Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-04
sNAll the IaAMps POUND STONE
|GRANoERs AND OTHERS DISCUSS THE
QUESTION BEFORE THE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS.

That the farmers OF Oxford County,
represented by the 1000 Changers OF the
county, are In favor Of doing something
to attempt an abatement Of the tramp
nuisance, was amply proved by the at
tendance Friday, when the county COM
missioners gave hearing on the 9ues-
ton Of establishing a stone yard or
work shop Of some kind for tramps and
criminals. The matter has been agitated
10 the Pomona Grange and the subor-
dinste oranges, and delegates from near
IL all these oranges were either present
or sent letters.
The hearing was opened in the court
room at 10 o'clock, and among those
who appeared and addressed the COM
missioners were j. +. King OF Paris
Grange. Eben :. kilborn OF Bethel
Grange, NJ. n. Lufkin Of Rumford
Grange, ii. ID. Hammond Of Paris
Grange, A. w. Small Of Bear River
Grange. j. A. Roberts Of Norway
Grange, G. w. q. Perhsm OF Franklin
Grange, and others. Mr.. Roberts also
read letters favoring the project from
the oranges In Fryeburg and Peru, and
letter from the county commissioners
OF Penobscot County, stating that their
stone yard had been In operation only
short time, but that results were salts
factory so far.
As illustrating the extent Of the tramp
nuisance, Mr.. King stated that since the
first OF March, l79 tramps had been car
ed for nj the Paris town farm, besides q
half dozen taken care Of elsewhere; MIR.
Kilborn stated that Constable Barker
had during the year taken care Of l15 at
the Bethel lookup, aud refused about as
MANY more: aud Mr.. Perhsm stated that
the Woodstock town farm had entertain
ed over 200 in the past nine months.
The speakers were all agreed upon
these points: That trsmps are nui-
sance; that the nuisance Il increasing !.
that tramps are an expense To the towns,
but that the greater portion OF the tramp
expense comes upon individuals. aud
that mainly 10 the farming districts;
that tramps are menace TO the safety
OF the community, and particularly a
terror To women and children; that they
are as a rule afraid Of work, and that
stone yard or something Of the kind es-
tablished at the county Jail, where the
trsmps might work out their sentences,
would do more toward soaring them OF
and sbating the nuisance, than ANYTHING
else they knew Of; and that there was
strong public sentiment in favor OF Civ
ing the tramps n chance to work. Mr..
Roberts stated that he had never before
engaged In anv movement which seemed
to meet popular demand so fully as
this.
Mr.. Lufkiu brought up the prsc,ical
question of whether a stone yard could
be made source Of income, suggesting
that crushed stone Is not now used at all
In Oxford County, and that II can not
profitsbly be transported any distance
from the place where IL Is crushed, and
suggesting several other practical con-
siderations to be taken into account. He
suggested instead OF stone yard,
wood yard, where the tramps might be
put 10 working up wood, and there
would be a reasonable certainty of hsv-
ing a market for the product.
These suggestions led To general dis
cussion, with considerable Incidental
talk about the road question. Mr.. Rob
erts sud Mr.. King both expressed the
opinion that the time was coming when
the towns Of Paris and Norway would
use some crushed, stone for the perms-
nent improvement Of highways, and
they thought q stone yard would tend
to create market for Its product. The
wood yard was objected 10 BY some OF
the speakers on the ground that IL would
bring the trsmps in competition with
honest, paid labor; and some asserted
that the essential thing WAS TO give the
trsmps work, the disposal OF the product
being secondary consideration. The
suggestion was also made that the
tramps should be made 10 build the
roads themselves after they had prepared
the stone.
The hearing extended through An az
ternoon session. and the commissioners
took the matter under consideration and
will report their decision later.