Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-24

found out how they stood he would
not vote at all. Personally he fay
ored the Bridge street site. The one
big argument he had heard against
that place was that the teams had
to cross a railroad track where they
did not from Rines hill.
Pearl Fuller, local agent for the
Maine Central Railroad Co. said that
General Manager Mcdonald favored
the Rines hill lot because there was
possibility that another track
might be laid across Bridge street
when the new railroad bridge was
built and because the Rines hill lot
gave better protection to the new
buildings which the company was to
build.
Alderman Beck said it made no
difference. personally, to him, but
that the question was to do what was
better for the interests of the citi.
Zens and property holders and he
saw no reason why the TitcomD
property was not the better lot. He
read q letter from Charles S. HIGH
born, which stated that the writer
hoped that the Bridge street lot would
be selected as it has its advantages
outWeishing any other lot He read
a second letter from Thomas j. Lynch
favoring the present location or one
in its neighborhood because of its
advantages.
A letter from Samuel c. Manley
was read by Clerk Newbert Mr. Man
ley favored the present location be-
cause Chief Buckley favored it. that
the Edwards Manufacturing 60. fav-
ored it and he called the Eines hill
lot menace to Augusta.
Councilman TTask of the committee de-
Tended it saying that there was no par
tisanship and no personal feelings He
said that they had no petitions but had
had verbal statements from many favor
ing the Rines Hill lot. In getting To the
cotton mill Mr.. Trask said that the de-
partment must make four sharp turns.
while from Rines Hill it would be a
straight run. He denied that Chief Buck
ley Radonot been admitted to meetings.
Of the company and said that his side
had been presented by his brother iGoun-
Gilman Buckley. The latter defended the
Bridge Nftreet location, showing that, as
long as the. kennebec bridge is fwhere
it is and as long as there are business
plants on the east side then the logical
place for the central fire station is in
the vicinity of its present location. TAX
ing up the question of sharp turns Mr.
Buckley called the turn at the corner of
Bridge and Water street around john
sons store the tmeanest" one in the
city where there is V-shaped track and
a blind turn. Coming down from Bridge
street the teams are practically on 4
slack trace, whereas coming from Rines
Hill the horses would have to pull from
the post office, at least, 50 that, going to
a fire on Cushnoc Heights, the animals
would be all tired out when they got TO
error in locating your fire station you
make it for all time he said
Samuel Titcomb spoke, considering the
matter from the viewpoint of location
which he called the crux of the whole
situation. Speaking for the real estate
interests. other than his own, Mr. Tit
comb said that they favored the Bridge
street location. chiefly because of the run
through Water street from the Rines Hill
location. Better 10 total losses by fire
on the east side. he said than one
loss of life on Water street.
Judge b. F. Maher said that there
was no talk of new site until there had
been talk of new station. He said that
to go to fires in the residential district
the team would have to start on an up
hill grade. Another argument advanced
by him was that the city ought not take
for public uses sites, such as the Rines
Hill, property valuable. for other pur-
poses and not remove it from the realm
of taxation "Unless it IS obvious at once
that there is need of a change there is
no need of one" was his closing argu-
ment
There was more or less talk made by
couneilmen Hanks and Tracy regarding
the question, both of whom said that
they had found opinion throughout he
city pretty nearly evenly divided Al
derman Carl said that the Rines Hi
location would make not much difference
in rates of insurance.
Alderman Bassett said that he had
found opinions divided but that person.
ally he favored Rines Hill but that the
question was to decide what was best
for the city of Augusta.
Councilman Buckley said that the
Bridge street lot contained nearly half
as much more land than the RineS Hill
lot and that 1t cost $1,000 less, while the
naffew strip in front of the Rfnesi fifll
lot was against it. Mr.. Trask said that
any four Of the lots considered were
large enough for the buildings considered.
Mayor Moves at this time expressed
his opinion and while it was about an
even thing in his mind in many ways
he could not favor the Rines Hill lot
because it was too narrow in front while
the Bridge street lot was plenty wide
and was on a corner.
The joint convention dissolved at 1910
and the two bodies separated to censid-
er the question.
In the board Of aldermen the matter
came up when Alderman Holmes. intro
duced an order authorizing the mayor
and city treasurer to purchase the Gage
lot for a price not TO exceed $4,000 and
the Robinson lot adjoining it for a price
not to exceed $500, for the location of
the new central fire station. A yea and
nay vote was taken on the order and it
was rejected by the upper board by
vote of Ave TO three. Aldermen Holmes,
Bassett and CARL voted to purchase and
Aldermen Beck, Lemeux, Fletcher, Sks-
han and. Gidney voted not to purchase.