The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-05-27
INCREASE OF DEBTS
In Maine Counties, Cities, Towns and VII.
lagos.

In Maine Counties, Cities, Towns and Vii.
I lagos.
In recent published pamphlet by the
bureau of statistics, United States De-
partment of Commerce, is a statement
of the county and municipal Indebted
ness of the various States of the union
together with the sinking fund assets.
The civil divisions of Maine showed in
1913 total debt, less sinking fund as
sets, OF $21, 542, 712. Of this only ST.
462, 952 had been incurred by the coun-
lles-the remainder by cities and towns,
The total debt showed an increase of So
20l, 276 over 1902-an enormous rate of
increase for ten years. amounting to
nearly 76 per cent. During the same
time the per capita debt increased from
$l1, AZ to 1884 OF 62.5 per cent.
That this increase is alone unprecedent-
ed is shown by previous statistics. In
the previous period-from 1890 to 1902
the debt-lncrease in these civil divisions
was only $131, 567 and the per capita debt
decreased from $1835 to SIT. 40, or At
per cent.
1t is in the counties that the most re-
markable increase of debt is noted. The
rate OF increase in county debts in Maine
between 1902 and 1918 was 10.5 per cent
or more than doubled. For the figures
we refer to the total county debts of
$3.50, 1893 in 1902 and 81, 1852. 952 in 1913.
This is exclusive OF assets in sinking
funds, etc. The total debt of the coun-
ties in 1913 being 81, 1886. as. The sink
ing funds amount to 81 per cent. of the
debt. Cumberland county is responsible
for much of the increased debt.
The total debt of cities, towns, vii
lagos, etc., in Maine In 1913 was ST.
COG, 776. Offsetting this are sinking
funds of 81, 078, 712 or 81 per cent. These
figures are also suggestive. They show
an increase of nearly seven millions in
the IL years or about 70 per cent, where
as in the preceding IL year period the
debts of these same towns increased only
Sc. 10 or less than one per cent.
Portland is getting into debt very much
the fastest. In the period between 1902
and 1918 this city ran into debt to the
tune of an increase of 1898 per cent.
| in other words it boosted it's debts from
about three million dollars to eight mil
lions. In this period the per capita debt
increased 1913 per cent. The sinking
funds of all civil divisions of Maine in
1918 amounted to 81, 657, 29O or seven per
cent OF Cne QeDC.
. The debts of counties are of some in
terest. Androscoggin, for instance has
debt in the aggregate County and cit
les, towns, ETC., combined) of 81, $751;
AL, of which $4,000 is county debt.
Cumberland has total debt of $685.
COL, of which S670, 738 is county debts.
The debt of Kennebec is bigger than
that of Androscoggin 81, 791, All Of which
S72, 633 is county debt. The per capita
debt of Androscoggin was $50 in 1913
against 26 in 1892, an increase of 81,
while that of Cumberland increased from
$3S to S83 and Kennebec from $12 to $44
since 1890.
These are the principal excessive in
creases. Sagadahoc county has reduced
its Indebtedness (by sale of the Knox &
Lincoln subsequent to 1890 from $50 20
per capita to 4.79 per capita. The low
est per capita debt is in Aroostook, 5 SO;
Franklin, 5.84; Piscataquis, 618.
AS for cities, Auburn's debt, per CAPT.
ia has grown from $40 to $31 per capita,
since 1890, but it decreased from SAL to
$31 between 1902 and 1913 Augusta s
debt increased from $27 to $29 per CAPT.
ia in the period of 1902 to 1913. Ban
gor's from SAB to $40; Baths dropped
from S29 to $26; Biddeford's from SIG to
Sis; Lewiston's from SAG to $36; Rock
land, from $53 to $50; Westbrook, from
$24 to $23; Belfast went from $40 Sc to
Sal. 10; Brewer from SO to $23; Calais,
SIG to $40; Eastport, $13 to $40; Ellis,
worth, $40 to S27; Gardiner, 1924 to SIT
Saco, S26 to %.