New-York tribune., 1900-12-23
NAMES BANKRUPT TOWNS.
CREDITORS SEEING THE CITIZENS PROP
ERTY FOR TOWN DEBTS

CREDITORS SEEING THE CITIZENS PROP
ERTY FOR TOWN DEBTS.
Lewiston correspondence of The Boston Advertiser
There is, little town Of barren farms and
Otis Just now the neghbors are calling it owe
it's. Otis furnishes the champion hard times story
1t seems that Otis has been running in debt in
one way or another Town orders were issued
Taxpayers were dilatorys and u there @ was not much
tax revenue any way; Some Of the the holders Of the
started after Otis in fashion that makes that
town the most picturesque section in Maine just
Bangor attorney accumulated orders amount
town - Of Otis The law is that in such case the
party securing judgment against town may levy
in dogs age that such step is ever resorted to
but has sser fPne roa a no Of the 5wn
with the REQUISITE papers First & he went TO- to the
his oxen were taken from the barn and driven
away He had no horses, and therefore the oxen
officer would have taken some cows.
Gant rgnn tS Seged gsr 70 sD pgGkr % his hs
travels. Arden Young was compelled to stand and
jordan jordan lost two and George Jordan waved fare
well to a couple of faithful noodles, The officer
aT When en- he ere reckoned he had collected samples
enough from the ocks of Otis to satisfy the judg-
Amherst There the plunder was sold at auction
bunch brought only $50. The pair of oxen alone
Bsnsor Il lawyer got noised about this week other
creditors of the town commenced to swoop. The
in the town had been seized and driven OFF. The
supply short. and now the creditors are after
Sheriff Hooper has seized the sixty farm Of
man in tbe town considers that he himself is worth
a cent Some creditor of the place can come along
ertT T T' except the cook stove and his clothes:
the the Pga bayo1e ARE e seus some neq dP
They can bring action against the town and re-
e ~ fs the ee pcs It brought at auction And they
may recover interest at IL per cent
e Foot ot Straps For it will be necessary for each
bringing such stn @ to syy on 1hs goods G OF 6
seize and sell other property TO get his money.
III @ e the n s hottest tgoGs tha
ever disrupted a Maine town-with each taxpayer
game n tag you're it, that is mighty profitable for
the lawyers but it comes high 10 those chiefly con-
ef"T It win be about IKE man suing himself over
and over again, with the fees pilng up all the
All things considered Otis isn't in very cheer
full frame OF mind just now. TIE people are not
planning on many Christmas trees.
Up to this time somerville. in Lincoln County,
pon pas esmkrnpt town in Maine But somerve has
not been s6ectsd TO any s sssh been sd
state for half dozen years.
couraged thet they haven't paid any taxes for at
least five years. All the property in town has been
sSerir has been 70 town many times and attempted
collect the county tax. The town fathers weartly
tell him go ahead and find the money IL he
can-they can't
The town cannot get any school money from the
State for Somervilie has given up paying It's
State tax The teachers went work, for there are
no taxes and therefore town order doesn't amount
TO anything. When the property has been ad-
vertised for taxes and sold, the town. as a munich
and the thing goes as before
Not an inch OF progress is made. Now one
knows how the town stands, the mixup is great.
II some man cared 10 own whole town in Maine
he could get one cheap. II he bought up the tax
deeds OF Somerville II Is probable that most OF
the people would let their property go without
rsdeeming IT.