Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-01

| Mr.. CHASE of York: Mr. Speaker
The only thing that | have asked and
| the only thing l now ask is that TINS
amendment be retained in this Dill.
! Two of the Selectmen of the town or
York live within that region, IN TINS
section which they want to set OH.
| Now, they may take the map OF the
| town OF York, and L don't care where
| they draw their lines, they may drawn
| it from north to south or from east
| to west, or from northwest to south
west, or from northeast to southwest,
| and they may take any line OF latl-
| tude or any line of longitude and they
may cut off a small piece or large
| piece lust as they see fit, and if they
| will put Am -ndment A on to that Dill
then will help carry it to the Governor
for his signature. That is all We ask,
and it is a right which we demand OF
this House.
Now, Mr. Speaker, a good deal has
been said about the difficulties in the
town of York / positively deny that
there has been any sectional difference
| in that town. There are always Ger
| tain differences where you find peo-
pie of positive views, but there is no
essential difference You will find diff
ferenceS all over the town in relation
! to different matters, but nothing OF
any great Importance. There never
| would have been any dispute about
this bridge ii it had not been for the
fact that this same crowd of cOnSpira-
tors which is driving the knife into
this town had been determined from
the beginning TO put that bridge across
|
wanted it or not. The man who first
started this scheme told me that he
advised people who first came to him
about it that it was no use for them
to try to get vote OF the town be-
cause they would be voted down three
to one. He said YOU get the county
commissioners 20 lay it out and the
town won't have anything to do with
it except to pay the bills" They came
to the Legislature about it and they
got the people of the town to sign a
petition to present to the Legislature
granting the town of York the right
to build that bridge ever the river.
And what did they do when they got
here? We had Il senator here, one Of
the conspirators in this act, and when
he got into the committee the name
|
they put In the county commissioners,
so that when the town OF York came
to get it what did they find? They
We're bound hand and foot like the
galley slave in bah and chain. They
hadn't anything to do; the town hadn't
anything to say about it except to pay
the bills, and that is all there was of
it.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, / want to call
attention to a few letters which | have
here, and l will beg the pardon of the
House if I overStep my time. but I
want to call attention to a few out
of the 80 odd letters which | have here
from citizens within the limits of this
section which is under discussion.
will now read few of these letters:
March 2S, 1909,
Josiah Chase, Esq,
| Augusta, Maine.
My Dear Mr. Chase-As a lifelong
resident and taxpayer of York | APP
peal to you as our honored represent
ative to use every honorable means in
your power to prevent this injustice
of division of the old town of York. I
have always been Interested in the vel
fare and prosperity Of the town and
a division would he the greatest detr-
ment possible to all sections of York.
Instead OF promoting peace and har-
mony it would mean bitterness and
strife for the next century to come.
Very cordially yours,
"JOSEPH c. BRIDGES.'
york Harbor, Maine, March 2S, 1909
Josiah Chase, Esq,
House OF Representatives,
! Augusta. Maine
INV Dear MI. Chase-Being the old
est citizen at York Harbor, so-caled.
and one of the largest taxpayers
most emphatically protest against this
unjust division OF the town of York.
Il have helped to build up the sum
mer business here from its fOunda ton
| have advocated improvements in OPP
position to the very ones who are now
trying to divide this town. and in many
Instances have won out
''TWenty-five years ago my parlOrs
were thrown open to the summer visi-
tors Cor Episcopal services every Sum
day morning and a few years later
gave them a lot OF land on which they
built a church and two years ago they
bought n larger lot and are now build
ing 4 fire stone church thereon. The
town is Eot at a stanGstill as the OPP
posing side is trying to represent, but
should they carry out their vile scheme
and thus get tn" old town deeply in
debt. our taxes will increase to such an
extent that we never could rise above
them and business would certainly
drop.
Oppose this unfair proposition and
you will always have the good win OF
the citizens of the old town of York.
every truly yours,
| ''ELIAS BAKER'