Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-07-25

sdi1o,y 81 AZ Ken.15ew .LSlsruf.

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1dSfevs u ~ Ksxssbx JSlsnss:
4 ~ days ego thsrs sDpsgsd b -
cosuDne - you1 psp0 N aEe1e3o ro1a1Dg
- sAess fps ~ City 0ovssn1snt & ~
. pssosailu1eA and usisesaisas s1sA -
sssg ~ Ne psbEc Md. fs - vuchss.
b ~ city, ~ dc block sscen1iy abandosed
y H. Assaaaa Savings Ra.k; fef which
~ Qsssi1g1ksa hss NJ ~, aAA which Il
dss'rss b oisposs Of ID aes suppose.
= shs tine, ssas there ~ ~ sn9hssss
dag Of The city committing i1ssh . this
supssDs fslly, bat Al informed shaa 81
senn11ees II - city seysssms1s % which
~ sustsa hsd been rsSerFsd. Of which the
nsyo1 b chairman and a. which, the
esssIsasa vbo u psessnably selling shs
SsvinBs Dask Building, il an hAssseial
msnhw. do setusiiy prcpo0 b repent
fsvossb'y BYun his sxtfsofdi1sRy pfoped-
sioe- Is y psepossd 70 add eio. 600 = he
permanent debt Of city already sppsssssd
with dses, fef the pasposs Of buying s
building vhieA nobody pfets.ds 70 - I'M
ssy Dannss suitsbis for - public efkess.
which can only accommodate . pass Of
them sish inadsessse roam. II Is il even
advisabls for the city 10 own public build
Ing, Il certainly should not be until the city
is able 70 have one fuIly aAaptsd 70 ali 10
vasts-vhsch should include the ksss-
mrs ehacs, rooms for The two branches
Of government. the city clerk, the
board Of ssssasers. the municipal
couss, and police hesdqssftefs. II 10 not
chained that the Savings Bank Building
viii % more Than accommodate part Of
thsss, vith rooms wholly unsuitable Ter
he nsstinss OF the two branches
Of the government. In providing d
public building this 10 : msks-shif
too ridiculous for serious considefa-
ton. 1t is proposed TO issue per cent
bonds for 10000. The interest would
therefore be e400 per aunum; 10 this musf
b. addsd in making up the annual ezpepsf
Of this baiJding TO the city $4,000 taxes,
eov colieesAble on thu property; sdd
975 90 per year for insurance, making in all
4775 90; to shis should be added the annual
repairs Of such > building which In roof
heating apparatus, plumbing, etc ),
csn not be less than s75 90 Pr
snnum. and the total expense 10 $500 PEI
yesr. But When such building is owned
by the city 1t cannot be left without every
day attendance to its cleanliness and safety
L jsnifof must be employed 70 look sfte'
Il and attend the fufnsces at cost Of $500
or $500 per yeaf more. Does any mar
Who knows anything about matters
Of this kind believe that the cit,
Of Augusta can own, take care Of
restore from time 10 time and maintain
such . property for less than $1,000 per
yesf? But it 10 said the upper part Of the
building may be rented. Wnst sort Of .
figure would the city Of Augusta cut - .
landlord to keep such . tenement occupied
with such q tenant: Who doesn't know
that IL wouldn't be SIX months before that
tenement would be occupisd by the janitot
with salary and the rent thrown in? Il 10
also understood that the building cannot be
occupied without extensive repairs.
10 there any man who has given this sub
ject . moments thought who does not be-
iieve that better accommodations than that
bailciug affords can be obtained for halt
that amount For many years the city
government occupied quarters entirely
satisfactory for half that sum. What has
given rise to the sudden necessity Of the
city's owning . building unfit for ito uses
1t twice the necessary cost? When the
gentleman who 10 presumably selling tie
Savings Bank building WAS asked BY the
interviewer. who had cornefed him into 30
interview, il be would take these 4 Per
cent bonds, he said no, he did not think thu
bank would take them, but understand he
says now he will take them Is this because he
has discovered thst buying $40 900 Of these
bonds with that building is buying the
bonds At less than Iarp There would not
seem to be much doubt Of IL. A short time
ago at q very large meeting, with the wants
Of the school children clearly portrayed. /,
was decided that the city was too poor to
build . schooihouse. II was decided that
they must continue to be crowded or
allowed to run in the stfeets-be cause
taxes were 90 high-when typhoid fever
was striking down the young, the stfor
and the fair for want Of proper drainage, ii
was decided to let them perish because
taxes were too high, to build sewers. With
poisonous cess pools ver-howing on every
acre OF ground, with streets ankle deep with
mud at every shower, with school children
neglected in the street, with rate Of tax
alton higher than that Of any town or city
in the State that | know Of, and which
amounts practically to an embargo on any
development. it is proposed to increase
the debt Of the city, to increase the
taxes Of the city in order that the
city treasurer may not be obliged
TO 20 up stairs to his office and in order
tha, an unused building may be provided
with use. II there is anything more
wanted to make . man wish he lived some
where else should like to know what it is
II the city is able to drain its territory and
provide for the public health and the moral
welfare Of its growing children and own =
public building, too. then let IL build q
building adequate for the purpose; but ii
il cannot do these let the public building
be the last, even il in the mean time the
city government has to hold its few and
occasional meetings in 3 cellar or . garrett
I an unalserably opposed to this hssty and
ill-judged scheme Of buying this building.
TAN PAYER.