Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-21

The SPEAKER: The next matter for
consideration is bill. An Act to incor-
porate the Ogunquit Village Corpora
ton. The pending question is the first
reading of the bill.
Mr.. Bragdon of York offered House
Amendment A to amend in Line 81 Of
Section of said bill by striking out
the word three" and the figures 1900"
and inserting in place thereof the word
''seven" and the figures 1905" also in
Line II of said Section 3 by striking out
the word by
The question being ON the adoption
of the amendment,
The amendment was adopted
Mr.. Bragdon then moved that the
BILL as amended, now receive its three
several readings under a suspension
of the rules and be passed to be en-
crossed.
Mr.. NEwBERT of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, this bill should have some
discussion on the floor of this House
and some one should present the case
of the town Of Wells. I have become
interested in the matter by investiga-
ton, but am totally unfit, this morn
lUS, u SO lHtO a. diStuSSIOA OI iIlc that
ter with you more than for a few mo-
ments.
/ will say that to my mind this bill
is contrary to sound public policy of
this State. This village of Ogunquit is
about one mile long on the sea front
and Is about n half mile deep.
The town of Wells is eight miles square.
4O,000 acres of territory and nine miles of
sea front. Commencing at Ogunquit
and back to the sea front is a marsh
nearly all the way from there to the
Kennebunk line-narrow at start-much
of the way is mile wide of salt marsh
or dixie. The village proper-called the
Lower Post road" running along paral-
lei to beach. Is situated on the high land
along this Post road. the marsh being
between the village and the beach Ogun-
quit village is at the end of this Post
road with no marsh but bluffs adjacent
to the sea. The Ogunquit village of this
proposed corporation, comprising nearly
all of the residents and non-resdents
within its territory, is about a mile long
by the sea front and one-half mile wide
back to high hills and woodland
Through this territory of about three
hundred ta00) acres two main lines OF
road run, one of which is State road,
in addition numerous cross roads have
been built by the town. making in all
some ten miles of road, whereas balance
of town has one hundred and fifty miles.
This mile of sea front is at the extreme
end of the town toward York-largely
high bIuffs-where- expensive cottages
have been built, also hotels. stores, etc.
The town has beside this Oguinquit sea
front some seven miles extending all the
way from Ogunquit 10 KennebunK This
part is also developed to quite an extent.
This village of a mile of sea front con-
tains, according TO testimony before the
judiciary committee at the hearing:
10i cottages, average value $500. 900 01O
IA hotels. average value $500 to
$4,000 Northumberland. $50 Gga
leo homes of residents, at least. 2o1 eo9
Undeyeloped ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. -
seOo,ooO
This 10000 OF property is only assessed
for 100000 and they want sixty per cent
of the tax assessed for necessary town
expenses on this valuation returned to
them to .be. exrmn1ef az-tney Ike. IT
must necessarily be expended for private
Improvement, as no public improvements
in this limited territory eoula call Tor
spelt5 q qperpetpal sum annually, = being
5000 and I'D foreyer.. ..--.-
To return so per cent, of Ogonquit' S
part Which, according to present wall
aatfon isfabotft one- third would leave
theasee payfentx upon 40 percent. of
their value ton pr l3 per, cent. Of the
tax for Necessary town expenses. ball
ance Of town or two thirds paying 81
per cent Of tffesef necessary town ex-
penses Ogunquit has its full share of
the benefit as any other part of the
town, and more than all other parts
of the town except the village proper
and the beach.
At Ogunauit is a bridge across
Ogunqnit River to the end of the
beach. From there to Wells Harbor
is some miles of beach where the
summer people or any one else can
drive at low water or about half tide.
Along this beach at intervals of a
mile or so are four town ways con-
Meeting the beach with the Post Road.
These were built and are maintained
by the town at great expense, espe-
cially one. a mile across the marsh
which at high tide is an open sea, and
washes the road badly.
These reads accommodate Ogunquit
people especially, as at high water
they could not return by Ogunquit
bridge owing to the fact that for a
mile or so from Ogunquit bridge the
sea is on one side and the Ogunquit
River on the other parallel to it, of
high bluffs of pure sand that drift and
blow like snow, and it is impossible
to drive over. Further along the
beach are roads behind the hummocks
built on the marsh and places where
higher land makes up. Back of the
Post Road comprising nearly if not
quite seven eighths of the territory of
the town is occupied almost wholly by
farmers, dnost of them owning only
small farms and wild land almost en-
tireIyystripped from timber, 1900 acres
having been burnt over recently. In
this whole territory. back of the Port
Road. there are but three stores, sit
uatedz at. two different points. In this
territ@ys4re. sig main lines of road
leading from the beach to adjoining
towns across the tow from easterly to
Westerly to No. Berwick, Sanford,
Berwick and other towns, citizens Of