Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-27
AOuUSIA IOOALS.
IN THE AIR,
New Fire Station 81 G
Still Undecided.
Aldermen Vote For Stale And
Court Street Lot.
u
Common Council Tables Order but
Accepts Committee Report.

The site for the new fire station
stlil remains undecided, as the COM
mon council adjourned just before IL
O'Clock, Monday night without taking
any definite action, after the board Of
aldermen had accepted the report of
the joint committee on the fire depart
ment, recommending the purchase of
the Staples lot on the corner of Court
and State streets and had passed an
order authorizing the mayor and city
treasurer to execute a deed and draw
a warrant in payment for the lot
The board of aldermen accepted the
report and passed the order with
practically no dispute. The only hitcn
was on the acceptance of the report
of the committee when Mayor Noyes
twice called for vote and got but d
very slight response, only one or two
members voting either way, and AL
derman Skehan not voting at all.
Finally a yea and nay vote was CALI
ed for and~ the report was accepted
by the vote of four to two, Aldermen
Holmes, Lemieux, CARL and Skehaa
voting yes, with Aldermen Beck and
Gidney voting ne.
Real Discussion in Council.
ell room that the real discussion took
place, with Councilman Buckley lead
ing the forces in opposition to the
Staples lot and boosting all the time
for the Titcomb property on the cor
ner of Pleasant and Bridge streets
To begin with, the report and the or
der reached the lower body exactly
opposite to the way it went through
th55 upper board. The council voted
to table the order authorizing the
purchase of the lot and then accept
ed the report of the committee. Then
Mr.. Buckley presented minority re-
port of the joint committee of the
fire department to purchase the Tit
comb property at a price not to ex-
coed $500. The price to be paid for
the Staples lot was placed at not more
than $4,000.
Then an order was received in the
common council for a joint eonven-
ton and when it was assembled two
cab licenses were granted and the re-
vised list of jurors for the city was
accepted.
The common council then took up
again the discussion of the fire sta
ton lot and Mr.. Buckley's minority
report was rejected. four to two.
Councilmen Trask and Tracy opposed
MIR. Buckley at various times until
no one not even President Pro TEN
Wilcox knew just where they were
or what they were doing. After more
or less idle discussion the order for
the purchase of the lot was taken
from the table and then a joint con-
vention was again called. this time
to discuss the location of the fire sta
ton.
In a very concise manner Council
man Buckley pointed out the good
points of the site he favored and
dwelt more or less upon the bad
points regarding the Rines Hill site,
Incidentally putting in a word against
the Staples lot site. Alderman Beck
spoke briefly, agreeing with mir.
Buckley and then the three members
of the joint committee on the fire de-
partment from Ward One, Alderman
Holmes and Councilmen Tracy and
Trask upheld not only the Rines Hill
site but also the State street lot.
Among other things it was stated that
the Staples lot was agreed upon at a
meeting of the committee, Saturday
night, as a compromise between the
Rines Hill site and the Titeomb property
and also because it included some of the
good things about the Titcomb site and
obviated some of the objectionable feat
ures of the Rine Hill site. Finally Coun-
Gilman Trask moved, in joint convention,
that the majority report be accepted but
this was shown to be something which
the convention could not vote upon and
the convention was dissolved.
Case of Suspended Animation.
As soon as the aldermen had returned
to their room they notified the lower
board that they wished to adjourn and
that body at once voted to adjourn. leav-
ing the question unsettled and the mat
ter of a site still in the air, a case of
suspended animation as the matter hung
fire between the two bodies.
Altogether the discussion showed that
there was more or less political log roll
ing mixed up in the question and that
the question of which was the better
site was lost sight of in the attempt to
settle a dispute over two lots in different
parts of the city. One member of the
committee stated that as some members
objected to the Rines Hill location be-
cause it was in Ward One the Staples
lot was decided upon because 1t was in
Ward Three.
The Two Lots.
The Staples lot, chosen by majority
of the committee is so by 95 feet. while
the Titcomb property is 13o by 1870 feet,
and the latter location, according TO Mr..
Buckley, is the one selected by the fire
underwriters not long ago. while the
Rines Hill location was not acceptable
to them As the question now stands,
the matter will have to be all threshed
out again at the September meeting, I'M
less a special meeting is called before
that time.
The board of aldermen decided to have
the Ward polling place for the Septem-
Der election in the Garage of the Kenne-
bee county Jail. that being the only place
within the ward boundaries suitable for
the voting place.
1t was voted to have the city pay the
lexpenses incurred by the visit of the End
Co, Governor Foot Guard of New Ha-
ven. CT, on Aug. 10.