The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-13


From this entire statement % win
readily Be ssen that the bonded eeot o.
| the city IL not large, and that The few
bills unpaid January 3lst, 1900, and
thcss subsequently incurred, are amply
provided for.
AZ win appear b. the Assessors report
the total Oily valuation 10 g., 4e5, sSe. On
this basis the city's per cent Of Indebted
ness IL . "a. The recent unfortunate de-
structson Of the Portland Rolling Mills
| By fire will make something OF q decrease
| In the above valuation. and . consequent
slight increase In the above per cent OF
| In ebtsdnsss, but the rate Will remain
sufficiently low to challenge attention.
| have given these items more In detail
than perhaps the occasion warranted since
they all appear 80 clearly set forth In the
official reports. but misconceptions OF the
city's true financial condition, OF q char
actsr unfavorshis, have bsen prevalent
for some time,I believe. and IL lie my
wish to correct these 80 far as IL is possl-
| HE for me to do IL.
ALMSHoUSE.
Circumstances have b3en s1oh during
the past year that 1t has not seemed wise
to make any change In our almsAoass
accommodations. In my opinion there
is the same or greater need for some ac-
4
house used by us Is inadequate to meet
the demands made upon this department
OF the city, and Its condition al the pres
/ emit time 70 unsuitable. There can be no
question but thai an economical provfs-
/ ion, as we'll as just confederation ior
ttoss for whom the city must care. VIII
| soon make imperative demands Tor some
other arrangement.
| / would respectfully emphasize my
former suggestion upon this subjsot
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.
One Of the i'm portant matters which
REQUIRED the action of the Council during
the last year was In relation to the peti
i tions OF the Cumberland illuminating
Company and the Consolidated Electric
Light Company. asking permits TO
plaos poios for lighting purposes within
city limits. The latter company has, for
some time, lighted many residences ON
the line of the Street Railway company
| on whose poles its wires have been placed
| but IL does not appear that ft has ever
been granted permission to do so. After
due hearings ON the petitions, the permit
asked for was granted the Cumberland
| Illuminate & company and denied the
Consolidated Electrlo Light company.
This course was taken by the Council be-
cause tie Cumberland Illuminating COM
pRny offered much greater Inducements
In the war OF free lighting for the city
than did its competitor.
While entertaining the ballet myself
that, generally the wisest course IL TO
open tina door for all Legitimate oompeti.
| tiop, the offer OF this company was OF
such apparent advantage to the 3ity that
the action of the Council seemed to
me prudent and wise AMI readily ap-
proved IL.
We have team disappointed. however,
In that the lights which were TO have
been furnished the city last season have
net been seen. What electric lighting the
city has 1t Ia still paying the Consolidated
Electric Light company for IL seems
to me THAT some eerly fulnllment OF
this important condition should be re-
quired.
| have been much opposed to the adding
OF poles in the streets where there are
any placed already. II has seemed to me
| that to do this would be to unnecessarily
and unwarI antably dishgure the streets
and possibly 20 obstruct them.
am pleased to say that ! have the
written assurance from Manager New
man, Of the Street Railway company
that his company will allow the use Of
its poles for electric light wires under
proper restrictions and upon reasoaabls
terms.
TAX RATE.
| My recommendation, made year ago,
that there should be new valuation of
all property in the city, has been fol-
lowed. The Assessors have made per-
sopal Inspection and revaluation Of the
property undertaking to thereby equalize
the burden OF taxation. The result was
an increase in the city valuation from
81, s6l, 1893 tc.$2, 1885, 80 and a decrease IN
| the rate from $24.s0 TO $40. 40 on $1,000.
am anxious that the rate should be,
| il possible, decreased until IL shall not
exceed $40. for 1 believe that to be the
ma ximum tax rate that should obtain,
with proper valuation, and that q high
er rate will WORK TO the detriinent OF any
city or town. 10 attain this obie,t no
| forced advance In vAluas should tie made,
but the appropriations should II possible
| re kept within such Dmits as Will secure
this res ult.
EXEMPTIONS.
At tire annual town meeting held in
March, 1889, this vote wac passed:
"voted. that the assessors be instructed
to abate the taxes on the property OF any
permanently estahlished boot or enoe
man ufactory Ia any OF the villagel in
town or Any other mancfactory."
IL seems to me that this ought not TO
| stand as an expression Of the sentiment
OF our People Ct this time, and that such
action should be taken ~ will oorTeot It.
1hs fact that st has no legal force does
not remove the objection to 1t, for IL may
be quoted as q guaranty Of good faith. III
any suob assurances are 30 b. given it
oughtto be only in individual cssee, and
then, 1 6eiisva. only fer a short terms,
and In cases where the nature OF the In
yestment Is OF such character as will
give coed evidence OF stability.
Every abatement OF taxes assessed
against large individual or corporate tag
payers, casts heavier BURDENS upon the
| smaller tax payers, whioh are not justi-
| table exoapt In unusual cases, where the
probability Of ncoTuing benefit 10 reason
/ ably csrtEin and secure.
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES.
The city, Lacking regular fire depart
ment, the Volunteer Hose companies have
dana all In their tower To SUNNY this de-