The Somerset reporter., 1908-03-05
Skowhegan's Town Meeting.
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with the Water Company and to re-
port what terms they are able to
make, at special town meeting to be
called early in the coming summer for
that purpose. This will place the
town in position, in case terms which
appear equitable to the voters cannot
be secured, to make arrangements TO
apply to the session OF the Maine legis
lature which will convene in January
1909, for an act to permit the town TO
construct its own water system or TO
buy the existing plant under an APP
prisal If matters be not attended to
as above outlined, and the contract
remain unrenewed until its expira-
ton, the town would be virtually
obliged to accept any terms the
Water Company might name, how
ever unreasonable. An official of the
Skowhegan Water Company, who is
also heavy stock holder, has made
the statement within the past Two
years, that it was proposed TO double
the rate per hydrant when a new con-
tract was made. So far as the town
is concerned the impression seems to
prevail that the present rate of $1,000
for the original rs hydrants, and S15
per hydrant the six hydrsnts which
were subsequently added, is sufficient.
If this rate is to be increased. the
voters will at least, wish to know up
on what grounds.
Article SO, To see il the town will
vote to pay Company E. band for a
series of concerts, should not be
passed over without deliberation.
The considerations regarding band
have often been presented in these
columns. One cannot be maintained
at its best efficiency without power
full support outside its own member
ship. A contract with COMPANY (.
band az proposed in this article, for a
series of concerts and the payment of
something like the $500 named, would
place this organization in position TO
do their best. The concerts would
entertain our own people, and the
many strangers who are coming and
going through the summer season.
Article IS is one that will witness
an earnest division OF opinion, 1t
proposes to establish fire limits with
in which no wooden structures may
hereafter be built. The area propos.
ed for this limitation may be stated III
general TO commence al Locke Square
and to continue, including all of the
Island, to the Municipal Building lot
on Water street, including also the
square bounded on the north by High
street. When the Skowhegan Viii
lage corporation was abolished, set
of by laws were drafted for the reg
ulation OF the affairs of town and a
limitation similar to the above was
inserted. While the area then pro-
posed was less in extent than that
now named, it was impossible to get
il adopted and the town instead Vo-
ted to prohibit the use of anything
but fireproof material for roofs with
/ in certain small area on and ad-
Joining Water street. Since the vote
above mentioned several fine brick
blocks have been built within the
area named and it seems like inlus-
tice to the owners of these buildings
to permit wooden structures to be
erected on adjoining lots. Moreover,
to parties who contemplate building,
the knowledge that a wooden block
NAV be put up next to them, must be
discouraging feature
Article "A, to see If the town will
provide horses for it's fire depart
ment and keep them at the fire sta
ton with provisions for their care, is
also another important proposition.
Similar articles in previous years
have been passed over without con
sideration but this should not lie the
case this year. II two pair of horses
were kept, they could be worked on
the streets on alternate days, for tn :
entire wear. Under this arrangement,
ha. ~ hA nj
nights and Sundays and one pair all
the time on week days. The work on
the streets, equal to the service of
one pair on every working day,
should save an amount sufficient to
pay for the keep of all four horses and
their working one day and resting
the next would keep them in the pink
of condition to handle the fire appa-
ratus when an alarm of fire came,
The pair used on the streets would be
kept where they could respond
quickly to an alarm and 1t is likely
that the Steamer, Hook q Ladder
truck, hose reels, etc, would be on
hand from five to ten minutes earlier
than under the present arrangement.
At many fires this amount of time on
the start would save an amount of
property to more than equal the cost
of horses, harness, etc, as provided
for under this article. The proposed
arrangement would not necessarily
require more men at the station than
at present. One man could be the
ianitor and care taker, and could in
clude the care OF the horses III his
duties without being overworked
Such development of our fire fight =
ing arrangements would also tend 10
secure us lower insurance rates or, at
least, to prevent further advance III
them.
Article Al refers TO the street line in
the vicinity of SIMPSONS corner and
reads as follows
10 see if the town will vote 10 give per-
mission to the owners Of real estate on
the north side OF Water street in SkoW
hogan and east OF Madison street and
west Of the Ward \ Philbrick block to
build upon a line, which line is the
South line Of the Merrill block extending
to Madison street
The facts regarding this matter
were given at considerable length in
the REPORTER, not many weeks since,
at tho time that it was brought 10 an
issue by the placing of fence on the
line claimed by the owners ofS the
abutting property and the removal
of said fence by the selectmen. The
suit for trespass brought by Griffin 4
Sampson, the owners, against the Sc
lectmen, is still pending. Other own
ers of AUDITING property are interest
ed, on Water street and on Madison
avenue, besides Messrs. Griffin and
SAMPSON. II is likely that the article