Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-23
SECOND DAY
OF the Hearing Regarding the DiVislol
Of Boothbay.
Testimony Taken Before the commi,tss
on Towns.

Il
on Towns.
The Committee on Towns resumed tn,
consideration of the petitions aud rrmon
strsnces for and against the division o
Bootheay, yesterday afternoon at so.
AlouEo X Nieksrson, called by the peti
| TONERS testified Reside in Boothhay an,
sm engaged principally in the fishing busi
| ness, the establishment of the Arm being OF
the east side of the hArbor, Have residet
there - years and been in business all thai
time. Have been on the board of pelectmen
Am pretty we'll acquainted with the people
in the town. vas one of the charter mem
bers Of the water company and WAS present
at its trst meeting at which ii was agreed tc
transfer 10 the town or any corporation the
town might designate an interest in the
charter. Was present at the meeting of the
town the first time the question of water
came up. There were two meetings on sue
eessive days and WAS present al the first
when the question was discussed from two
TO thtee hours, aud the matter ~as dismissed
BY All Informal vote. Was not present the
second day when the vote ~As taken. Was
one Of the sieners for the special meeting
Of May -, 1887. The village eanvssscd for
signatures in order TO get at the senti N, mt Of
the people upon the question Three hun
dred names were obtained. Prior To that |
had taken no steps TO g,t outside parties in
terested in the water company, but under
stood Madioeks had with SswAll of Bath,
whom ! understood had made n proposition
which was print d and disirihutcd. About
the time of the NAV meeting a dispute arose
Va rp tn al nd
wrote him 10 satisfy myself and friends to
know If the printed pro POSITION VA. correct,
and received telegram that il the town voted
the contract and he found the representa-
tions made 10 him correct he wou
take the charter and put in the works.
knew that the proposition WAS to be pre-
sente' at that meeting His proposition was
TO take water from Adams pond at sl2u0 per
year for twenty five years. ! was Oue of the
conmittte chosen at the meeting Of May 2s
IN accordance with the vote hich has been
read. TO make contract for putting in the
water. After We were chosen We cores
ponded with Sewall After many delays
and much negotiation, and looking over of
the ground by Seuall. he and his associates
finally decided that the $1,000 author red by
the town was insufficient for the expense in
Cured After that we correspouded with
Rockland parties, and they declined to take
hold of it for the same reason We then
corresponded with Hancock of Hudson,
Mass, at d investigated his financial stand
ing, and upo1 the strength of that we made
the contract of Dec. with him. In the
May meeung of 'as communicated to the
town the facts ~ TO llancock's standing. The
contract with him was for sI2oO from the
TO en and e25O from the village for twenty
five years, the last sum being voted by
meeting OF school district M [. Cur com
mittee was empowered To act for the district.
+ ght or nine thousand dollars worth OF pipe
was shipped afterwards AMI that pipe is still
at Boothbay. was not present at the annual
meeting of rs after the contract was made,
but left the matter of making a report to one
Of my associates, and also lett with him the
papers. was present at the snbseguent
meeting of May Z 'ss, called to see II the
town would instruct the selectmen To protect
the town against our illegal contract, as il
was called That was the meeting at which
the statement was made as to IIancoeks. l
was one of the committee To lay the matter
before Judge Danforth at Bath and obtain
his opinion as to the legality Of the contract
We procured his opinion. should say, with
in two or three weeks Of the meeting of MAY
7th.
Mr.. Cornish at this stage read the
written opinion of Judge Danforth, from
which it appeared that in some respects the
committee transcribed the authority dele
gated to them by the town, Prior to the
execution of the contract OF Dec. 81. the
original corporators held meeting and or
ganized ard assigned their rights entirely to
Hancocks and his associates In making
this contract | acted as a member Of the
committee chosen by the town. After the
opinion of Judge Danforth we waited for
iiancocks to perform his part Of the cou-
tract. We were informed by Mr.. Fisher
that lancocks would proceed no further.
That was about the ths time the pipe was
landed, in June. Then We sscertaiued from
Judge Danfor,h that We still had authority
to act, and We looked arouni for another
company. and received an offer from n Bos-
ton firm to put in the works at s2b00 rental
per year for twenty five years, taking water
from Adams p md. After receiving that
proposition the village had a meeting and
voted $3.50 in al iitioD to the first $3.50, pro
vIied the town would vote the balance.
That was the night before the town meeting
of July -. | was present at the NEE ting
ready to report but in less than u minute
after the article was read the motion u dis
miss was made and carried. Nobody in the
meantime called for any report and none
was made. Every article relating to water
was dismissed. Then we made 4 contract
with Senator Heath and his associates, and
at the digestion Of OF g of the parties. Mr..
Maxcy, the town meeting of Nov. l3 'ss,
was held to ratfy the contract. They
seemed to be willing to sign it. but as there
had been so much opposition they desired 10
have it ratified. signed a cali with the
others for the meeting. and the selec,men
refused to make the call. and it was done on
a subsequent petition of ten. was presen,
at that meeting and heard the
protest viii h was presented by
Mr.. Rest, chairman OF the board.
The vote va. then passed that the com
mi,tee had no authority 70 max the con-
'ract. Senator Heath was present, but the
opposition would not allow him to SPEAK No
part OF the contract whatever had been read
prior TO the passage of the vote. Az they
voted upon the question | think Mr.
Boyn'on, who was leading the opposition
got up and waved his hand, up boys," OF
"do~n boys This is for water" or, thai
ia for water, to guide them. They fnall,
dismissed all the articles. That was the las
meeting held by the town on the water ques
i'pbs NH Si-D tDilibltttt tOT tue uifthibf
of the town Am one Of the directors Of
the Boothbsy land company. They have
over 2 90 acres in Roothbay, more thar
half Of which .is ou side u the limits Of the
propo'ed new town. The company own
land on Spruce Point. They have expended
| there on roads 5000, aud about $500 OF
he point for a survey etc. They hAv'
| plans for hotel there 10 cost about s25, 900
Its erection depends largely upon the suppl,
of stsr, and upon what encouragement tn.
| town can give at their annual meeting.
have no nestead and small manufacturing
busines. at Booihbay harbor. Ny manu-
featuring interest, vhich j, personal pTopert,
ia in the fire district sEl is not insured
| They refuse to insure it at four percent, bu
thiok they may for Ave. | am for division
| because see no other way out of II. W.
must have it To get the protection ne requir
in the village. and 10 enable us 70 hold GU
Inducements for capital to come 10 AM
develop the village as summer resort
We have had opposition from the othei
parts Of the torn for the last twelve o.
fifteen years
| This closed the direct examination an
| Mr.. True 7. Pierce, counsel for the re
unonstrants, proceeded with cross examina
ton.
ro.examination-The other parts Of tn
tvn have refused US FIRE apparatus and d
encourage q summer motel, such encourage
men; asa town would hold out The srti
| Gle for that was in the warrant. Don't re