Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-06
City Fathers Again Discuss
Question Without Decision.
Several Citizens Make Strong Pleas
for Prompt Construction.
Mayor Votes Three 0rdsrs and Aldermen VIE
Down One veio.

question to committee. There was
| much discussion and more new plans
Tor raising the funds for the building
were added to the already long list
Several of the prominent citizens were
present to express their sentiments on
| the matter and there was not a dis
senting voice to the immediate build.
| ing of the hall but there are various
opinions as to the proper means OF
| raising the money.
The roll of accounts amounting to
| about $4,000, was passed. The com
| mittee on streets reported favorably or
the building of cross walk on Sum.
mer street and an order authorizing
the laying of one of stone was passed
The same committee reported that tn.
repairs on Water street be accepted
and the report was accepted. In accord
ance with the report of the committee
| a cross walk on College avenue to be
built so as to accommodate the landing
platform of the Electric Road was au-
thoriZed. The report that a sewer
should be built on Toward street was
accepted and the building of the sewer
authorized. The committee reported
against the building of an extension of
the sewer on High street on account
| OF the cost and the report was accept
ed so the sewer will not be built, this
year. at least.
The city treasurer was authorized to
hire $4,000 in anticipation of the taxes.
1t was voted to issue bonds to the sum
of $4,000 to refund those which will
come due, Sept. of this year. A re-
no I ~ n n,
sum of $500 of the appropriation for
new sidewalks be expended on Water
street was referred to the committee
on new sidewalks. a claim for damage
caused by the culvert on Alden lane
amounting to $50 was referred to com
mittee on claims, as was also one of
S2l.65 for the stand pipes from which
the water for watering the streets Is
taken. The report of the committee
that the sewer on Prospect street be
extended to the residence Of Charles
Low or Whereabouts was accepted and
the building of the sewer authorized.
The report Of the assessors which has
already been given in substance in the
Journal was read and referred to the
committee on finance. The petition
that an arc light be placed near the
residence Of Mark Gallert was referred
to the committee on street lights.
The City hall matter was then taken
up. There is no question of a pubic
nature that interests the general pubic
more than this one. An order was I'M
troduced which in substance calls for
the building or at least the partial
building of new city building this
season.
A committee Of seven is called for
which is to be made up of the mayor.
two aldermen. two councilmen. two cit
Zcns. one of whom shall he a Democrat
and the other Republican. g. G..
Adams of Lawrence Mass. shall be
employed to revise the plans so that
the building can be completed at
cost not exceeding $40. 900 The build
ing is to be closed in by Jan. 81 1900,
at IL cost not exceeding 100000. OF the
$4,000 which was subscribed by the
city for the Wiscassct Railroad. $4,000
is to be taken for the building of the
City hall All the material which the
city now has on hand is to be used.
which amounts to several thousand
dollars. and the balance is to be raised
by the giving Of the note of the city
which is to bear interest of not more
than AZ. per cent. and to run any
length of time which the mayor may
determine. 1t will be seen that this
order only calls for the expenditure of
100000 this year. with total eXpendl-
ture of $4,000
After the reading Of the order the
aldermen and counclmen went into
joint session to hear any of the citi-
Zens who wished to speak on the sub
ject. Frank Rcddington. the president
of the board of trade. was the first
called upon. He made his usual strong.
business-like arguments for the build
ing of the hall at once. He said that
the $240. 900 debt of the city was backed
by an actual valuation Of Sc 000. 900. and
that in any business house this would
not be considered very bad. He be
lieved that a reasonable debt would
not be harmful to the city if it was
demanded by necessity. If the 10000
to be expended this year was borrow
ed the interest would be only about
$500. and the hall ought to be able to
earn this much. He believed that it
was as easy for the city to pay in
terest to bondholders direct as it was
to pay rent for hall to a syndicate |
There had been series of fights |
the whole history of the |
city. and no serious injury had re-
suited from any of them. First it had |
been the bridge, then the North Gram !
mar school building. The water works |
and street paving and sewers had fol- |
lowed closely. and now it was the City |
hall. Those who had opposed the 9TH |
ar projects after they had been pushed |
to completion We're sorry that they |
had. He believed it would be the same
with the City hall. He made good.
strong speech, and his arguments were
good ones.
Attorney General Haines was then
called upon. and he began in his usual
careful, legal manner. He wanted to
isk few questions in the first place
He asked if the $4,000 appropriated for
he railroad had been voted for any
,ther purpose. An order authorizing
he use of the money for paying some
II the outstanding notes Of the city
lad been passed by both branches of
he government but had not received
he mayors signature. SO that it was ,
lot beyond recall.
He next asked if the government had
yer taken any action on the resolution
assed in the recent mass meeting. The
mayor replied that there had that the
natter had been referred to a committee