Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-09


ard Incorporated into 4 town by them
| selves
| The committee on towns gave a
hearing Wednesday afternoon on this
proposition. The committee room was
crowded with the inhabitants of the
two rival portions OF the town and
great deal OF feeling was manifested
over the question. The residents of
the town of Bristol not included IL,
South Bristol object strenuously to
'he division and put up Il strong fight
against the proposed division.
County Attorney Philip Howard of
Rockland appeared for the inhabitants
OF South Bristol and County Attorney
George Thompson Of Bangor appeared
for the officers of the town of Bristol
in opposition to the division.
Mr.. Howard stated that the reason
Tor llc division asked for were tho
similar reasons advanced IN such
cases. south Bristol althougI. Il small
part Of the town of Bristol gcographi-
citily speaking has taxable property
to the amount IT $ann0VO and pay.
about oa"-auartcr of the tax of the
whole town. The South Bristol peo-
plt complain that they cannot get
anything done to the roads the schools
or in other way FOL their part Of the
town. They want To improve the
r"adS and build up TIE summer indus
try III tire part ii the town known
as south Bristol summer business but
that the. cannot get the people of the
rcSt CT the town of Bristol 10 help
then hrild up tits industry. The
people ii South Bristol also complain
that they have no voice il the IT,
fdirS ot the town. that thcV atNe ouly
about 10 voters t. 90 IL the entire
town and that ii is nine miles To the
town house and too great Il Journey
and To hard days work for the
people, of South Bristol to ga To t4s+tn,
meetings. In addition they claim that
the schools vi Bristol are not properly
looked after and that the people Of
South Bristol have to send their ehii-
dron to namariscotta 10 the Lincoln
Academy because it is impossible To
send them nine miles to the free High
school Of Bristol which is TOO far away
Fer Ii Years the people of South BriS-
to! have not been represented in tie
town offices ana have never been abb.
to secure any recognition. These two
sections cf the town have TO communi-
ty OF interest" said Mr.. Howard.
They IRE divided geographically and
iii sentiment iiaNc been virtually di-
tidcd for two generations and they
now ask fer a legal separation.
Capt. F. +. Wells was the first To-
speak tor division. lie said that tn 4
feud between the two sections of the
town aald been going or for two gen
erations. 1T is a house divided against
itself" said Capt. Wells. and il can
Fever be united again"
He rehearsed tie feeling between
the sections of tn" town and to show
how acute it was he said that the
South ffristel portion Of the town is
nearly all Republican. lie personally
is Il Democrat and Il faW Years ago
consented to run as assessor on the
Democratic ticket. The Republicans
nominated Il man who lives in New
Harbor where nearly all the voters
are Democrats. Vt the town meeting
the Republicans OF South Bristol voted
for the Democrat candidate for asses
sor while tie Democrats Of New Har-
Dor voted fer the Republican nominee
almost L. Il man and all because OF
the sectional feeling. He repeated the
complaints made by Attorney Howard
said that the schools and roads were
bad and that the town officers en-
tirnls neglected thu South Bristol part
Of the town and always had dom So.
SGnth Bristol feels that if they are set
eff into town by themselves that
they can run things more economically
ard better we are willing to pay
more taxes" said Capt. Wells, IF
We can get anything done for the
MONEY We put out. There would be 450
inhabitants in the new town if divis-
ion We're made against 5000 in the
whole town as it now is.
Rev. George NJ. MCDOWELL of South
Bristol stated that the chief difficulty
with which the residents of South
Bristol had to contend was the poor
management of schools and roads. lie
did not believe the affairs of the south
crn section OF the town could be prop
erlY handled by three selectmen as
tar off us Bristol. Replying TO the
argument that the portion set oil
would bc an unusually small town he
pointed out that in 1904 there We're
13H towns with 16p or less voters and
23S with valuation less than $780,
600
George T.. Thompson of Bangor i'll
opening for the rcmonstrants declared
that the proposed division Of the town
waa unfair and unjust. The old town
of Bristol has about 80 voters and
a valuation of $4,000. the proposed
division would take away two-ninths
of the valuation Of the town. The
town Of Bristol had appropriated S9.-
900 within the past few years for inn
prcycments in the South Bristol sec
ton The general sentiment of the
town was entirely against the diNis-
ion.
Henry H. Chami,. rlain, surveyor
and civil engineer. testified in regard
to the roads and the value oil the
property in the Two sections OF the
town. He also spoke OF a town meet
ing held at Bristol on Monday, jan
20. at which practically all the sehti-
nent was against the division.
w. E. Fossett and Oscar A. Poland
of the board Of selectmen and capt
Richard ". Oran a former selectman
.,nnrp0pnt