Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-24
A SETTLEMENT
ofouestions Concerning the Edwards
companys Valuation.


ArsrsrA, Nsy 8, 1893.
IT, the Edwards Manufacturing Company
..auxa. Mains-
GgsrLxaxx State assessors 70,
dc naruose of taxation, have fixed the val
na,iao Of yonr property In this city =,
81 az a;s. The valuation for the pur
-. -. Of ,aration in the city IL so00, 900.
r,on the difference of State and city
..instion which is 81 G5.ssSt. the city i,
ssIIsd upon to pay the State and county
49, .bict, it can i'll afford. No good reason
-, 10 exis, Why it should bear that bur.
den.
IN ,be effect that sail company be requested
~ assume and pay the State and county tar
!, A. Is;.J .ss;s, which /. is believed you will
ehserfully DO. and | take this method Of
communicating the fact to you with the
eaufdsnce that you will see it justice.
Yours very respectfully,
MosEs X. LEIGHTON.
BosTos, May 10, 1893.
Han Nose. Leighton. Mayor Of Augusta.
DsAa Sig--l am in receipt of your letter
a the 9Th inst. informing me
In, the city government had passed
- order to the effect that the
Ed..rd, Manufacturing Company be re-
o,e-tsd to assume and pay the State and
souuty tax on - 1875 1868. which it is be-
gsvei that the company will cheeffnliy do,
md sou add that you take this method of
communicating the fact with the confidence
,,r,t the company will see its justice.
I. seems TO ne that you have entirely
o,rrlooked the order Of the city council Of
ss,tember Is, 1887 TO be found on pages
q and 80 Of the Charter and Ordinances OF
The City of Augusta, Revised and Consoli-
dated, printed this year.
ia that order il is expressly stipulated
that for the purpose of taxation Of the Ed
cards Manufacturing Compsny's property
I'M, valuation shall be fixed at $500, 900,
n,oyidcd that sail company shall build a
n.s cotton mill ha wing capacity of 80, 600
.v,ndlcs or more on the west side of the
river mill for small manufactures on the
east .ple of the river and make other i'm
prosemen,s.
Said valuation to commence when said
new cotton mill shall be put in operation,
AMI continue until 10 years after 1888.
rhe Edwards Manufacturing Company
Ia. faithfully complied with the provisions
of this order. Yours respectfully.
fSlgnedJ j. EDWARDS, Treas.
ArGusrA, May 81, 1898.
To PHI EDWARDS MIRO. CO.,
6,n,lemen Your letter of the 10Th con.
yey. the idea that we entirely overlooked
the order Of the city council Of Sept. %.
= -
the tharter and Ordinances of the City of
Augusta. We beg leave to say that the Or
dinance referred to IN your letter had been
carefully considered, and we fail TO see
vii, r. orr requests IN any way violate the
agreement the citizens of Augusta made
with the Edwards Mfg Co. The city
voted TO fix the valuation for the purpose
of tstation Of sjn 800, supposing the city
vas 10 receive the tull bcn,tlt of the tax
On that amunut Ii did not vote agreeing
to f1a State valuation at 81 ,l65,y6s in
excess OF $500 900. and pay State and
county tax On same. Our demand in ask
ing the Edwards NJ FIG. Co.. to assume the
State and county tax on excess valuation OF
State over city W. deem very mild. We
dcsire as early a settlement as possible ami
trust Il may be amicable
Please favor us with an early and def
nitc reply.
Yours very respectfully.
BY order City Government,
Signed NJ. r. LEioHros, Mayor.
BosroN, June 10, 1898.
Hon NJ r. Leighton, mayor of Augusta
Dt,R SR.-l am IN receipt of your let
tr Of May 3lst. 1t would have been
promptly answered, but | have been await
ing the return from Europe of Hon. j.
Manchester Haynes of your city, one of
our stockholders and directors, in order
that might have the benefit of bis advice
Leaning OF your desire fer "A speedy answer
beg 70 inform you that the directors OF
the Edwards Mtg, Co. have placed the mat
ter in the hands of Mr.. J. Ill. Marley of
Augusta one of the directors, who is fully
authorized to represent and act for the
company.
Mr. Manlcy will confer with you and
answer your communication.
am. very truly yours.
SiRrcdI j. Edwards,
Treas. of Edwards Mfg. Co.
AtGu.rA, Me, June 81, 1913.
Hon Moses X. Leighton, Mayor;
Sir have been authorized by the di
rectofs Of the Edwards Manufacturing
company TO answer your communication OF
May 3lst, and, as you have been notified,
have been fully authorized to represent
anil act for the company.
desire to say. for the company, that
accept and agree to your proposal that tht
Edwards Company shall pay TO the city OF
Augusta, in addition to the amount of tai
1t lsnow paying upon its valuation Of $500
@0 fixed by an agreement make between the
citizens Of Augusta and the company, &
sum equal 10 the State and county tax or
the excess of the State valuation over the
city valuation. In agreeing to do this the
company protests against the valuation OF
: tG1 ,i6s placed upon the property by thu
State board of assessors. They eanno
consent to admit that this is a fair valuation
Nay, more: they assert that II is neitfi.i
fair Just nor equitable; that it is greatly II
excess of the valuation of the property
Judged from any standpoint, its cost, 10
productive power, or its value for sale
AMI il is far in excess of the valuation
placed on like property 10 other secuoh
OF the State by the State board of assessors
The company therefore, feels that it has
right to ask that you will. in your cfhcia
capacity, urge the State board of ASSESSOR
to reopen the question of the valuation o.
this property in order that its true valnatlos
may be shown. and just and equitable re
dnetion made. The company would sug
etst that, In adjusting this matter, ths
property which they own, not strictly use'
fur manufacturing purposes. be taxed sep
ara,ely, the same As all other properly
Namely The Edwards block. the Franz
Moore store, the Wilbur Percival store, tn
Cormicr store. the Ch,rlrs Hume store
the blacksmith shop, the brick yard IN
quarry. tho Packard farm, the Cunning
ham store. and the Farmers Hotel.
1t seems TO the company that if this
done il SHOULD remove all friction and Tn
matter ought 10 rest, IS adjusted upon thi
basis, for the remaining 10 years. IN
company feels that in making this settle
ment. it should respectfully call your a
teniion TO the history Of this contract p
tween the city of Augusta and the Ee
wards Company.
On the 9th of August, 1883, the leg
voters of the city Of Augusta, at meet'i'
legally callel and notified according TO III
provisions of the city charter, voted TN
the valuation of the Edwards Manafaesa'
ing Company in the city of Augusta.
fixed for thp purpose of taxation in the t
tai sum Of $500 900, and be kept at III
SUM for period of 10 years. AT this TIA
the Edwards Manufacturing Ch
pany had capacity CT so u
spindes, and the State valuafil
commission, in their valuation OF the prol
cry in lss0, fixed the valuation OF u
property for the purpose of taxation nj -
aspindlc. or $500. 900. This contract v,
carried out in good faith until lss
when the citizens of Augusta, throosh u
heard of trade. addressed communicate
to the Edwards Company, urging the ecu
psny to greatly enlarge its plant, and ere
new mill, intimSting that If the eonpss
would erect another mill with capacity