
mention one or two things. Portland is eyery-
where known as beautiful spot. Nature has
done everything fori it, but art has done com
paratively little. Maine is spot to which
travellers Care turning. 1t Is becoming the
Mecca OF summer travellers. Portland has ney-
or taken its proper station as watering place,
1t is merely City of transit. AS General
Brown said, Market Square can be made a
slightly place. 1t is now an eye-sore. In the
past the city bas spent little money for adorn-
ment and for good reasons, but now when we
are to erect monument at cost Of $4,000 or
DZO,OUO 1t bIdC6a IN q proper location,
The Inhabitants of the City do not want to see
it put uoon some side street.
In 1870 when DR.. Gordon was a member OF
the city government, the claim Of the Todd
heirs to the land in Market Square was brought
out and then there was q strong effort to de-
molish the building. At that time the speak
er gave the matter considerable investigate
and found that the city received about $1,000
net from the rent of Old City Hall and it can
not be more now.
Dnpoi fbof q
speaker referred to the popularity of sanitary
measures at the present day and said that il
he was to select one of ths worst unsapitary
spots in the city he should take the Old City
Hall as it il and as it has been for years.
Again, Middle street is nearly blocked for
hours with teams, drawn there by the bus-
ness, which is SO crsmped ia its present quar-
ters that the tenant is obliged to cover the
sidewalk with unsightly piles of drain pipe
and other merchandise; and this is the place
which might be made one OF the most
beautiful in the city.
The question of money is certainly important
but there are other things-which is in the
appearance of the city and a worthy deisre to
| emulate other cities in their work Ia memory
| OF their fallen soldiers, which should be taken
| into consideration in the settlement of the
! question.
| General Brown suggested that The remon-
| strsnts be heard in order that the petitioners
| have an opportunity TO answer their argu-
| P P.Baxter, in which Mi. Baxter regretted his in
| ability to be present and expressed his opinion
| of the wisdom of the choice of the site As
| an owner of property in the vicinity, Mr.. Bax-
| ter could see no objection to the erection Of
| the monument
The following remonstrauce was then read
| by the mayor:
| TO the Cty Council Of Portland
| The undersigned, citizens and taxpayers of
Portland, respectfully demonstrate against the
| removal OF the Old City Hall, and against the
| proposed location Of the soldiers and sailors
monument in Market Square.
| We think that it is inexpsdient on the score
| OF economy, as we'll as on account of the his
| toric associations connected with the building,
| and that the location is not o suitable one for
the monument:
| A. W. H. Capp, Thompson Fowler s. Co.,
ii. N. Jose, A. e. Howell,
l. +: harrington, Geo. M. Young,
| Nathan Webb, T.. c. Gilson
| A. Lewis Fox, Thos. l.. Merrill s. Co..
Samuel Libby Edwards & Walker,
| E. III. Daves, j. B. Dunbar
Benz. Webster, Geo. L. Warren,
Chas. M. Plummer, A. r. Alexander,
| J. II. Fitzgerald, G. M. Elder,
| d. ID. Chase, l.. M. Douglass,
| j. A. King, j. A. Kendall,
Edward Mason, FL. S. Clay,
JAS. Hopkins Smith, II. ii. Hay g. Son,
| J. Walker, Randall johnson,
FL. j. Libby, B Aaronson,
| Chas. Pays0n, Jno. G. Hayes & Co..
Chas. p. lngraham, james L Rackletf,