Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-28
Board Of State Assessors
Visit Muscongus Isle.
islanders Do Not Vote Nor
Pay Any Taxes.
July Bulletin Of State Board Of
Health Is Out.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Thursday, July 80, at 10 A. M.

Included in the trip of the Board of
State Assessors last week through
Waldo, Knox and Lincoln counties was
a visit Saturday to the island Of Mus
congus, or as it is sometimes known,
LIQUIDS Island, off the coast of Bristol,
in Lincoln county. The island is about
three miles in length with an average
width of about one mile, and the pop
ulation acc ording to the census of 1908
was 116. There are on the island SO
houses, small but neat, and one good
schoolhouse with modern fittings The
livestock of the island includes two
horses, one yoke of oxen and eight
cows. The island also has two good
stores. The inhabitants are thrifty and
aw-abiding citizens and the principal
industry is lobster fishing.
novel condition in connection with
the island is that it has since 1860 paid
no State or county taxes, and that its
citizens do not take part in any cleo
tons. Up to the year 1907 the island
school Vas maintained wholly by sub
scription but at that time a school fund
was raised by assessing each inhabi-
tant AZ cents, to which a sufficient sum
was added by the State to enable the
islanders to maintain go weeks of
school during the year. There are %
scholars in the school and good aver
age is maintained.
The island enjoys peculiar roliti-
cal setting inasmuch as it has no gov
eminent whatever and pays no allegi-
enCe to sovereign power. According
to Mitchnlls history of the island, pub
iished in 1906, ii is classified as a part
of Lincoln county, 2nd has always re-
NAMED true to The Union when proper
ly approached. It's people cast no vote
and pay no taxes. The last vote cast
by the islanders was at Lincoln's first
election, when they voted with Bristol
Their vote was with one excep-
ton Democratic and carried tie town
Democratic The vote was then con-
tested and their vote was thrown out,
leaving Bristol Republican majority.
Up to this time taxes had been paid
to the town of Bristol The only local
expense was for the support of schools
which was met by receipts paid by
New London fishermen who bought the
iNiledee of fishing. After the trou-
BILE with I5ristol the islanders, having
been deprived Of their suffrage upon
the advice Of several lawyers, refused
to pay taAcs saying: I'VE are willing
TO support the United States but refuse
to help BRISTOL"
During the Civil War Bristol made
q Draft upon her citizens, including the
island, and by some accident an un-
equally large percentage fell to the
islanders Nine men from a possible
a. We're crawn to fill Bristors quota
but the men refused to honor such Il
draft and when an officer landed 10
summons them he was met by q fusf-
lade of boiled potatoes from the hands
of an indignant matron and driven
from the island. Citizens of the island
then employed David Chamberlain to
visit the authorities at Augusta to
learn their legal rights and duties IN
the matter and found Bristol had no
right to draft them. They then met Il
proportional draft among their own
citizens and three We're drafted and
bought substitutes. Later the citizens
bought other substitutes for drafted
men. No citizen ever enlisted.
Announcement was made at the office
of the Board of state Assessors Mon
day that the next series of me etings
with boards of local assessors would
be held in August. in Washington and
Hancock counties, the arrangement
being as follows: Washington county
AT the courthouse in Calias on Tues
day. Aug. IS. at 3 A. M; at the court
house in Machias or Thursday, Aug.
20, at . A. NJ Hancock county-At the
courthouse in Ellsworth on Friday.
Aug. q, at 9 A. M; at the assessors