The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-03

SeIectinen Haske1i-Favors Annexation
To Portland First.
On Monday next the legal voters of
South Portland will pass upon the ques-
ton of organizing as a CITY under the en-
abling act of 1856, and as several promi.
nent citizens have given public express
sion of their views, an interview was
sought by the representative OF the
PRESS with M Thomas B. Haskell,
president of the board of seleeGnen,
whose wide experience and accurate
indrmsnt in town affairs are known to
all men in this section.
Ashad hts oninion as to the advisable
ty of adopting city charter, Ear. haskell
said that he was an annexation1st, Tor he
believed that by becoming part OF
Greater Portland the town would Do prao-
ideally better off than at present or under
city charter.
ssannexatIon would give us better school
nriuiieuas. as those of Portland could not
ba snr1assed. and then all Of us would
have the advantages Of the High school,
* hfet in many respec is so superior to
the one we have, and tails would be no
slight advantage. In addition, take for
instance the poor. We have no aims
house that we own and surely the poor
larger city, properly housed and better off
in other respects. Again there is the
insane to take care of them entails a
big expense on the town since we have no
hospital in our almshouse and even the
milder cases have to be sent to Augusta,
while the city makes provisions for such
cases, AID by taking care OF them in their
Incl n a av.
pense which we necessarily incur.
"We are made up OF villages, seven in
number, and all have the wants Of a city,
and the prestige of being a part Of Great.
er Portland should not be sighted and
would carry some benefits. More or less
of our people work and trade there, and
many have business interests also, and
looking at the matter from geographi-
cal pc MT Of view it seems as If this
whole stretch of land should go to Port
land for residences. ETC. To be sure the
western section of the town has farming
interests. but the greatest portion of the
town is urban and ready to become CITY.
If annexed, thu taxes would not be
higher, in fact they might not be SO high
as now. Our present rate Is higher than
that of Portland and If Joined to the city
it is not certain that the valuation would
be increased. We have no fire department
save that of volunteer organizations 10
the respective villages and when we call
for assistance from Portland 1t costs all
the way from $50 to 500. Referring to
town records, see that the Last engine
cost us $125.
1--WE would be improved in the matter
of lights. he provided with good sewers
as they might be needed from time to
time, the condition OF our streets would
be improved, we would have the benefits
Of a city engineer:.and many other adyan-
tages which are offered by incorporated
and we'll managed cities"
ssOf COURSE continued Mr.. Haskell,
81 do not know whether or not Portland
wants us. but looking at it from imam
cial standpoint, we should not be regard
ed as unworthy suitors, for we have
town valuation for assessment OF 81 ,S6l,-
1875, and the state gave us valuation O.
81, 034, 1856 for state and county taxes
Our bonded debt does not exceed $50, coo,
and our population Is S0Oo. we nave
fairly good school buildings and several
of them.
Mr.. Haskell thouaht that the heavy
{ xpayers favored annexation and 1t be-
ing suggested TO him that city charter
had the light of way just now, he wisI
asked: 9 WI hat are your views ABOUT luf'
81 favor it's said he, "akd believe it is
the next best thing, for it is the entering
wedge to annexation We have out
grown the present system of town govern
ment and should discard it as it is not
the proper government for town like
this made up of seven villages. While
a city charter may not bring all the bless
ings that some OF it's most enthusiastic
advocates believe, nevertheless. it will be
an improvement, for it will make US one
compa city where what is good for one
part should be looked upon as good for
tie other.
GA town meeting may do for a purely
agricultural district where the farmers
have leisure to examine into the wants OF
the town and vote after an examination
of the question at issue. but for town
like South Portland it is too cum bersome.
another objection is that If any special
q question comes up in which particular
section is interested, large numbers from
that section turn out and pass assmeasure
which could not have been done at u
regular town meeting.
fsIn most cases seven men chosen with
discretion could reach conclusions OF
more benefit to the Who'll town ana as
regards the expense under city charter
/ cannot see outside of the regular Off
GERS which we now have, such as asses
sors etc, that we would incur any great
" increased financial burdens, except
those coming from municipal court and