The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-09
ALL HANDS HAPPY.
Warren Town Off
Gals and Manufac-
turers Agree.
TAKE S ARE RELATED
Thorndike Company Settle
Old Accounts and Town
Has a Balance.

Warren, May S-After many months
of a legal tangle which at one time
threatened to deprive the town of its
largest industry, the trouble with the
Warren Cotton Mills Company over
taxes is at last settled. The company
had paid it's taxes for many years un-
der protest. Nothing further was done
so long as the mills were running and
business was prosperous.
Early last year, however, things took
la different turn; the mills had been
shut down for some time, and the cot
ton business did not look very promis-
ing, and the company sued the town for
a settlement of the taxes Of 1896 and
1897.
The town expended over $1,000 in ex-
perts' fees and counsel, and then found
the further they went the poorer case
they had. Finally the company in
formed the town that unless the case
was settled out of court by certain pay
ments, which would include a rebate
for 1898 taxes, they would remove all
machinery from the mills and not start
them. And, on the other hand, if the
town would settle, the mills should be
started.
The town acceded to all their re-
quests, and about Nov. 1st 1898, the
mills were sold to the Thorndike Com
pany, who, by efficient management,
have run through the hard times, and
| already have as many employees as
| they ever had in West Warren, and
/ the No. mill has not been started
Many improvements have been made
| in the mills and new machinery has
| been placed. 1t is now planned to add
another story to the No. / mill this
summer.
The company has delayed paying its
1898 taxes until the present, when the
town gives them a rebate of $764zS9 on
| taxes for three years and the company
pays the town $S262. SO on the assessed
taxes for 1898. So really, the company
pays the town S61464. No one regrets
the action taken by the town, as West
Warren has taken on new life, and will
| be more prosperous than ever.
The members of the grammar school
will give a supper and entertainment
Tuesday evening at the town hall. A
bean supper will be furnished by w. F.
| Keith, after which an entertainment
| consisting of the laughable farce,
Frog Hollow Lyceum," will be pre-
scented by Miss Ethel Crosby, Masters
| Robert Shuttleworth, Herbert Tarbell
and others. The proceeds will be used
for decorating the school room.
Fred M. Wilcox has been appointed
fire engineer by the selectmen to sue
coed Edward Slater, resigned. Many of
| the firemen expressed a desire to- see
Walter A. Putnam appointed. The
| engineers, at a meeting, elected Chas.
! Cutler chief fire engineer. This is a
] good selection, although it was the
popular belief that George Bliss would
hold this office.
Carl Blair of this town and his col
| lege friend, Burt Buxton of Worcester,
| drove from Amherst Saturday. Mr..
Buxton went home Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. George Faulkner are
/ on a trip to New York city.
w. P. Canning and family have tax
en- rooms with r. T. Torkelson, on Ba-
| con street.
Miss Bertha Warren and Miss Nellie
| Gleason have resigned their positions
| at Warrens dry good store and it is
said the wedding bells will ring in the
near future. Both. young ladies have
! been very popular and efficient sales
ladies in this store for a number of
years past.
| The selectmen are having a good job
done on the paYements around town,
! by digging up the sidewalks, where
roots of trees have grown under and
raised it out of the level, and leveling
! the same. McIntire is doing the work.
Much good work has been done by
| individual members of the Rural I'M
| provement Society in improving and
| directing the improvement of certain
| noticeable places and spots in the viii
| lage. George 2. Shumway has greatly
| improved plot in front of the Con-
! gregational church. DR.. Phelps has
done some good work on a plot beside
the freight house, and others are Civ
| ing their time and efforts to the inn
provement in appearance of the town.