The Portland daily press., 1897-12-22


OF ward one in Portland to "a part of ward
one in Deering he had come TO the con
cluslon that the plan would be disadvant-
ageous to the people of ward one in Deer
ing ana he would consequently amend his
suggestion in that regard. Mr.. Matthews
Thought that in the financial part OF the
| question, 1t should be taken into consider
| alton that while the net debts of the two
CITIES are about the same In relation to
The valuation the gross debt Of Portland
| u large in proportion to the gross debt OF
Deering and it is the gross debt which is
to DO considered when the question of
increasing the debt for public improve
ments comes up. The addition Of Deer
| ing would not add to Portland's yalua-
ton sufficiently for some years at least to
make 1t possible to increase Portland y
debt, SO that necessary improvements
must be provided for in other ways.
| Mr.. Fred L. Tower Of Deering called
attention to sentimental objection
which he thought was felt by many Port
| land people to removing to Dsering. II
the ground for that objection was re-
moved by making Deering pert of Pert
land. Mr.. Tower thought that people
would move into Deering territory and SO
equahze the population Of the wards.
! Mr.. Tower looked with favor on the Plan
! proposed by tho Deering Board of Trade.
/ This brought Mr.. Thompson to his feet
again with the statement that notwith-
standing this sentimental objection, he
knew Of lands In adjoining portions of
Deering andsPortland where the Deering
| land was being settled and the Portland
land was not. II have heard tho owners
Of the Portland property say they would
give bonus if it could be annexed to
| Deering This may not be argument but
| it's faot,'' added Mr.. Thompson.
| Mr.. Lyman w. Hanson discussed the
ward limo question. He suggested e
division Of ward seven in Portland by
settling off TINT part to the west of a line
drawn through ST. John street. Mr..
Hanson thought that tho proba-
bic growth should be taken into consider
alton in arranging territory into wards.
In that part Of ward seven in Portland
which would be set off, Mr.. Hanson knew
of 10 rents about completed.
Mr.. Thomas G. Harris added a little to
what he already said and expressed him
self on the general subject OF annexation,
in some interesting remarks. Mr.. Har-
ria said that men engaged in building
and selling houses in DeeriDg for the past
| five years had used the argument that
| Deering was to become part OF Portland
and they had argued in this way in order
to sell their property. In the opinion of
Mr.. Harris rs per cent Of the people who
had moved into Deering in the last few
years favored the annexation OF Deering
| TO Portland. There were old residents
Of the city who opposed annexation be-
causasthey had q feeling that they did not
want to see Deerins lose it's identity
tbut, /" said Mr.. Harris, II haven't found
! i've men who say that they do not think
the time will come when the two cities
will be united. They all agree on that
only they say that the time has not come
yet" Mr.. Harris spoke further urging
that this was g favorable opportunity to
| bring about what was almost universally
admitted to be coming.
Nlr. Thompson had q few more words
to say. He told Of wealthy man who
he said had told him that he had moved
to Deering III order to get advantage of
q lower tax rate. Mr.. Seiders asked If
the gentleman had made his money in
Portland and Mr.. Thompson replied that
q part of it had been mafe in this city.
Mr.. Seiders remarked that he did not
think the gentleman was very public
| spirited.
| At this point the commission srs ad-
journed for dinner.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The full board Of commissioners was
present at the afternoon session. which
did not begin till $40, and WAS ad-
journed at s. 80. Only five persons were
questioned during that time.
| Alderman Freeman Gowan of Deering
was the first to occupy the witness chair.
He WAS questioned briefly regarding the
ward lines. He endorsed the suggestion
previously made that part of Ward
in Deering be added to Ward in Port.
LAND, and the remainder of Deering be
equally divided into two wards.
Mayor Randall of Portland was ques-
| to ned as some length He favored div,d-
| ing Deering into two wards, and suggests
| at 1oc
number of voters than some of the city
| wards, additions might be made by add
| ing the island vote TO one Deering ward
and part of Ward to the other.
] Questioned rs 70 Portland's finances,
the Mayor replied that the oily is not
only paying it's annual expenses, but
manages every year to put away some
thing to be added to Its sinking fund
The sinking fund would probably be in
creas this year by about 100000. He
added that Deering would get the bene-
lit of some of Portlnnd's greatest i'm
proveinents. The new bridge, just erect
| d at cost of 100000, will be largely
used by Deering people.
In case of annexation, the Mayor added,
! Deertng would get proportiopately the
same police protection as Portland. There
are in the city about SO regular members
| OF the police department., and six or eight
| specials. In his opinion, Deering should
have at least six regular patrolmen, and
q sub.station be maintained there.
A. t. Moulton, ESQ, said his idea has
been that in case Of annexation the ward
line should be disturbed as little as pos
slble He believed it would be practicable
to divide Desring into two wards. Some
OF the residents there are DESTROYS OF
having three wards in Deering, but he
understood that the figures were against
such plan; however, the rapidity OF
behring's growth should be taken into
consideration. He did not favor adding
the island wards to the Deering wards.
The fear OF those residents of Deerine
who are opposed to annexation seems
to be that the outlying districts will not
be as well looked after. Mr.. Moulter
took exception to the testimony of Mr.
Moody, superintendent of the fire alarm
system, that steam fire engine is no
needed in Deering. That statement die
not represent the sentiment Of the people
in Deering, Mr.. Moulton believed. lh,
Deering Board of Trade had made a re
quest that q provision for a fire engine IL
Deering DO embodied in the articles O
annexation. This is q wise suggestion