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

anu Was not denied, that the acludl
distance was but few feet in excess
OF 1000 Yards. The Springvale people
old rot submit one single figure to
snow that they had not received their
proportion Of the appropriation, al
though they claimed that they had
not, but the defense produced figures
taken from their town records which
showed to the minds Of the ma iority
Of yOnr committee concmsively that
they had received considt rable in eX-
cess Of what they were entitled TO- II
was shown that the Sanford end paid
IS per cent. Of the taxes but did not re-
cefCr near that amount in appropria-
tons. They pointed out to ms that San
ford mad = beautiful Town han, while
they had something very ordinary To
answer that purpose in their end of the
town. but they failed to tell Us that a
public spirited citizen in Sanford put
his hand N his pocket and gave them
sac, 600 towards building that hall. They
found fault because Sanford had
good public library. but this. too. was
given to Sanford by enc Of its citizens.
They claimed that the Sanford High
school was fitted with a manual train
ing ana domestic science department
second to none in the State But it
seems that this WAS a Gift from one of
it's public spirited men. They dwelt at
somp length ON the school question
and from what ] could gather this
was really the bone of contention, but
their counsel in making his argument,
admitted that one free High school
was better than two and ne felt they
had little To complain OF from that di-
rection They presented petitions from
SpringVale showing that some over
400 favored division, while the San
ford end presented petitions carrying
somewhere between six and seven hun
dred names, which il was shown were
gathered within - hours. | have only
touched en- u few of the arguments
advanced hut others were right along
lie Same line, and. as I said before,
they failed IL show me one single rea
son why the town should be divided
If we are not going 10 support the re-
ports OF our committees what is the
use OF having them. AS l said at the
outset, this is a matter in which have
no interest and am SIMPLY rejecting
te YOU this matter Just as it appears
to me. | now move that the majority
report be accepted.
Mr.. FOLSOM of Sanford: Mr..
Speaker and gentlemen of the House.
in speaking on this matter | will he
as brief as possible In the first place
| want to read a paragraph from a
document which has been held in Ven-
Grafton by every American since its
births the Declaration OF ndepend
a..
tate that governments, long establish
ed, should not be changed for light and
transient causes. and accordingly all
experience hath shown that mankind
are more disposed to suffer while evils
are sufferable. than To right themselves
by aboliShing the ferns 10 which
they are accustomed. But when
long train of abuses and nSurpations.
persuing invariably the same object.
eVinces desire to reduce them under
absolute despotism. it is their right,
it is their duty, To throw off such gov
eminent and to provide new guards
for their future security Gentlemen,
] believe we come to YOU today with
a ease that is unique in the history
Of this body; the request'of the small
er portion Of a town to lie sci off from
the larger portion.
The town of Sanford. as now con-
stituted. has a population of approx
imately 10000 and an area Of some
fifty square miles and being The larg=
est town. as regards population, in the
State ii has within it's limits the
village of Sanford with a population
Of 6000 and SpringVale with a popu-
lation OF 2000; 1000 being approx
mately the population of the outlying
districts; these villages are two miles
apart from the post office in one To
the post office in the other and as
brought out in the hearing there is n
distance of 35 of a mile from the last
house in one village To the first house
IN the other. both Of these being farm.
houses dating back to great many
years
Now, upon division according to
the terms of this bill. the then town
of Sanford would contain about thirty
eight square miles and have a popua-
ton of over 1000 with a valuation of
about three and one half millions and
would still be the largest town in the
State, while Springvae would contain
about eighteen square miles, have a
population of about 1900 and valua-
ton of more than one million, would
be the third or fourth town in popu-
lation in York county and with only
some twenty towns in the State -
large; SO that this is not q question
OF dividing large town and makint
two small ones of il. but u question
of dividing an over large town, CON
tanning two distinct communities each
with all the accessories of IA large
town, into big towns
This town as nov constituted has
some two thousand voters, how can
this great number o. the IL to 1900
who attend some of the town meet
ings there, crowd into a hall seating.
about $50 and do business inteII-
gently?
These villages. outside Of their gov
eminent, are Just as separate and dis
tinct communities as though they were
80 miles apart instead of two, Spring
vale has some 80 stores, 5 churches
IRE department, separate Board of
Trade. which was organized for some
time before the one at Sanford ,uaS