Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-26
DOUBLE COUNTY.
Plan to Make Sagadahoc a
Great Deal Larger.
Proposition to Annex Brunswick and
Twelve LincoIa Towns.
Advocated as a Decided Advantage to
All Concerned.

AS a solution Of several problems and
as natural step due to existing con-
ditions and mutual interests, it has
been proposed to cut LINCOLN county in
two, annex twelve of it's towns to Sag
adahOc county and the remainder to
Knox, and to dctach Brunswick and
Harpswcll from Cumberland county
and annex them to Sagadahoc, thereby
increasing the population of Sagada-
hoe from 20.3S0 to 42,3o0 and its valu-
alton from $10.7l5, iN to $50, 725, S51,
doubling it's influence in the State Leg
islatGre and raising it from thirteenth
to eighth rank among the counties Of
the State in point of population.
This almost startling proposition
arises from the fact that the need Of
new county building in Lincoln has
raised the question as to whether the
maintenance of separate county gov
eminent there is not an unnecessary
expense. The court house at Wiscasset
is old and in poor condition and has
needed to be replaced for many years
the need growing more imperative with
each succeeding year. Now the people
of Lincoln see fine new county build
ings being erected or proposed or fine
| existing buildings being extensively
improved in every other county in the
State, and the contrast between these
structures and the dilapitated and an
tiquated building in which their own
officials are quartcred and their own
court sits has brought up anew the old
problem which the county must look
squarcly in the face at very early
day.
The people as we'll as the county Of
hcers all over the State are recognize
ing more and more the value of the
deeds, wills and other valuable papers
and records deposited in the county
buildings and the Importance of their
preservation. The justices, court Off
GERS, jurymen and attendants expect
| and even require better and more up
| to-datc accommodations than their
predecessors have been willing to put
up with or considered perfectly ade-
quate, and Lincoln county feels the
general impulse but is restrained from
following it by the serious problem Of
expense.
A faction which is given voice by
the Damariscotta Herald is agitating
the matter of a new court house and
advocating the transfer of the county
seat from Wiscasset to Damariscotta
and the erection of the proposed new
building there, on the grounds that
Damariscotta is moro central and con-
vcnient for the majority of Lincoln
county residents and that since the
destruction of the Hilton House the
provision for the entertainment of per-
sons called thither by the court sit
tings and the county business is en-
tirely inadequate and unsuitable.
In attendance at the last term of
court in Wiscasset was a prominent
Bath attorney who heard the conf
plants and listened to many discus
sions of the problems to which refer
cncc has been made, and along other
suggestions presented was that of Il
: Lincoln lawyer who has been promi-
ncnt in the politics of that county\for
many years, that the best solution Of
the difficult situation would be the di-
vision of the county, the eastern part
of it to be annexed to Knox. includ-
ing such towns as Waldoboro. Bremen,
Jefferson and SomervilIc, and the
western towns, Alma Boothbay, Booth
bay Irarbor. Bristol. Damariscotta,
Dresden, Edgecomb. Newcastle. South
port. Wcstport, Wh:tc:icld and Wis
casset. to SagadahOc.
This attorney thought that Lincoln
county was in no condition to go into
debt $4,000 or more for new county
building when the neighboring counties
could accommodate the Lincoln bust
ness so well without extra cost and
even lat reduction of current ex-
penses. and pointed out that Bath and
Rockland. the shire towns of Knox and
Sagadahcc, possessed such advantages
in the way of hotel accommodations,
convenienccs and other considerations
as neither Wiscassct or DamariscOtta
could ever hope to afford.
Lincoln county does not contain
city nor any town Of rre-cminent i'm
portance over its ncighbors. The nat
ural metropolis of the eastern half is
RoCkland and of the western part
Bath. 1t is to these cities that the
farmers of Lincoln look for a market
for their produce and to which the res
idents of the Lincoln towns go to make
their purchases and to get in touch
with the world. There is no trade cen
ter between the two cities.
Bath people to whom the PROPOSE
ton has been mentioned are a unit in
their approval Of it and many Of them
have stated promptly that they hopcl
not only that it might be carried out
but that Brunswick, which would of
| course take EarpsweH with it, would
also take the opportunity to separate
from Cumberland and enter Sagadahoc.
This latter project has been much
discussed by leading Brunswick peo-
pie for many years and has been
brought up with renewed force recent
ly since the trolley, the telephone ami
other influences have brought Bruns-
wick into most intimate relations with
Sagadahoc while for many reasons she
has been growing more disconnected
with her position as a part Of Cum
herland.
Brunswick is only nine miles from
the Sagadahoc county seat and % from
that of Cumberland, and the relations