Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-03-21
SULLIVAN-SORRENTO.
Speech of Hon. G.. r. Simpson
Opposing Division.

Sullivan, to set off Sorrento, might be
called dead issue, the able and forcible
speech of Hon. G.. E. Simpson in the
Senate will be OF interest. If all bills
were won or lost by the arguments on
the floor of the Senate or House. instead
of in 1.-the lobby" it is doubtful If the
divsonsts would have won. Senator
Simpson said
My purpose is to treat this question of
division on a purely business basis, as
founded upon facts principally ELECTED at
the hearing of the case before the COM
mittee on towns.
| claim to be somew hat familiar with
the policy of the State of Maine in refer
ence to the division of towns, and claim
that the policy of the State has been
uniformly against the division of towns
except for the following reasons:
First. When the boundaries OF said
divided parts would make it more con-
venient for the people.
Second. In cases where there were-by
reason OF prejudice and unfair or unkind
and long continued intolerance and AMI
mosities between different sections or
villages-the essential elements of two
distinct municipalities, which had for
several years existed, thus making it
beneficial to both sections to divide.
In such cases the policy of the State
has been in favor of division, and evil
IDENTIFY wisely so, because the good OF the
people would be promoted. In all other
cases, and for all other reasons, her
policy has been against division. This
policy has been SO uniform, until within
a few years, that attempts have rarely
been made to get a division except
founded on one OF these just and proper
causes.
How i. it with the proposed division of
the town of Sullivan? Let us examine
all the facts bearing on this case, and see
if we can discover any evidence of either
of these causes, or any other suifcient
cause.
First 1t Is not in evidence that the
location of the town in reference to town
house or post office will in any way be
improved by the division, for the pro-
posed line of division is only few rods
from the town house. Then, it cannot be
claimed that the prol osed division Will
better convene the people.
Second. Neither is there any evidence
of the existence, either in the present or
the past, OF two municipalities, or of
unfair treatment on tie part of the ma
iority as against the minority. 1t Is not
claimed by the petitioners except IN rel
erence to special appropriations for roads,
which we will consider later.
1t does not appear that the town OF
valuation or taxes imp osed on that part
of the town known as Sorrento. In fact,
it WAS admitted by the principal wit
nesses that their property had not been
overvalued.
What, then, are the claims made by the
petitioners, or their reasons for division!
They are in a nut shell, simply these:
First That the town has been illiberal
-niggardly-in not making good roads
or, as they put it, roads good enough ior
them; and that the town had repeatedly
denied them special appropriations for
| their roads.
Second. That, il divided, the proposed
new town would more rapidly develop.
These are their only claims. These
then, are the matters We wish partlcu-
larly to discuss; but in order to do 1t
fairly and thoroughly, we must give a
condensed history OF so much OF I he town
of sullivan, and also OF the new or pro
| posed town of Sorrento, as will show no"
| the town has treated Sorrento, and hence
| be able to give some good reason for oul
refusal to make all the special approprla
| tions asked for by her.
Sullivan as town, is the child, not o
| Maine, but Of the general court OF Massa
| chusetts, organized in 1889. The state o
Maine divided the town of sullivan II
1928, cutting off nearly one-hali OF IN
| town, for the very good reason that she
was divided by nature by an indentatioI
| of the bay, or Sullivan river, 50 called
making it very inconvenient for the peo
| pie to cross. The part 50 cut off tool
| bout one half of the coast or shore line
| which has recently been considered valu
| able to residents OF shore towns. The
area OF the town of Sullivan now is by
town plan about II 900 acres, little more
| han half of a township. The proposed
| division Will cut off about 1000 acres, tax
ing bout ten miles Of shore line, leaving tc
the town about nine miles OF coast line
| taking more than one-half of the entire
| shore or water front. This, we claim, Is 6
| serious loss to us.
| The town in 1890 hal 1879 inhab Itants
| Sorrento has Ill inhabitants, 30 poll tax
| PAYERS, and contains about 1000 acres
| The birth of Sorrento dates from october
| 1885, when Il corpora zion VAS formed un-
der he general law, with stock Ms follows
80 $50 shares owned IS Charles Lewis
| 10000 by w. ID. Lewis, 10000 by join
Shoenbar, leaving 1000 shares of treas
| ury stock; making III all lOO,o0J, at pa
! value of s. per share, or S5O0,OB Ill all
one dollar only paid in.
| The stock WAS pat on the Boston stocs
board and advanced rapidly in price, run
ming up to so, s11, and | think So pei
share. From the sale of this stock it il
fair to say Mt least s5o0,0o must have beer
| realized. Though many improvement:
| had been made and much money expen
| ded, it must be evident to every one tina
small fortune must have been made by
| the scheme.
Eventually, and at just the right time
for Col. Lewis, tn, controlling interest IL
| the stock was sold to the Honorable
| Frank Jones and associates, letting thu
| former owners and originators entirely
out of the enterprise.
1t is only just to say that the presen
company, the Frenchman's Bay and Mt
| To
the enterprise and pay all the bills since
said SALE evidently at an annual loss, thu
expenditures largely exceeding the re
ceipts. The company has made and re
paired its own private roads, never hav
ing offered them to the town; they have
put in an electric light plant, and KEEP
their water pipes in order, the latte
having been first laid by Col. Lewis.
The question of gain or loss is no bust
ness of the town of Sullivan. We onl,
wish to show that the town is not re
sponsible for the transaction, and tina