The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-30
THE LATEST
To Agitate a Question
Which Means Discussion.

those who happen to live within the
limits of the chosen land, is quietly be-
ginning to show itself in the work
which certain residents in Upton are
putting in with that end in view. Moth
ing has as yet shown itself on the sur
face, but there has BEEN nevertheless,
a considerable amount of feeling
done in order that the sentiment of the
township at stake might be tested.
There is certainly a vast amount of
argument which can freely be used, for
and against the idea of dividing the
town, and the opinions expressed in
connection with the matter are varied
and interesting. That portion which
it is intended shall some day be set
apart, includes the territory known as
the West End, Which is the seat of the
big Worcester county straw industry,
and the home of the Knowlton family,
which is family of considerable i'm
portance in the town and county. 1t
has all along been expected that the
people living in the West End would
sooner or later speak up for the III
vision of the town, and the effort which
they intend to make viii be made with
no particular surprise to many who
are on the inside of the deal.
Just when the appeal will be made,
praying for a division of the Old town
is not known, but the present session
of the legislature may possibly re-
ceiYe the matter for consideration. How
the division of the town will be
brought about is also a thing which vii,
yet have to be determined upon, but i;
is generally understood that the same
method employed by the Diapers in
the fight to make Hopedale a town all
by itself, will be the one used.
If this is true, there will be one of
the warmest fights on foot in Boston,
which has been up for the considera-
ton of the committee on towns since
that time. 1t is well known how Wig
orously the voters of Milford protest.
ed against the idea, and it is also a IA
miiar fact to those who fought the
idea from the other end, that Hopedale
was not made separate town only
after the most bitter kind of legis-
lative fighting.
At the time of Milford's division,
which resulted in the making of Hope
dale, it was generally believed that Up
ton, through the KnoWltons would fol-
low suit, but the thing has never been
openly preached, and to the ordinary
observer there are no intimations made
that such thought was ever enter
tanned. However, from time TO time
there are subjects in connection with
the matter, brought up for the thought
of the citizens, and it is because of this
reason, that The Spy has investigated
the matter and looked into some of the
interesting features which will become
involved in a fight to separate the tive
naturally formed sections into two sep
arate towns
The old town has much in common
with the Knowlton end of the hamlet
which binds it closely to the latter sec
ton, and the portion of the town ii
which the straw factory is situated has
a great many things which go in the
makeup of a new municipality, the tive
sections showing up in marked contras
when considered point for point in the
general conditions which should eXis
in the discussion of the matter
The old town, that is, the presen
hamlet, is not in any sense of the wore
to be considered along the line of {
second rate community, for as it ex.
lists today, it has every advantage thai
the voters can give, and if allowed tx
remain without dismembermen. in any
form, Is destined to grow more steadily
than has been the case of the past
but compared with the other end, if any
movement would be made which would
result in the division contemplated, i
would be as badly off as a town no
on the map
1t is, therefore, to be observed tina
the old town has everything to lose anC
nothing to gain by the separation, anC
the west end, which is today the richie
section Of the village, would greatly
profit as a result. The many subjects
which would be considered in the line o
argument form the subject matter TO
a discussion which if it ever comes tt
the surface, would make things livel,
for time.
Among them all the question of take
is the most interesting. The present rat
in Upton is $3.50, and under the forma
tion of the new scheme, it would b.
much higher Taking Hopedale as
good example, this would be true, ant
the new town would be the one to bene
fit by the transaction.
IT is hard TO tell just what the taxa
ton change would be for a time unde
| the conditions which q change woult
bring about, bur the inhabitants of tn
new town would pay much smalle
rate, perhaps less than one-half o
what they are paying today.
The vast bulk of Improperly subjec
to taxation and the source Of the great
est income in the reception Of none,
for tax paying results, is in West Up
ton, Where the big factory is located
and where the great lot of the Knowl
ton interests are located. Their proper
| ty, represented in taxable conditions, S
far as the firm itself is concerned. ]
! large and it covers something like hal
Of the taxable property receipts il
town.
The family interests, and the individ
ual property of the KnoWltons also fig
ures to no small amount, and with tn,
great influx of people into West Tn
| ton, with the buildings which they hav,
erected, makes in all a list Of property
which is not to be underestimate ii
/ the vital topics coming under consider
alton in the matter Of dividing tn,
town. The wealth Of the company is il
/ West Upton, and it is without doub
/ true that many of the conditions exist
! ing there today We're preneditated ii
the action which will sooner or late
show itself in an attempt to divide tn,
! town.
| Upton people, those residing within
| that section which will be left to form
1 the Old town, are now beginning to Sc,
| the shrewdness of the voters regarding
| the location Of the recently built Irotol
| high school building and they also max
| jealous looks at THE facts leading up Il
the hot scraps Which have from tim,
TO time waged between men Of botI
sections.
! Many Of the things which people 8
town should hold in common are So
verely fought over in a quiet manne
by the voters of the place, and in tni
respect important matters have neve
been decided without a lively tussle OF
the part of citizens of both sections
Upton Centre voters have tried al
along tc control things. While Yves
Upton citizens have little by littl,