Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-01-16
INTERESTING DOCUMENT.

was Set Om From Hancock County.
In an examination OF the contents OF the
basement vault OF the court house in Ban
gor, wherein are stored many relics OF BY
gone times, County Commissioner Steph-
ems recently came upon document
possessing considerable interest to the
people of Penobscot and Hancock coun-
ties. What now is known as Penobscot
county was originally part OF Hancock
county, being set off in 1916. 1t included
also large part OF what is now Piscata-
quis county.
The document referred to is the report
OF the committees of Hancock and Penob-
scot counties declaring their finding on
the apportionment of funds between the
parent and the newly-created county. 1t
IS dated November, 1916.
There seems to have been quite con-
troversY over a small amount OF money,
upon. The receipts and expenditures Of
Hancock and Penobscot counties bear
decided contrast to tie sum now handled
in these counties.
The document is as follows:
Hancock SIS.
Z Circuit Court of Common Pleas
Nov. Term, A. D. 1916.
The undersigned, William Abbot, Job Mel
son and Bradshaw Hall. appointed by the
Circuit Court of Com mon Pleas In the County
of Hancock a committee on the part of said
county, and Thomas A. Hill, appointed by tho
Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the county
n panohecot tha -
settle and adjust in an equitable manner the
subsisting claims OF said counties respect
lively comfortably to the provisions of an act
entitled IAN Act for dividing the County Of
Hancock and establishing a new County by
the name of Penobscot," beg leave to repost:
That the amount of cash in the
hands of the treasurer of the
county of Hancock, April /,
1915, was..... .......................$I 23I 80
That the amount of taxes out
standing for 1874 was...... .......... .542 90
That the amount of taxes out
standing for 1915, was..... -. - O95 %
That there has been received by
said treasurer since the LIST
of April aforesaid from Ma
a son Shaw, Esq. ........................264 81
Also from John Williams, Esq.
for excise. ..........................67 81
And that the amount of taxes
assessed upon the counties of
Hancock and Penobscot for
the year 1916 which is coll
lected is........... ..........s.....4s 500 ss
Making the amount of money
anu credits. ..................$9 ,041 81
And they further report ~
That the amount of
claims against the
County of Hancock SO
far as they were liqui-
dated on the LIST of
April aforesaid, was S3o777
That the amount of
claims against said
county due on said
first day of April and
liquidated at April
term deducting from
the same for the board
of prisoners 80 weeks
at per week, 81 so
was..... ............,.....1S2 40
That the amount of
do. allowed at July
term last was...............604 As 500 Il
money and credits Off,. .......s,5I1 IS
And the committees of both
counties agree to deduct from
the amount aforesaid, being s541 ID
per cent as commission
upon the amount of
debts due, being .......s $500 II.
And also upon said sum
of........-... ...-.........27 so
for board OF prisoners being. 2e Al
Which leaves a balance of
money and credits of ............ss,514 u
to be divided between said counties.
And as a Just rule of apportionment said
committees have taken the last county tax of
5000 dollars, of which the several towns and
plantations in the county of Penobscot pay,
sll6303, and they find that as 5000: ll6s,O3:
s5l4.l4 19S0.57. which is the amount belonging
to said county of Penobscot.
But the committee of the county of Han
cock are of opinion that from said sum of
sl9sO.57 there ought to be deducted per cent
for the commissions which said county of
Hancock will be obliged to pay their treas
urer for receiving and paying over said sum
and which amounts to s9902 leaving bal
ance due said county of slss1.55.
On the other hand the committee of PEN
obscot contends that only s2303 is justly
chargeable to thai county, being proper
ton only OF the 5 per cent aforesaid.
And the committee of the county of Han
cock is of the opinion that IL there exist any
contract made for the sole benefit of the
county of Penobscot, but which the county of
Hancock is bound to fulfil, such sum ought to
be retained as will be sufficient to indemnify
the comfy of Hancock
They further state that the taxes of 1916 are
payable one-half on the first day of Novem-
Der instant and the remainder on the first
day of April next and that the treasurer of
the county of Hancock ought not to pay such
proportion of said sum as arises from the tax
of 1916 until the same is payable.
All which is respectfully submitted.
WI LIAM ABBOT,
JoB NELSON,
b. HAIL,
Committee of Hancock County.
THos. A. HILL,
For