Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-20

his annual report: AT least -four rooms
should be added at Springvale," and 81
hope a new building sufficient for the
needs of Springvale may be erected next
spring and summer" and this after the
High school had been taken from this
building. Now during a part of this time
there was school kept in what Is known
as the Kenpton building large three
story building containing besides this
room hired by the town for school pur-
poses -four or five tenementS, some oc-
cnpants Of which were occasionally be-
fore orr police court on charges of in
frnEing our laws relative to the sale of
intoxicating liquors This school was
closed by the Board of Health and these
overcrowded Lincoln building And this is
not All Springvale is compactly built
village ana IT had only two commentaries
and available sites for the location of a
new school building, either of which could
have been procured in 1871 or 1912 at rea-
sonable figures. Today neither one of
these sites are available both having
been divided up into lots and sold and to-
day to obtain suitable lot for the loca-
ton of new school building would ne
ceSSitate big expense or the going ont
TO the outskirts 20 an inconvenient loca-
ton This shows the far-reaching effect
OF this feeling of animosity existing be.
tween these two communities deplor-
able condition of poor government affect.
ing as it does the educational advantages
and even the health of the large number
Of school children in Springvale, and this
IS the largest one of the richest towns
in the State
Springvale has a fire department.
originally created by the generosity of
Its own citizens, ana afterwards taxi
en- over by the town. it is a fact that
tins department IS and has been for
long time short Of sufficient eoutp-
ment To adequately fight fire in
many locations in the village. they
even have not hose ,,aough to run bur
ahe stream to some of its manurac-
turing plants situated near the centre
81 the village, and this although many
representations to the town and the
officials thereof have Deen made To,
this effect; these things happen when
people have no power to Judge of
and supply their own necessities but
have To throw themselves upon the
generosity of a people. who outnum-
Der them more than To / and who
are their natural rivals. This is not
good government
Springvale feels the need of an eve
ming school, they have two in San
ford, we have not been able to get
any they de a good and needed work
and there ought to be as many as
needed in every large manufacturing
community
Springvale has a public library, this
vas originally created by the generos-
lily OF its citizens, there are taken out
and returned from 400 To GOO books n
week, 1t is doing good work and is
necessity; many assaults have been
made upon this institution and it is
by the most strenuous efforts that
1t has been saved; such institutions
need community interest behind
them If they are to be a success.
These things While furnishing, col
iectiVely. strong ground for the pas
sage of this act are more or less
subordinate to the fact of this large
and individual community comprising
over 5000 people. coming to this body,
practically unanimously, and asking
Tor the right OF. self government, a
right inherent with the whole founda-
ton of our form of government.
Now what objections are made to
granting this petition for the division
of this town; certain interests come
here from the Sanford end of the
town and present a mass of figures
attempting to show that Springvale
has had approximately one-third of all
the appropriations in that town and
has paid only "a per cent. of the taxes.
enough was brought out on cross-ex-
animation to show that these figures
were absolutely unfair and unrelia bile:
Tor instance the most stress was laid
upon the fact that Sanford had very
generously voted to construct $l1 600
worth of State road in the Springvale
end; the evidence showed that this
road was built north of Springvale,
on the County road over which many
OF the most prominent men in Sanford
village went to their summer cottages
at Mousam Lake and was located
there because these men wanted il
here that in fact, Hon. r. NJ. Goodall
the prominent citizen in Sanford viii
iage, had given $1,000 II year towards
/ this road under the express stipulation
that il should commence at the Shap-
leigh town line and be built south;
again, ii was shown that an iron and
cement bridge over the Mousam river,
which had been charged to Springvale.
was in fact in the Sanford end and
used exclusively by the Sanford peo-
pie. No contention was set forth that
it would do Sanford village any harm
for this bill to become law, the
only reason advanced by the oppon-
ents Of this bill against division was
that Springvale had got one third of
the appropriations and only paid "a
per cent. of the taxes; a proposition
so absurd that if true, this bill should
be made a law and relieve Sanford
village of this high priced and eXpen-
siye neighbor.
\ One reason was advanced, namely,
that with II to 1900 voters at a time
crowded into a hall with a seating
capacity of only $50, on it's floor, the
Town meetings presented no confu-
sion but instead was very dignihed
affair, everyone being seated with
hats off, no smoking allowed and the
utmost quiet prevailing.
1t was also shown<that the only new
buildings that Springvale had had in