The Portland daily press., 1898-02-11
THE ANTS GET TOGETHER.
Meeting of the Annexation Opposition at
Lewis Hall

| Ihe third meeting in the series being
held by the Deering Observation-Disclosures
was held last evening in Lewis hall. The
attendance at last evenings meeting
numbered 80 citizens, among them being
large delegation of the prominent work
ers OF the annexation society. President
Scott Wilson called attention to the cards
being distributed and stated that differ
emit kinds of cards bearing on the various
phases Of the subject would be distributed
at intervals during the next few weeks.
Mr.. f. E. Fassett was. the frst speak
er. he said: II am opposed to annex
alton and my reason.is that would rath-
er be the head of a cat than the tail of a
| lion. We can take better care OF our
selves than Portland could. We are prom
ised better streets and more efficient hre
department under annexation. We can
have all these improvement ourselves
during the next ten years with only
small increased taxation.
| Mr.. Fassett then went on to cite In
stances of the results Of annexation in
sections of the West. There cities had
been promised better things II they an
nexed. AS result the centers OF the cit-
les received the attention while the su-
burbs were largely neglected.
Mr.. Fassett in conclusion compared the
present condition of the streets of Port
land with those of Deering, giving the
preference to the streets of his adopted
city.
Mr.. Fred Fl. Thompson--"I am not in
a condition to speak tonight. l am
paralzyed since thesterrible onslaught
made on me. by Brother Brown. After
what he has said I think the ground has
been well covered Mr.. Thompson con-
cluded by reading letter from Mr.. Hen
ry Deering containing a check for the
assistance of the cause Of anti.annexa-
ton.
Mr.. Ezekial Fl. Hanson, an ex-alder-
man, said: II am against annexation as
I can see no reason for it. In my deal
ings with Portland business men! / find
that they have mo we'll founded views
favoring annexation, other than the plea
that it would give the greater city a
larger population and that this fact
would give prestige Mr.. Hanson con-
cluded with an arraignment OF the city
officials of Portland and as to the manner
in which the streets are cared for. The
streets of Deering with the few excep-
tions are better off than those OF Port
land.
MIR. Joseph II. Hutchings of the board
of assessors, said: 81 am opposed to an
nexation as / believe we can spend our
money better than the Greater Portland
could for us, in improving our territory
70 get anything out of the greater city
you would have to pull more wires than
you do now l am of the opinion that we
should stay as we are.
Mr.. G. 8. Farnham of Morrili's corner
stated that he understood it was the ln-
tention Of Portland if possible to dispose
of the Portland almshouse and in the
event of annexation to use the Deerlng
farm. He said that Portland man i'll
conversing on The subject of annexation,
said, sWe can carry annexation with the
votes of the jays out there am OF the
opinion that the jays do not predominant
in our city, (Laughter.)
/ Mr. j N. Read, chairman of the board
of registration, said: 81 was interested
/ to read in the account Of q recent polo
game that Portland won z to g. Gentle.
men, I believe that is the way 1t would
be with the city of Portland. They have
seven aldermen against our two. he re-
ferred to the argument in favor OF an
nexation to the effect that the salaries
of the city officials would be saved, and
! saja that he understood that in the event
Of annexation offices had been promised
to Deering citizens, and that this must
mean necessarily the payment OF falr
salaries.
Mr.. j. f. Chute-"I wish to speak
about the streets of tho two cities. We
are promised better streets out here II
annexed. prefer the streets OF Deerln9
to ride over than those of Portland
However if I had had our street commits
sioner with ma this morning could
have shown him some bad pitch holes on
| Forest avenue
DR.. G. W. Foster declined to speak.
Mr.. I. L. Elder was the last speaker
stWith all due respect and charity }
think it can be said that the leaders IN
the cause of annexation are not sincere
in their belief. The cry goes out that
Deering people get their living from
Portland. This, gentlemen. is absurd.
Show me the wholesale house IN Port-
land but what depends largely, on the
surrounding towns SOW statement
from an annexationist, man whom II
he was honest, said that Deering paid
100000 a year III premiums on isurance.
These figures are absurd, for that would
represent $24, 09O, COO. while our valuation
only amounts to about s., 100000 In re-
| gard to the comparison of the streets Of
the two cities, with all due respect to the
opinion of the other speakers, would say
that there are times in tie year when we
might make O comparison, but this is
not the time of the year as the streets of
any locality will be in bad condition
| now ,,