The Portland daily press., 1892-11-12

This Year--Hose House at Oakdale-
Woodfords Residents Petition for Sew
ers-A Queer Tax Case.
The Deering city government met last
evening. Mayor Merrill in the chair.
The amount of business transacted
was not large and not very important.
The board decided that no more electric
lights should be erected at present, as it
could not be done without overruning
the appropriation.
Action on Petitions.
D. N. Read and 20 other residents Of
Ocean, Oak, Read and George streets Pc
titioned for a new electric light on Ocean
streeta The matter was referred to the
committee ON lights and water.
Abner Lowell and other petitioners
for the location of hydrant on the COR
ner of Riverside and Forest avenue were
given leave to withdraw.
A. G.. Schlotterbeck and others who Pc
titioned for an electric light on the cor
ner of High and Chestnut streets were
given leave to withdraw, as the state of
the city finances was not such as to war
rant it.
An order was presented upon. petition
of w. w. Brown and others that-a new
electric light be established at the head
of William street, and that the light
next east of Noyes street be moved to
the westward, so as to light the roadway
in Coyle's gully, now a dark place: This
order was presented by Alderman
II I,,& 1oi n ON, tho IA h1n
motion of Alder man Nevens.
An order was passed for establishing a
hose carriage room in the basement of
the OakdaIe school house. A second or
der was also passed for the purchase of a
hose carriage at a cost of $26. This car
rage will carry 500 feet of house.
j. c. Colesworthy, C. A. Woodbury.
and IA other residents of Pleasant street
represent that Pleasant street is in need
of sewers, and ask that a sewer may be
extended to that street. The sewer has
already been surveyed and the assess
ments figured out, as published in the
PRESS some time ago. This petition is
intended to start the work of building.
A Queer Tax Case.
A queer tax case came UP for settle
ment. A boy of II years of age is heir
to the I. R. Matthews house. He has a
mother and astepfather, neither of
whom has been OF assistance to him in
caring for the property. AS result the
place has been sold for taxes four sue
cessive years, beginning in 1888. The
first year the town bought the property,
the next two years a private individual,
and the next year the city.
The boy has no means of relieving
his property of these accumulated com
plicatlons. But recently his stepfather
has announced his intention to pay off
the claims. So last evening the city
government voted to release their part
Of the. claim for the amount of the taxes
and costs at the time the property was
bought in by the collectors
It was also ordered that Collector
Fred V. Matthews be directed to appear
before the city government and present a
detailed statement of unsolicited taxes
for the years 'SS, 'S9 and 80.
The Deering Point Nuisance.
Alderman Hutchins, brought up the
question of sewerage at Deering Point.
The filing in of the flats has filed in the
old waterway into which the people at
Deering Point on the west side of For
est avenue, about 20 families
in all, have drained. Messrs. Wescott
and Conant have lately acquired the flats
which they have filed, and constructed a
sewer from Deering street down along
the course of the old waterway to Deer
ing bridge. Messrs. Wescott and Conant
want to sell the new sewer to the city of
Deering. The matter was debated at
some length by Aldermen Hutchins and
Mitchell. Mr.. Hutchins thought that in
the spring there might be an Indictment
against the depositing of filth at Deering
bridge. This would necessitate the ex-
tension of sewer under the bridge and
out to the government channel, at a cost
of about ten dollars a foot. Ii Deering
became an owner in the Wescott sewer
the city would be equally liable to indict-
ment with Portland and would have to
share the expense.
Alderman Mitchell said there was a
crying need for sewerage facilities in
that region and he thought the city
might be liable anyway.
Informal expressions of opinion seemed
to be against purchasing the sewer, but
the board adjourned without coming to
a decision.
nm