The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1908-04-22
UNION.

4
Union and the sad destruction of the
beautiful forests, was not overdrawn.
The writer felt to say on reading it,
as one of the selectmen did, ''True,
every word true," and indeed the
whole sad truth was not told. 1t any
one doubts it, let him ride over any
of the roads in Union and view the
destructive work of the lumbermen
in their zeal to make money. Let
him see the abandoned roads and the
run down or deserted buildings where
once thrifty families lived, with a
fine forest on every farm to fall back
upon. Now there is desolatioD, the
land left being Nigh on to Ousmy"
Excessive taxation of the timber and
is one great reason for the unfortunate
change, the owner being compelled
to dispose of his young growing tim.
Der when he would gladly let it stand
if he could afford to. So, between
the assessors and the lumbermen, the
trees have to fall. The writer, who
has paid taxes in Union for fifty years
and has put more good money into the
town treasury than any other resident
now living in town, has been willing
and glad to pay without a murmur
his just proportion toward the com.
mon good But when he finds that
the assessment has suddenly jumped
| mp several Thousand dollars, at fifty
dollars per acre for sprout land, alder
swamp and all, so that he cannot
possibly rent the land, buildings and
all for sufficient to pay the taxes,
may he not justly feel aRgriaved and
oppressed? 1t looks as though he
would be Obliged to sell portion of
timbe land each year to pay taxes
until the town gets the whole of it,
or as some one has said, "You might
as we'll deed it all to the town, for
the town will eventually get it by
taxes if you try to hold il" What
| encouragement does such a narrow
and short sighted town policy give
for the development and maintenance
of such fine forests as formerly graced
the town? The writer, having al.
ways lived on the place that he now
occupies, has a few trees left that
have grown up with him and which
he has watched with a good deal of
interest, until they seem like old
friends. Now the action of the
assessors, in putting the burden of
taxation on the little timber land of
any value remaining in town, virtual
ly say to him, "You cannot keep
these any longer. They must be
slaughtered by the lumbermen, like
all the rest " When thousands of
dollars worth of lumber have been
taken out of town each ear it is to
be reg cited that the assess IRE, in
their zeal to raise the grand LIST,
should encourage this process of
depletion by excessive taxation of the
remainder. 1t is short sighted
policy and will result in the future
impoverishment of the town, rather
than in its good Forestry is sub
ject which is attracting great attention
throughout the country, and as most
of the land in Union is especially
fitted for this industry. the policy IF
the town should be to foster the
growth of fine forests rather than
their destruction. Some from out of
town have noticed the present trend
of affairs and have said. ''Why do
the people of Union make it SO hard
for each other to live there by their
jealousy, instead of helping and en-
couraging one another? ?" The writer
remem bers the people and farms in
town sixty one years ago, in the year
1S47, the year that the town house
was built, and he could tell much of
their thrift and prosperity which
would make it seem that "the old
times were BEST" at least in Union.
In 1847 the town house was filed on
town meeting day with able, we'll.
qualified men, many of them of more
than ordinary ability. such as the
Crawfords, Sessions, Oorbins, Newells,
Hammonds, Pauls, Walkers, Fosters,
Moores, Morses, Kidneys and others.
It was an inspiring sight to see them
handle business. Taxes were but
normal and not such a bugbear as at
present. These men did not foresee
that their heirs would have to part
with the old places on account of
heavy taxation. "But times have
changed, you say. So they have,
we must all agree. There are some
encouraging features in town to-day.
We have an excellent public library
(Would there were more people to read
the books). The cottages at Masha-
paug Lake bring class of people who
are help to the town, and may be
made more of a blessing if the town
people will enter into closer relations
with them. Then there is the noun
tain resort opened by Rev Harvey
M. Lawson and wife, where all good
people are always welcome in summer
time and where a magnificent view
can be obtained, although it is shorn
partly of it's beauty by the destruction
Of the evergreen forests in every di.
rection. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Law
son will do all in their power to help
and encourage Union people. Why
should we not all work together for
the same purpose and to promote the
future welfare of the town?
@ e. N. Lawson
Union, April l, 1908.
A big1cu or little cut, small scratches