The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-24
THE STATE HOUSE ASCENE OF GAIETY.
WashIneton's Birthday Appropri ateIy
Celebrated at Augusta.
General Dow Wants to Put the
Screws All On.
An Interesting Relic Of Former Valu-
alton Schedules.
special TO the Press.

Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA. February 2S.-The State House
tonight has been so crowded that the people
have had difficulty in moving from one part
of the building to another. Halls, corridors,
lobbies and stair-ases weae all thronged
with the people who had called to pay heir
respects to Governor Burleigh and enjoy his
hospitality. So dense was the crowd that
dancing was an impossible until a late hour
when some of the visitors had departed. But
Pullen's orchestra of % pieces played lively
airs from the band stand in the rotunda, and
the people who thronged every part of the
great building were all apparently having
good time. Among those present were many
of the social leaders of the Capitol city. The
building had been gaily decorated for the
E. Brown of Portland, and the scene as the
visitors moved to and fro through the build
ing will be long remembered In Augusta.
Many Of the ladies were In evening dress,
staff officers and the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery helped to make the scene gay
one.
The Governor, assisted by President and
Mrs. Libby and Speaker and Mrs. Wiswell
and his staff received his guests in the ex-
ecutive apartments. At IL O'Clock, Robinson,
the Portland caterer. served refreshments IN
the committee roomsi the basement 1t
was long after midnight when the lights in
the State House we're finally extinguished
aud this reception by Governor Burleigh to
the people of Maine was at an end:
The Governor had showed himself to be
model host and deserves the congratulations
he received upon the success OF the occasion.
This evenings reception closed long day.
many persons having paid their respects to
the Governor In the forenoon.
The presence of a number of the officers OF
the Ancient and Honorable Artillery of
Massachusetts was pleasant feature of the
features.
They Massachusetts visitors arrived yes
terday afternoon. Today during the after
noon they were driven to Togus where they
inspected the buildings and appointments Of
the National Home.
Gen. Sprague is deserving of credit for his
labors in making arrangements which con-
tributed to the success Of the occasion.
Camden Fight Is over.
The Camden people have settled their
differences and there will probably be no
contest when the matter comes up in the
Senate tomorrow. At a conference between
leading divisionists and remonstrants it was
agreed that in addition to what has been
given to Rockpors under the proposed
separation.
ALook Backward.
In this year 1891, when the valuation CON-
mission is hard at work computing the
wealth of the state. and a special committee
of the Legislature is trying to solve the
vexed problem of making each kind of
wealth bear its just share Of the public bur-
dens, look backward may be interesting.
In the state library, up under the dome of
the Capitol. among the treasures under the
charge of Librarian Carver, is an old book
which bears upon its title page, written in
a clerkly hand, the words:
A true copy of the valuation of Augusta,
Attest: Z. WILLIAMS. Assessors
NATH'L ROBINSON, ! Of Augusta.
The book is one of many pages. each of
which contains statement of articles sub
ject to taxation and their value, the printed
heading stating that the returns of this
property were given in by the owner The
kinds of property of which returns were re-
quired was not left at the discretion of the
owness irfe peRE fof w1itins M y
list is an interesting one. 1t begins with the
number of polls represented by each fax
payer. Then follow driving horses, shops,
| cardiDg machines, tilllage, mOwage, pastur-
| rye, unimprOved land, horses, oxen. ewes,
| swine, pleasure carriages, plate, money Oh
| hand. debts on interest more than owed,
| STOCK, stock in corporate companies, stock In
| trade, tons Of shipping, incomes.
A glance over the pages of this ancient
volumne shows how Maine has advanced in
wealth since the year 1879; Where now
property would be found to be worth thou
| sands it was then counted by the hundreds
| of dollars. Augusta today is city contain.
| ing many fine houses. In 1929, the value OF
| dwelling houses as given in these lists
ranged from $15 to Sl400. the latter being
| the value returned by Reuel Williams on his
house. Now there are many Augusta peo-
| pie who keep their carriages for pleasure as
| we'll as for business, but in 1929, such vehi-
cles were few and $40 was high value Au-
| gusta was farming town then, but saw,
| grist and fulling mills were not plenty, nor
| did many of the citizens pay taxes on card
| ing machines. Under the head stocks Ia
trade" amounts are set down ranging from
plate, some Of the well-to-do people had as
| much as 80 or 60 ounces, which was subject
| to an uniform valuation of dollar an ounce
| while Reuel Williams had go ounces. The
| book does not contain many entries under
the heads relating to money. debts, bank
stock and stock in other corporations. Either
| the good people of the town had little to in
vest in such securities or they felt the same
| reticence in talking about their possessions
| which people exhibit today.
| which shows how times have changed Is the
| simple manner the assessors used in identt-
| flying property. We find in the list Of pr op.
| erty on which Daniel Coney was taxed
being written in by one Of the assessors. In
the same list appears IA horses with the FUR:
ther information that they were ''pasturing."
| Possibly this was put In to explain when
valuation of only $500 for the IA was given.
Benjamin Davis paid taxes not only on
"shops" but on blacksmith shop" The
"shops" of the Augusta bank are described
| in one of the assessors hand writing as De-
ing the bank building which was valued at
$1,000.
Many more quaint and curious items from
the old book might be reproduced, but
| enough have been given to show in a few
words the progress 10 wealth made by Au-
gusta in 70 years between the time when ID
Williams and Nath'l. Robinson made their
attested copy of the valuation of the town
and now. when the Sixty-first Legislature is
to fix new valuation for the state.
General oow's Suggestions.
General Neal Dow has sent to the commit.
tee on temperance Suggestions of amend.
ments to the Maine law" They are:
L. The same penalties to be imposed upon
| each OF the various violations of the law ex-
cept that In cases of illegal transportation
the team employed shall be confiscated. in
addition to the penalties of fine and jail.
2. Keeping liquors intended for unlawful
sale; illegal transportation; selling such
liquors; tipping shop; common seller; nuis.
ance-punished by fine of $500 and costs
and in addition thereto Imprisonment fon
one year, and IL the flne is not paid one
year in addition thereto.
3. Cases shall not be continued for trial n,
sentence, but be promptly tried and sen.
tences promptly imposed. There shall he nr
mol pros, except the interests of Justice re-.
qure it; never as matter Of favor to the
respondent, nor without the consent of tht
court. Reasons for mol pros shall be entered
on the docket as matter of record.
A. Courts shall have no discretion in this
administration of law, and shall have nr
L 10 dinair.ish mndifu In l.N