The Portland daily press., 1899-03-02

I
city of south Portland would be in
creased. Then MIR. verrill asked II
Willard, while willing to give up all
claim to south Portland property, was
not deslrous Of coming In and sharing
the property OF Cape Elizabeth.
Mr. Wizard responded that he did not
care particularly whether Willard was or
was not annexed TO Cape Elizabeth.
"weIl, Mr.. Chairman, in that case, If
the reople of Willard say they do not
want to be- annexed to Cape Elizabeth,
we have no furt her interest IN the mat
ter. " said Mr.. verrill.
Mr. Libby and Mr.. Meaher again ex.
planned that there Were two proportions
hefora the committee, one for Il new town
and one for annexation to Cape Eliza
beth
MIR j. o. GrafIam corroborated the
testimony of Mr. Willard.
Captain +. H. Woodbury. in his testi-
mony, said that he thought the annexa.
tion of willard TO Cape ELIZABETH would
tighten rather than increase the expenses
Of the people of that town.
MIR Verriil usked Captain Woodbury. If
he understood the proposition to be that
Willard should give mp all It's interest in
south Portland EXCEPT It's debt and bring
that with 1t into Cane Elizabeth.
This lead TO statement ~ Mr.. Meaher
that Willard did not propose to call on
Caps Elizabeth to help pay its debt The
bill would take care of that by imposing
district tax so that the willard people
would alone bear the burden
b. Is Farnsworth of Portland, who
owns cottage at Willard and Daniel
Cobb, wholesale gardener living In
Willard testified In the same line. Mr..
Cobb has been nominated for alderman
in the new city of South Portland but the
prospect Of aldermanio honors does not
diminish his desire 90 see willard set off.
MIR. Meaher present ted to the committee
comics of the act tn establish the new
town of Willard and the alternative act
to annex Willard village to Caps Eliza
bsth.
sir. Spear. in opening the case for the
south Portland remonstrants, said IL was
true that the legislature had the right to
wipe ont town and to change town
lines, but it had never been the custom IN
this stnte to change town boundaries TN
til good and sufficient cause had been
shown. In this case, Mr.. spear said be
thought ne might rest his case here. lie
wanted TO state the case fairly and he
rouli find only one reason presented here
for the separation of Willard from south
Portland. That was that the people
wanted lower taxes and claimed that they
paid more tnan their share of the ex-
penses Well, it would be hard TO lind
any thriving town where one portion
could not be found to make tho same
claim. There must necessarily be some
temporary Inequalities
Thomas b. Haskell was the first wit
ness and gave the committee history oil
his long term of Office in Cape Elizabeth
and south Portland. Mir. Haskell went
ON TO say that Willard included all the
high land having views of the ocean ant
about all the best cottage sites. ds pre-
sented figures as to the town finances,
hydrants, etc MIR. Haskell's figures gave
a larger proportion to Willard than did
those presented on the other side, Air.
Haskell said that the Willard roads had
received the same care rs those of other
sections of the To wn. when it was neces-
ssry. As to the Cape Cottage road to
which reference had been made, Mr..
| Libby asked il Il was not true that parts
| Of it we're not in bad condition before the
government commenced work on the
fortihcations several years ago MIR.
Libby mentioned particularly that parts
of the road at the foot Of Meeting House
hi Eand beyond Mr.. Vim. q. Davis's
h Use. Mr. Ha kell thought those
portions of the rond had been cared for as
well as the nature OF the soil permitted.
| Selectman Charles \. 1refethen and +.
II. Hartford, ESQ were the other wit
nesees for tho South Portland remon-
strants. Then MIR. Nerrill opened the
case for the Cape Elizabeth remonstrants.
| Mr.. Verrill pointed out that the town OF
| Cape Elizabeth is Il farming community
and that its needs are not the same as
those of the village of Willard. Mr.
| Clement Staples was the first witness
| Half dozen maps, more or less, had al
ready been put into the case, but MIR.
Staples had another and 6y its aid
pointed out the boundaries of the present
towns and showed what it WAS proposed
TO annex to Cape Elizabeth. Mr.. staples
put the case this way: Willard with over
two hundred voters and $40, 600 of valuH-
tion wants to be annexed to Cape hliza-
beth with less than two hundred voters
and $500, 900 valuation. The effect would
ne that the farming population would be
out voted by the village and the state Of
things which had been ended by the cut
ting up of the old town would be revived.
A. f. Hannaford testified briefly for the
Cape Elizabeth remoustrants and then
the hearing closed with brief arguments
by counsel.
snD...wHAT COL. BLUNT. SAID.
Whenever the railroad committee meats
thers is sure to be some interesting de