Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-04-07
WATBRYILLE.
Annual Address Of Mayor &. l
Jones.
Organization Of the Hold 0VsF City
Government Perfected.
The Ciiy's Finances - Improvements
Made and Needed.
I Special to the KEssEBEc JoCksAL

nens rooms last night. Inc new regime
,ss to be set in motion for the year 92.
| +, sss simply the old regime putting "a .
| Ittle rev pAraphsDslia.
TIE fail number of aldefmea and coun-
cilior we're present al d IN joint convention
| proce eded 10 start the government wheels
la notion for another year Mayor Jones,
Aft. calling the Jneeing to order, gave his
| opening address IS follows:
| Gsatiemsa Of the Cary Couae,t.
Once more We are assembled t9gether in
INT convention a; the beginning Of the new
Jeu and while we are in council gethef
| ii may be well 10 consider what We have
due lhe pAst year. ard consult together IS
t, whAt II b 81 70 do ,hs cemiag year for
our c,ty
Probably no Now England city eve.
fans IetoIe, and propose to show you in
lev words, that the city government Of
| waIsfgIils 10 cot 10 b.Am5 for The present
state ut affairs We have performed every
| legal act rtga gaired of us to assist the Lew
hsgistrstion Board. l propose TO sho~ You
that the failure Of tho Rsgis!ra ion Board
to act, ~ss c.us by the neglect of one
man. There Is bus one legal way to settle
J btAt luse tpJt sAi lbat - 81 Vans ~
| cvu,d have been done before, and can lie
done now in twenty -iour hours
| The highest court in cur State tas
DECIDE thAG my appointments for that
| b ard sere legal. | Iotlfic the chairman
III tally that had made the appoia.mehis.
gave him the names Of the sppoiatees, and
also informed hun thas the gentleman 30
| appointed awaited ms pleasure. Having
- L.. rrI
| could DO no more until the chairman
called The board together for orgAniz .tion.
| Then, II ii appeared shat either or both OF
mT ApUoiniees declined TO take the oath of
| { tFlcc AID De present at such time and place
| as ihs chairman should designate, it would
( oe nv duty and pleasure to appoint others
, in theif places.
Tde best council | could procure, all the
business methods Of banks and corporations.
sssute me that could not legally sppoint
t.o men for the same place, unless the
memb bers appointed refused to attend 8
| ting OF the board to which they had
| peen officially notified. Then the case is
simply this The mayor has no official
| Gov ledge, you have none. the chairman
! has nons--no matter what they may say
that these men will. or will not, serve until
| he { fiji Gislly notifies them Of q meeting Of
tn - boarJ.
the time Of the decision Of The court.
the msyor supposed thai he had power to
Appoin, before the board was called
ty1cther, and consulted several
persons about taking the place.
in case either or both of the sppointees
saould decline. Then the fact sppeared
lhM the Mayor could have no ftc,si kuowl-
edge OF any such declins'ion uotil the board
sas flicisliy called for organization.
G ntlemen, the power to call the board
oge her was unfortunately not IN my hands.
[ submit copy Of isSer sent by myself
10 his Excel e cy tie Governor. showing
how Easily the present d tii.ul les cou d
have b.cn and can be rectifieI.
CITY or WATERvILLE,
MAYORS OFFICE.
WArERvILLE, Me March 4, 1892. J
lion. Edaom C. Baristgh, Goreyaoy Of
Name. augusta, Ne.
DEAR SIK-I take the liberty Of address
ing ou up5n subject which is Of deep
interest to the people Of our city and one
ia which you are also interested. | refer
- the Registration Beard Of the city Of
Wa.ervilie.
To save any embarrassment upon the
part of any one ~hom you may be pleased
10 sppont as chairman CT said board in
pisce If Mr.. Plsisted, resigned, l wish to
state my position to you so that there need
De no misunderstanding Nv position was
and is, that have 10 suthoii y to appoint
.ay 3na in the places of my sppointees Of
last May anil the chairman calls the board
tggstLer, and then have cffcisl knowledge
that q vacancy or vacancies exist. Any
furlher appointments before that would be
illesai and cause grave complications for
nv city This. Mr.. pisisted. for some, to
me. unknown reason. neg!ectei and refused
To do Ii the nexs chairman will call =
meeting of the board and either Of my
sppointees then decline to accept, | shall
forthwith sppoint others 10 their places.
SO much has been printed and ssid upon
this sut iect, that felt that a personal state
ment from me to you at = time when = new
chairman is to be selected by your Excel
iency, would not be considered by you As
presumptuous on my part,
Very respectfully YOURS,
E L. JONES.
But gentle men this great wrong OF dis
fran hi cement is not without some small
b ne fit to oar city, ard that il one OF ex
pepse. The Regis,rsti1n Bosrd cost the
different cites or this State for ihelr last
mur icipal elections as follows:
Bangor 1914. Auburn $500, Lewiston
1868, Portland 1885, giving al average Of
nesrly $1,000 each. and, gentlemen, you
must besr in mind that this great expense
was for one election oaly, while this year
we have three. leave it to you to estimate
the cost per year.
Street Lights.
The commit ee on street lights last year
found that thr city was paying in round
numbers 5000 for electric Iighrs on our
streets and In our city buildings, with petit
tions for an increase Of lights in iocalitie
iha, certainly needed them, which. il
| granted, would carry the expense TO $4,000.
The city couacil y1ted to erect plant OF
It's own, and sele cted . special Committee to
have charge of it. Today, the plsnt is in
operation, aud tn, following figures chow
the result:
We have in the plant owned by the city
5S arc lamps on the streets, aud in the
City Hall Of 1000 C. p. each, making i20, :
900 c. p. in all.
We have contracted TO run our dvnsmos
with the Wstsrvile and Fairfield Railway
& Light Jompsny Tor ten years, Ioe ibe
sum Of $500 per year, they also to furnish
and rue 50 incsndescent lights from their
OWE plant for use 10 our city rooms, City
Hall, engine house, etc without extra ex-
psnss 10 our city.
So the cost ander the new system will be,
for l20 0O0 C p:
Interest on cost OF $500 %
Paw to Waterviile and Fairfield Railway
a 5.hs Tt.uE
Pay help to fr m lamps aud 70 keep line
in order. 80 "
Csrbons ior year. go 90
Total s352o co
Cost under old system for al, g15 c. p. on
streets and frcsndesceni lights in City
Hail, city rooms, etc, t4lo0 90
OalIlity aCiW te