The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-04
THREE VERY IMPORTANT HEARINGS.
Camden Division, Registration and
the Tax Reform.
Benz. Bunker Wants to Let What Ne
Calls Well Enough Alone,
6ur the Committee Votes 70 Report
the Haines Bill.
Especial to the Press. |

Especial TO the Pressl
AUGUSTA, February 3-The representa-
tives' chamber this afternoon somewhat re
semDled court of law. The committee OF
towns as judge and jury sat in the raised
space in the alcove usually devoted to tht
speaker and clerks. Below them were two
long tables covered with papers. pens and
ink, where sat j. II. Montgomery, ESQ.,. oil
Camden. who represented as the plaintiffs
II the term may be used, those residents Of
Camden who want to see separate town
made Of Camden village. retaining the old
town name, and Hon. Orville d. Baker and
Hon. FL. NJ. Heath of counsel for the defend
ants, or those residents of Rockport and
| other paFts-of old Camden who object to the
carving up of that ancient town. In the
seats in the body of the hall were the spect !.
tors. including large proportion of the cit
izens of Camden, whose presence here today
taxed the capacity of the Augusta hotels.
Many ladies were also among the spectators.
The witnesses for each party to the case oc
cupid chairs at the front of the hall.
Al the opening proceedings 1t was agreed
by the counsel that the petition for the di-
vision of the town aud the other petition.
presented by the remonstrants for a city
charter for the whole town should be con-
Mr.. Montgomery, in opening the case for
the plaintiffs, said, that, In asking for the
division of Camden the plaintiffs to this cele-
brated cause petitlOned for something which
was not unusual and which was similar to
action frequently taken in the dissolution of
partnerships and even in the sunderipg Of
more sound ties. The petitioners numbered
over 600. including nearly all the legal voters
on their side of the line who were represent
ed here to simply state the facts Of the case.
q n a n a m q N r
gomery showed the c0Dfigurati0n of the long
coast line, with its three harbors, at Cam
den, Rockport and Clam Cove. The Cam
den harbor, where is situated the village of
Camden, Is the most nOrtherly of the three.
To the south is Rockport, on the harbor OF
that name. The proposed division line cuts
the town in two between the villages of
Camden and R0ckport, following the line of
the school districts. In the portion of the
old town to be left after the new Is set off.
II the legislature so votes, are the villages of
Rock port, West Camden and Rockville, each
having its own pOstoffice.
Mr.. Montgomery then proceeded to a. de-
scriptiOn of the several sections of the town.
Camden. village. he said. Is largely com
posed of a manufacturing people. Camden
village and the adjoining section Is fast be-
coming a summer resort.
On the other side of the line is Rockport,
whose chief business is shipbulldiDg, Ice
cutting and the quarrying and burning of
and stores at the smaller villages. Mr.
Montgomery said that these differences had
caused the desire for division on the part of
the people of Camden village, who needed
th 'ir streets. etc. The valuation on the
Camden side of the proposed line exceeds
that of the other portion OF the town by at
least $4,000. 1t would seem that Camden
village should have half the meneys appro-
priated for improvements but this, according
10 q hsA
town Is steadily drifting into debt, neither
side being able to get the money it wants
and needs. This state of affairs Is caused
by the fact that the people in the two sec
tions of the town do not understand one an
other. The town is so large that the people
are not acquainted. Camden has its own
institutions; Rockport has its own. Except
in some business transactions, the people do
net meet except at the annual town meeting
where, crowded into a small hall, the people
from the two sections meet to consider ques-
tions of which they can understand only
those which affect their own portion OF the
town.
Mr.. Montgomery then mentioned a num-
Der Of cases in which the requests of Camden
village for improvements been killed off by
citizens of the other end Of the town. The
hundredth anniversary OF the incorp ration
OF the town Cccuars this month The MIS-
tOrical associations of the town, said Mr..
Montgomery cluster in Camden village. Last
the railroad to Camden village which failed
because the Rockp0rt people finally went in
for an electric road which might be good
thing for carrying passengers but did not
amount to much as means of transporting
freight
Mr. Montgomery said that to be frank he
would state that Camben village needed
much more than the other sections Of the
town and which 1t could get only by being
made separate town. Some Of these needs
fnre efr fhn oivxfn nf
lighting, etc.
= At The conclusion OF Mr.. Montgemery's
remarks, the witnesses for the Camden side
began their testimony, which was still in
progress at the adjournment of the evening
session.
The Valuation CommIssIon's An
sWer.
In their reply to the resolution directing
the State Valuation Commission to report
without delay, the commission say that it
entered upon its duty as early as practicable
and prosecuted it as promptly as possible.
Having met in August when they were un-
able to proceed as but few of the returns for
1890 had been received. On the assembling
of the commission at that date large part
of the assessors returns for 1890 had not
been forwarded as required by law, though
assessors had been specially requested to
forward the returns at an earlier day on
blanks furnished for the purpose. The COM
mission has used all reasonable deligence to
obtain the returns but all have not yet been
received.
The report of the commission was
presented in the Senate today and tabled to
be printed.
In the House.
A new savings bank is provided for today
in bill presented by Mr.. Kaler of Waldo
boro for the Incorporation of such an institu-
tion in that town.
N. Drinkwater and 80 others of Yarmouth
are petitioners for the equalization of taxes.
Cbas. s. Fobes and 81 others, and III. S.
Melcher aud 81 others of Portland petition
In favor of the dental registration bill.
PhilO A. Strickland and 55 others of Ban
gor demonstrate against the passage OF the
registration law.
der today that the committee on agriculture
be directed to inquire into the expediency of
establishing bounty for the destruction Of
wild cats.
Mr.. Harrington of Norridgewock presented
today an order that the committee on taxa
tion iuquire into the eApediency of the elec-
Li0n by towns of boards of town assessors.
who shall mold Office for the term of three
years, and shall not during said term hold
any other municipal office.
Presented In the Senate.
Mr.. Powers presented bill TO amend sec.
30. chap. 70. r. s., relating to insolvency
proceedings.
Mr.. Haines of Kennebec introduced bill
to incorporate the Waterville Charity Hospi-
tai.
Mr.. Moore. of Cumberland presented the
petition OF Margaret I. w. Merrill and 143
others of Portland asking for municipal sur.
frage for women.
The adjourned meeting on the registration
bill was held this afternoon,
Mr.. Haines called on Mr.. Benjamin Bun-
bar nf Watarvilla WIN cold tho. .I ~NA