Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-28
CITY ACCEPTS
Proposal Of the Edwards
Manufacturing Co.
For Settlement Of Tax Case
Now Pending Before Court.
Valuation Of Company's Property Fixed at
100000 for 10 Years.

At Il general meeting of the citizens
of Augusta. held at City hall. Monday
afternoon and evening, for the purpose
of ascertaining whether or not the mu-
nicipal officers should be authorized to
fix the valuation of the Edwards Man.
utacturing Cos. property in this city
at $l,000,000 for a period of 10 years.
commencing with the present year, pro-
viied the company should abandon it's
appeal to the supreme judicial court
from the valuation of 1904, and pay the
said tax in full as assessed, with inter-
est, il was voted to accept the proposal
by vote of 3a7 to 81.
1t was the second time within the
year that 4 similar proposal had been
acted ION by the citizens I'm general
meeting the first meeting having been
held. Tuesday evening, Jan. 81, on
which occasion the proposal was re-
jected.
AS will be seen by the above figures,
the vote of yesterday was a small one.
the total vote of the meeting being but
104. The Australian ballot system was
used in voting and the meeting was
very quiet one. there being at no time
between the hours of opening and clos
ing. anything that in any way resem-
bled excitement. The voting proceeded
slowly and with the exception of those
who gathered TO hear the announce
ment of the vote as the hour of closing
approached, the number at any one
time in the hall was not a large one.
The meeting was called to order at
3 O'Clock in the afternoon, and in the
absence of Mayor Hichborn, Alderman
T.. c. harrington presided. Charles r.
PurintOn was chosen chairman, and
BenOit Arsenault. secretary. On motion
OF Horace Cony, the chair filled the va
canCieS in the list of ballot clerks, the
following gentlemen serving in the diff
ferent wards: Ward l, c. B. Burleigh;
Ward ?. Major c. J. House; Ward 3, +.
L. Wentworth and w. w. Albee; Ward
4. VIM. Devoe and Alfred Patnaude:
Ward 5, l.. G. league; Ward 6. Horace
Cony and Frank w. Chadwick: Ward
I, John Parker and J. B. WEIGH: Ward
S, Joseph Cain. Frank l.. Harrington
had charge of the ballot box and Ker-
vim r. Hanks was the constable in at
tendance. Z
The ballots used contained the usual
SQuetItS iildIhcu yes anu III, "ihO
underneath was the proposal to be vot-
ed upon, the text of which was as fol-
lows:
Shall the municipal officers Of the
city of Augusta be authorized to con-
tract with the Edwards Manufacturing
Co. to liz. for purposes of taxation, the
ann,uii valuation of said cOmDany's
entire property at one million dollars
GI ,CC0.cGco. for the term of 10 years,
beginning with the municipal year 1905,
the same to include all additions or i'm
provements which may be made by
said company, to it's mills or property
necessarily used i'm connection there
with. within said period: provided. and
in consideration that said company
will abandon its appeal to the supreme
judicial court from the valuation and
tax OF 1904. and will pay said tax in full
as assessed with interest
The voting during the afternoon was
light and not until after 6 o'clock did
it become i'm any way lively and then it
was not so heavy that it caused the
clerks any difficulty in handling it.
Then it fell off, and during the last half
hour Of the meeting the votes case
were few.
At $50 Chairman Purinton declared
the polls to be closed and after a short
wait, while the votes were being count
ed, he announced the result of the vot-
ing, which was as follows:
Whole number of votes cast, T04
Necessary for choice. 3.J,3
Number of yes votes, 3S7
Number of "no" votes. SIT
Ma jOrity of yes votes. 20
The announC ement of the vote was
followed by no demonstration of any
kind. and within a few minutes the hall
was cleared.