The Portland daily press., 1899-03-14

assets heb. ], lSy5, s4I oh.So
Besides this there ore listed, the school
houses town house, and much other valua
BILE property of the city which, for obvious
reasons, are not appraised.
LIABILITIES.
Town bonds OF the old town OF Cape
Elizabeth, due In 500, $4,000
South Portland's proportion o- %
thereof, SS,'5''sV
Bonds of South Portland due
from 1903 30 1915. inclusive, 6s,250 OV
Town notes due in 1899 and 1870, s,4G0. 90
----
Total Indebtedness in the shape
of notes and bonds, 79,447So
Deduct from this the amount
due from the new town of
Cape Elizabeth as her proper
ton of the indebtedness OF
the old town which has been
paid by South Portland, lO,3e3. AZ
And there Is left, CD, Joi.42
being practically the net Indebtedness of
our town on that date.
Our total valuation for the purposes
OF taxation, in 1898, was 81, SCI 1919; mum
ter Of polls, l46S; rate of taxation -, ~
ON 500.
With an indebtedness Of SOS. 937. SO and
valuation of 81, s6i ,i99, our per cent of
indet tedness Is less than four, so that we
are we'll within the "debt limit not
withstanding the faot,as l believe 1t TO BIO
q fact, that our valuation Is comparative
ly, a low one.
In considering the above amount of re-
rorted available assets 1t must be borne
in minu that these were computed TO
February lst, 1899. There rs then due
the several accounts by reason OF lnex-
pended balances of appropriations. as Tor
schools etc, the sum OF 81, S6l.s9
| am pleased to note the statement
made by the selectmen that, exception to
n claim of DIR. ID. A. kincaid, for s45
considered by them unreasonable, and
one of the King Richardson Publishing
company, for 1891. 10 payment for which
has been refused for reasons by them
given, and the counsel fees in the suit
South Portland Va. Cape Elizabeth, the
bills for which have not been rendered,
there were practically no outstanding
claims against the to on the date oil
their report.
TAX RATE
/ must express my disapproval OF the
present high tax rate. 1t does not
seem to me to correctly express the actual
tax condition of our city. 1t is quoted
against us within. and without our limits
People are quite prone to forget that the
rate per. can't is not the only factor
III Wudb lHc Va pfAe
tion actually Is. 1t Is my conviction that
our tax rate should be as low as that OF
other municipalities similarly situated,
and that such valuations should be
placed on our property as will make 1t
possible. As already stated, l believe
our valuations are, generally, low. vi
course there are individual instances
where this is not true, and some where
they are undoubtedly excessive, but such
are the exceptions. If my assumption Is
right
CITY VALUATIONS.
In this immediate connection l may
state that one of your most important
duties will be the selection Of assessors.
For this department we need the best
Judgment OF skilful, conservative and
independent men. Many of our citizens
live outside of what have been called the
village limits, and are, because OF this,
depri we'd of the conveniences which vii
lage residence affords 1t is but fair that
these disadvantages should be considered
by our assessors, and by just valuation
the ex penses incident TO city improve
ments should be, In a reasonable degree,
taken from those who cannot share in the
enjoyment of them.
Through the medium of this work,
properly dona, 1T is possible to rectl1y
many inequalities of benefits and bur
dens, and thus contribute largely to the
securing for us of a generous support In
this new departure, and, as well, to the
bringing of all sections of our city into
harmonious accord. earnestly united in
working out to the best advantage pos
81 BILE for all, the problems which from
time to time must confront US.
ALMSHOUSE.
| want to commend to your oonsidera :
ton the report of the overseers Of the
poor. 1t seems to me that the caring for
the poor in the alnshouse, many of the
"out poor" and for some of our patients
in the insane hospital who, confessedly,
could be cared for in the almshouse just
as we'll and at much less expense had
we the proper accommodations, must de-
mand our attention. as worthy OF careful
investigation. The officers have Gone the
best that could DO done under existing
conditions, but it seems possible that
these conditions ought to be changed, II
practicable business methods are to OBJ
tain and the needs of our poor. to whom
we owe a duty not lightly discharged,
are to be justly considered. The only
question involved, is the ACCESSIBILITY OF
furnishing larger and better acc omln oda-
tions for this purpose. and 1T is to this
feature of the matter that your attention
is directed II
SCHOOLS.
1t is pleasure to note the general
satisfactory condition of the schools. We
have had in the main. successful teachers
and books and appliances for good school
work, and good school work has been
done. But there is, in some quarters. "a
woeful lack of school room accommoda-
tions. We find this condition of things
at South Portland village, knightville,
Pleasantdale and Cash's Corner.
In these places there has
Teen such an incrs asess of pupils
that the rooms are manifestly inadequate
and immediate steps ought to be taken 10
provide such rooms as the necessities Of
these sections demand. The needs or
these schools and of the high school are
fully set forth and explained by the
present superintendent of schools in his
report, with valuable suggestions as TO
what ought to be done TO meet these
nesds l would refer you to that report