Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-24
WATERVILLE.
WINSL0W OBJECTS
To Proposed Division So Fav-
ored by Wateryi|Ie.
J. W. Bassett Gives the Many Reasons
for the Objection.
Town Is Prosperous and Conicntcd But Few
Supporters Of Division.
Winslow. Me. Dec. %, 100

lldl
In your issue of Dec. 90 was an arti-
Gle among the Waterville items enti-
tied: Shall Winslow BE Divided?'' It
contained so much misrepresentation
of facts that an answer ought to be
made in order to prevent erroneous i'm
pressons arising at the beginning of
the discussion of question which
came upon Winslow like a bolt out of
a clear sky.
The article states that the town is
divided into two factions" the "Vil-
layers and the Farmers" and that
the latter have voted down certain inn
provements which the VILLAGERS have
wanted, such as fire protection, and
that at special meeting called there
for, an additional bridge. This is both
false and does great injustice to the
so-callcd Farmers" There are no
1.-TWO factions" in our town. An exam
ination of the conditions of this State
would show that in none is there
greater harmony or more united
working for the interests of all
parts of the town than here. Instead
of the inhabitants Of the southern and
less thickly settled section of the town
Opposing improvements, tHc5 ilet We
been interested in and willing to vote
for what was needed. and this article
was the first intimation that there was
anything but the best of good feeling
in the town. 1t was at my request that
the question OF water service was first
brought before the town. \ committee
to ascertain the cost and to report at
n special meeting was appointed. The
prices of materials We're never SO high
as at that time. and the committee. of
which l was one unanimously decided
to report that the town ought not to
accept the terms offered it. and ii was
decided to defer for Il time the ques-
ton.
The matter Of additional bridges be-
tween Waterville and Winslow has
never been brought before the town.
Waterville has ever been anxious for
the large patronage of the Holdings
worth & Whitney Co. To OBJ
tain this. charter was obtain
ed by the Waterville citizens from the
Legislature two years ago for a toll!
foot bridge. The Hollingsworth 6;
Whitney Co. did not ask for the
bridge: the town did not oppose.
oul tOI icE l''iltitIiL ItAi liiti Strt ttt
that the Hollingsworth & Whitney
Co. has always been looked upon as a
Waterville institution" The company
is of course Il great benefit to Water
VILE as it is TO Winslow. 1t owns no
property, however, in Waterville, but
is entirely in Winslow. There would be
much more ground for saying that the
Lockwood Go. is Il Winslow institution
since it owns more land in Winslovf
than in Waterville. and Il large per
centage of its employees live in Wins
low
Your correspondent also stated that
the petition was largely signed by
the section of Winslow wanted" and
there arc already two factions, one
in favor of the scheme and the other
opposed" There are only four Winslow
names on the petition, and the whole
town. including the section wanted. is
practically = unit in opposition. The
Hollingsworth x Whitney Co. the
Lockwood 60. and Thomas Sampson
Esq, are opposed. and many of the
citizens of that section are emphatic
in their protest. Furthermore. many
W&tcrvillc citizens have spoken to me
VI lit tiJuS Ute " W iIlSItN oI inc pan,
and have expressed regrets that the
good feeling between the places should,
after the bitterness aroused by the
same question some l. years ago had
died away. again be threatened by
what seems to he n foolish attempt to
raise the question again.
Your correspondent states that our
present rate Of taxation is 15h mills.
when as 4 matter of fact it is but II As
mills, more startling figure to COM
pare with the 23la mills of Waterville:
and an ex-chairman of our board of
seicctmen, one of our best citizens and
kccnest financiers. has recently prophe-
cied that unless something unexpected
happens, our rate will within three
years, reccde to II mills.
Your correspondent suggests that the
addition of this section would dinin-
ish the tax rate of Waterville. but if
Waterville should Immediately proceed
to build a new City hall" new
bridge and to make improvements in
that section Of Winslow, it is difficult
to see how the rate would be much
diminished. The debt limit of Wa
terville would be placed higher" of
NcuiS 80 Noti correspondent saws,
and an increase of it's debt seems to be
the sole end and aim at present of that
city.
If the citizens of the desired section
of the town would submit to rate of
taxation as high as that of Watervil!e.
Winslow could and would be glad to
give them sewers, police and fire pro-
lection, and all the advantages of a
city and money would be turned back
into the treasury.
Your correspondent states that
'Winslow has much to gain" Winslow
has nothing to gain, but everything to
lose by the change proposed. She is
satisfied and proud of her present con-
dition ard outlook. There has never
been throughout the whole town. such
a feeling of prosperity and independ-
cree as today and this feeling is very
evident at every town meeting.
Within 10 years she has become the
first town in the county in population
and valuation. and she is in fact in