Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-30
NO DECISION ON
TAXATION OF Pine
TREE PULP CO.

ImE Uu UUiI
No decision was reached In the
matter of the abatement OF the taxes
of the Pine Tree Pulp Company. II
a lengthy session of the City Coun-
ell Monday evening. 1t being decided
that the matter was of such import
ance that it deserved greater constd-
Grafton and that it would be I'm
proper to take action when TWO
members of the Council who were
present at the time the first motion
was passed, were absent. It viii De
remembered that some time ago the
CITY Council voted to sustain the
action of the assessors in leyying this
tax. and as a result of that action
there has been considerable COM
ment, some favorable and some un-
favorable to the City Government. II
was brought out at the meeting last
night that several concerns in the
city had protested because the Pine
Tree Pulp Co. had paid no tax and
that come OF them had gone so far
as to maintain that they would not
pay their tax if the South Gardner
concern did not
Frank A. Wise, president OF the
Gardiner Board OF Trade appeared
before the-Council as the represen-
tative of the Board, declaring that In
the records OF the Board of Trade
was found the motion guaranteeing
tax exemption to the Pulp Company
for a period OF five years. This was
of course, one of the inducements
offered this concern to locate In
South Gardiner. He made the plea
that the City Council should take
some action to abate the tax of $500
levied on the company. He citee
different instances where companies
were induced to locate by the pro-
position that no taxes were to be
paid for a stated period, and also
stated that in many places concerns
were offered free rental for certain
time il they would locate in q given
city.
Judge Will C. Atkins. who was
president OF the Board of Trade at
the time the Pine Tree Pulp Com
pany was orga nized also spoke be-
fore the Council, and declared that
when the no taxation proposition
was made it was carried before the
then City Government, and that the
arrangement was entirely satisfac-
tory, and said that all that given
could be proven true by the fact
that the Pulp Company had been
there three years and was not taxed.
therefore the a. rangement must
have been understood, and must
have been entirely satisfactory. He
stated that in four years this indus
try was the only one that the Board
had been able to set to come to
Gardiner. Hc pointed out that ap-
proXimately S200,GG0 had been ex-
pended for labor SINCE the factory
WAS started and that this had come
to Gardiner. He said that 1t was
very possible that the Pine Tree Pulp
Co. could stand upon its legal rights
in the matter and thus escape the
payment of the tax, and declared
that even though the City Govern
ment was not legally bound to abate
the tax, morally it was different
proposition, and in the speakers
Orinion they should abate the tax
Judge Atkins announced that he
wished to express his appreciation of
the work that the city government
has accomplished in the past year.
The members came into office, all of
them practically now at the work,
and have carried it through in a
splendid manner. The speaker stat
cd that they were men of initiative
and efficient themselves had secured
efficient subordinatcs. They have
accomplished great and lasting things
and II they have pleased the right
thinking majority they should be sat-
isfied that they are dong the right
thing. Other speakers were Earle
Hodgkins, former secretary of the
board of trade and l.. A. Leighton,
the present secretary. who spoke ia
vorably of the abatement of the tax.
After more discussion of the pros
and cons of the question, upon mo-
ton Of Alderman Chase and seconded
by Alderman Trafton It was voted
that the matter be laid on the table
for a short period so that 1t might
have further consideration. It was
here pointed out that the decision of
the council would have far reaching
effect and that 1t was not a matter
to be acted upon hastily.
Among other matters that came up
before the council was the adoption
Of the schedule of lights prepared by
Street Commissioner 3. F. Jose.
Commissioner Jose gave his report,
stating that with the new schedule
in effect there would be a saving of
$4515 q month. One 100 candle pow-
err and five $50 candle power lights
have recently been installed. 1t was
moved that the report be accepted.
1t was also moved that the milk in
spector be reimbursed the sum of
S1G1 for the actual expense of work
accomplished in this Inc. The city
treasurer was authorized to draw
from the trust funds TO reimburse the
city for amounts already expended.
Twelve hundred dollars was trans
fcrred from the contingent fund to be
used. one half for the fire department