Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-01-10

lighting company for term OF years
In the Judgment Of the committee tne
town of Eder a. paying % per cent more
for street lights than other cities anu
towns In the State.
The committee recommends the inser-
ton OF the following articles In the WAT
rant for town meeting:
To see n the town will vote and petition TO
the legislature of 1918 for special act for the
town Of Eden. requiring that every inhaoi-
tant shall furni positive evidence 70 ine
board of registration Of having paid al pop'
taxes due before he can register as voter ID
the town.
The advantages of such an act to an hon
est administration of municipal government
are too obvious 10 need extended comment
1t will not only purge the check list OF many
questionable names. aud have tendency 70
correct corrupt practices attendant upon
! loose and Irregular registration laws. but Il
will satisfy the public mind OF a matter over
! which IL has long been restless and com
/ planning.
To see II the town will vote and instruct its
officers, having In charge construction work
OF any description. to let by contract ali new
construction work. and all general repair
work Of any considerable amount.
That municipal corporation cannot per
form labor by the day nor furnish material as
I cheaply IS can be done by private concern Is
n weiI-recognited fact, especially when that
work is thrown open to competition. We are
satisfied that by contracting the larger
mart OF its work the town can save large sums
Of money. We therefore recommend that the
town instruct its officials in accordance with
the foregoing article.
To see If the town will vote and pass an or
dinance requiring all persons or corporations
having occasion to dig up the streets for the
laying Of pipes or for any other purpose to re-
place the same in good condition. under the
supervision Of the road commissioners and TO
their satisfaction.
There can be no question but In the last ten
years IL has cost the town many hundreds of
dollars from this cause alone. The street COM
missioners COMPLAIN OF this bitterly. They
have no assurance, after eSpending large sums
of money In repairing and matchmaking q
street, that it is immune from the pick and
shovel; nor can we learn that they have any
power by ordinance or other authority 10 see
that the material is properly removed and re-
placed. and the street left in good permanent
condition.
To see IL the town will vote and petition to
the legislature OF 1918 for special act grant
ing the town OF Eden the right to adopt the
commission form Of government. said act to
go into operation when ratified and confirmed
by the town at any annual meeting.
We do not urge the immediate adoption Of
the act set forth in the foregoing article. but
we do recommend It's passage by the next
legislature. so that the eOwu may be 10 a post
ton To take advantage OF its provisions when
ever it becomes evident that better mnniei-
pal government rsAy be thereby secured.
We believe as a whole that the prescnt yalu-
alton is right, bat we also believe there are
many individual cases In which glaring In
CAPABILITIES exist. We sugges. q more careful
readiustment and equalization of property
values.
The report is signed by Julien Emery,
A. j. Babbidge, A. 4. Lawrence, s. j.
Clement, E. X. Whitaker, F. l.. Brewer
and II. E. Wakefield, members of the COM
mittee