Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-22

pipe there have been but a few takers.
They have been urged-a house to
house canvass shows that of 191 houses
upon this line only 60 men have agreed
TO take water. The company has done
everything to induce them to take wa
ter, because of course: the more takers
there are the more profit there is.
There have not been and would not be
enough takers as shown by the house
10 house canvass to pay one per cent.
upon the cost OF construction of this
water company.
Now it is said, and will be said on
the other side. that they want TO ex-
tend the line to kittery Point,-this one
man company who has been about
this State House for the last ten days
or two weeks. You see no men from
Kittery here. 1t does not affect the
town of kittery. It only affects this wa
ter district, composed OF a small part of
the town Of kittery. They say further
more that they leave this bill TO be &C
cepted by the water district. If they
will amend this bill so as TO leave it 20
the taxpayers of the town OF kittery !
will accept their proposition; but l
cannot stand here and see this bill go
through on a valuation Of this water
district. if 1 am right in my figures;
and 1 hold the report of the agent here
in my hand, that it has cost $4,000
and that the plant is worth that today,
and that the water district would have
TO pay s215,000 if they took over this
matter; and if they go down TO kittery'
Point. which is about two miles. then
by the engineers report, it will cost
$1,000 more. Then to put the main pipr
in TO supply the water to Kittery as It
should be, it will cost $4,000 more.
which makes s312,O00 that this man
wants TO put upon that water district,
with only 100000 Of valuation. You
take pencil and figure it and you will
find IL will put an obligation upon
them OF about 33 1-3 per cent. OF all the
valuation they have there and will ruin
that district.
But YOU say, why do not the people
protest? 1t is one man that is dong
this over in kittery. You know who it
IS. 1t IS not the people of kittcry. Il
would be impossible for them to do it.
That district could not do il because It
would be tax on them Of 50 1-3 per
cent; but this is the method that they
have taken in order TO evade the con-
stitutional limit TO which they can
raise money. They could not have done
it in any other way.
I am not in favor of taking property
in this way. think it has been the
settled policy Of this State, and good
policy that where an old company has
done good service and is willing TO sup
ply water-and 1 challenge them II
come here today and say that the old
company has not furnished them an
abundant supply. 10 every man upon
the line there. And this old company is
willing 10 go down to Kittery Point
and have made a survey OF that point.
We find that it will cost from SO. 200 to
$4,000 10 put the line down there. This
company says. and I think they are
right. as a business proposition. that
they canvass everybody down there on
that point to See how many takers
there would be at 81 900 cost. There
are on the line TO kittery Point
l32 houses and one livery stable: and
their canvass shows that only y will
agree 10 take water. / think You will
say with me that if this old COMPANY
is willing 70 90 down TO Kittery Poin,
CONTINUED on Pas. Five.)