Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-01

vision, and that the owners of Cres-
cent Beach house and pavilion and
many cottage lots are also opposed to
a division. The names of these petit
TONERS appear on both petitions, both
for and against, and therefore it is
pretty hard to tell just what they do
favor.
The campaign for division has been
conducted by men who have lived in
the town less than two years, and /
am informed through reliable sources
that that is not SO. and that the men
who are conducting this matter and
carrying this bill through have resid-
ed in the town, some of them IL years
and some of them 80 odd years.
The proposed division would give
the new town Ingraham's Hill, Ash
Point and Owls Head, including
Crescent Beach, with a valuation Of
$3O4,79 and leave the old town of
South Thomaston and Seal Harbor
with a valuation of only $190,776, or
in round numbers, $4,000 in one case
and 100000 in the other That may
be so, but you must remember that
a summer valuation of nearly $132, 900.
And yet they object to these people
signing the petitions and claim that
200 people signed against it and 400
for it, AS a matter of fact, on the
original petitions there were 349 who
signed for it and $50 who signed
against it. But since this wholesale
change of heart, nobody knows just
exactly where the other people stand,
and the petitions which contained $50
names contained the names of those
who own summer property, and L ask
you, gentlemen, if the people who
own $4,000 of property have not a
right to put their names onto a petit
ton in order that they may get bet
ter roads and better school facilities
The records show that in the mat
ter of town offices, school and road
affairs, all sections of the town have
been fairly treated, and in the years
1919 and 1920 out of every dollar ex-
pended on roads and bridges, rs cents
was spent in the Owls Head section,
that is, east Of the proposed division
line. In Owls Head, in the last
twenty years they have had II men
from that sectf.1 who have been Sc
lectmen, regardless of the fact that
the population is nearly equal, being
40 in one case and 400 in the other,
and they have had II out of a pos
sible 90 municipal officers. Is that
anywhere near so percent? Out of a
possible so men on the school board,
they have had -. Is that a just di-
vision? You will notice that the
years 1919 and 1920 are particularly
specified, but they don't say anything
about 1918, 1917 and 1916, simply
these two years.
According to the last registration
253 voters reside east of the division
line and 219 west of that line. That
is a total of 472, and yet they said
that these petitions were signed by
600 people for and against the divi
sion. You also have here state
ment on your desks relative to the
Owls Head section, and SO I won't
bother to read it.
Now in regard to the schools,
think in this enlightened period that
is a matter which should be consider
ed, and this report goes on to say,
THE text books were in poor condi-
ton generally and antiquated. AS
far as funds would permit, have in
augurated changes. The new books
have been put into those schools that
We're most in need. No teacher can
produce results in the school room
without modern texts any more than
the farmer, without modern tools"
This is their own statement, and
then it goes on, 1.-THE school houses
and toilets are in a most unsatisfac-
tory condition. The grammar school
building is the best of any in the
town. None of the others are suit
able for school purposes in their pres
cnt state of repair. The toilets are
in worse condition than the school
rooms. l have not entered any one of
them that is in fit condition for use"
And yet this town last year with
eight school houses has only expend-
ed 1910, and fraction, less than $50
per school house, and this year has
appropriated $500, notwithstanding
the fact that the superintendent has
told them that their school houses
are not fit to use. These school
houses accommodate the young peo-
pie up to the age of Is years, and
in one case there is no door on the
toilet that is used by these Young
ladies. Do YOU think there is any
cause for these conditions to exist,
and don't you feel that if these people
want to get by themselves and rem
edy these conditions. that they should
be allowed to do it. everything else
being equal?
This matter has been recommitted
from no motion on the part of any
member of the committee, and no
evidence has been brought forth any
more than was produced at the hear
ing, and yet two members of the
committee have changed onto the OPP
posite side, one, / think, was largely
on sentimental grounds, and the other
is gentleman who has a son-in-law
living in South Thomaston. There
has been no evidence presented, and
we had it first in the committee with
referendum attached and the refer
endum is not a just proposition in
this case by any means. 1t is a good
deal somethink like Iago and Roder-
igo, when he was disappointed in his
love affairs and contemplated drown
ing and though he had better be
hanged than to be drowned in order
to get the lady of his choice, and so
in this case with the referendum at
tached it would be question of