The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-20
POhTLAND AND DEERGNG.
Annexation Question Before the
Commissioners.

Testimony of Ohlcials-Comm issioners
Make Good Progress-PubHc Hearing
Tomorrow.
The commissioners to arrange the terms
for. the annexation OF Deering to Portland
if the citizens of tbs TWO cities accept
them. have heard from large number of
the officials and private citizens Of the
TWO municipalities. The commissioners
held two SESSIONS on Friday and one or
Saturday forenoon. EVIdenoe was given
~ the fUlloWlng Deerlng citizens: Mayor
h. j. Davis, Assessor j. W. Hutchinson,
treasurer l.. L. Jones, Chairman d. n.
heea Of Che board OF registration, street
commissioner a. L. Smith, City EIec-
Crlclan T.. b. Moody. Civil Engineer
l. ". Barbour, Mr. j. @. ColesWorthy,
chairman OF the board of overseers OF
the poor, City solicitor Fred v. Nat
thews, and Messrs. Andrew ltaWes,
q. W. Small and Daniel Chenery. Port
land has been represented by City
Treasurer Libby, MIR. III. A. Blanchard OF
the board OIL registration, a sst. City Treas
urer Dyer. Assessor Walter l.. AefaVor,
MIR. Charles Il. baker, secretary of the
board OF overseers of the poor, anu CHER
ltldrldge Oh the nre department.. IL Is not
uut the views OF the clGlzens as to the &C.
STABILITY OF annexation. That question
is to Le determined at the polls. The
inquiry is directed to ascertalning the
terms on which the cities could lie fairly
Joined together. In order to enlignJen
the commission on this matter, the gen
tlemen who have appeared before item
have given evidence as 10 the debts, popu
lation, fire departments. sewer aysGens
and other matters which would have to
be adjusted and arranged feToro the citi-
zens could vote lnCellIgently Gn The ques-
tion The wards OF the two cities would
nave to be readJusted TO meet the new
order Of things and the suggestions made
TO the commissioners in this regard are
interesting.
Assessor Hutchinson told the commits.
soners that the basis OF valuation in
Desiring is fair market value and in 1897
me valuation was $4, $40. 90. : he rate of
1aXGUlon is II on thousand. III The
opinion Of Mr. Hutchinson at least three
wards should be made from the territory
OF Deering. Mar. Hutchinson also told
OF the many facilities which Deering has
Tor communication with Portland.
Treasurer Jones said that the debt of
the city of Deering OF April LIST 1877, WAS
SI15, 1861 but at The present time the
gross debt is Si52, 599.%y, divided as fol-
lows;
Bonded debt, $129. SIS. 90
Temporary loan, 100000
Debt to be bonded, 7,924.zg
M. Jones was of the opinion that in
the greater Portland there should be at
least four wards IN Che territory of Deer
ing. He said thnJ the estimated cost OF
the new high school building was $35, 0OO
and the total expenditure on it to the
present time, $l1, 1884. Ihe sewers are
nearly completed and little if anything
will be required tor some time in that
direction.
Mr.. NJ A. Blanchard of the Portland
board Of registration, gave the number
of polls IN Portland, as registered, as
934l. MIR. Blanchard estimates four and
one-half Inhabitants TO every POLL. 1he
FOCAL census gives a little rising 40, 600
as the population of the city. 4he total
number of polls as rendered by the asses
sors is 11,6lS. In the matter of the
division of Deering into wards, Mr.
blanchard said that he should suppose
that Uesring would he made into two
wards He would avoid the creation of
precincts.
Chairman Reed of the Deering board of
registration said that the number OF polls
ia rhat city was 1879. Waras one and
seven have increased less rapidly than the
other wards.
City Treasurer Libby said that the net
debt of Portland is now 81, &06 650.77.
Turning from population and finances
to streets the commissioners learned from
Street Commissioner Smith of Deering
taat the city has fifty five miles of streets
and roads in good condition but none
paved. Ii has been proposed TO pave one
nalf of Forest avenue. None of the other
streets need paving. Apart from the i'm
provement Of Forest avenue $500 or
sl9, coo have been expended on the streets
this year.
Mr.. Frank B. Moody described the
hose and hook and ladder companles COM
posing this Deering ire departments. In
the opinion OF MIR. Moody tho city does
not yet need a steam lire engine.
Mayor Davis had something to say oil
the division of the city into wards in the
event Of annexation. He thinks that
Deering should have two wards, at least
Mr. Andrew HAYES proposed division
into wards by which part of ward seven
in Portland should be COINED to part of
ward seven in Deering, the remainder of
Deering being left in "A ward by itself.
Mr.. Chenery advocated o somewhat SINH
lar arrangement, taking parts of wards
seven ana six and adding them to ward
seven i'll Deering.
Chief Engineer Eldridge of the Port
land fire department. said that there
would be no. trouble in handling the fires
in the enlarged city. He would advocate
the addition Of one steam fire engine 70
the present Deering department. and
eventually another at Morrilrs corner.
City Solicitor Matthews OF Deeripp had