Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-04-29
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1925.

The survey to be made this year
of the hardwoods in Hancock county,
by experts in touch with the furniture
manufacturers of western states, con-
tains immense potentialities for this
section We here in Hancock county
have always believed in the great
wealth lying dormant in our hard
woods, awaiting only the appearance
of the right parties to develop 1t.
This survey will at least direct the
eyes of the big furniture manu-
facturers this way; if we have what
they want, and we believe we have,
it will mark the dawn of new era
in numbering and manufacturing in
Hancock county.
The proposed new highway be-
tween Ellsworth and Hancock again
comes to the fore, the State high
way commission having been au-
thorized to advertise again for bids
for construction. The State highway
commission, it is understood, have
definitely abandoned any suggestion
of following the old route and provid-
ing for overhead crossings at rail-
roads, and is standing pat" on the
proposition, new route or no road"
On this proposition, Ellsworth,
through it's city government, is Of
ficially on record in favor of con-
structing the road over the new route,
though on the question of old route
or new route, we believe great ma
jority favor the old route.
The Beechland schoolhouse was
burned last Thursday night The
fremen were having little sociable
that evening, and there is every in
dication that this fire, as others have
been in the past, was started by some
practical joker who wanted to see
them run" There is too much of
this sort of damphoolery in Ellis
worth, and it is high time some of
the men or boys who engage in it
were made to realize that they are
fguratively, as well as literally,
playing with fire." No matter if
the buildings are unoccupied or
worthless, a person who sets fire to
them is committing a States prison
offense. Moreover, they are often en-
dangering other property, and
injuring every property owner in
Ellsworth by creating fire menace
and keeping up insurance rates.
These incipient fire bugs are them
selves a menace. 1t is time they were
hunted out.
Worse Than Cross Words.
The assessors and city government
cooperating, apparently on the
theory that we need the money more
than we need to know who is right,
have compromised the power COM
pany tax on a basis of a S675 900
valuation for 1924, with interest to
date, and the power company has
paid it's last years tax, $2S,92O.
1t is understood that the assessors
have also agreed upon a valuation
for the present year of $6S7, 5O0-a
fifty-fifty compromise between what
the power company wanted, and the
100000 the assessors wanted.
Here is the problem as it presents
itself in figures
Start with a valuation in 1920
of Observation-Disclosures. $S14,473
In 1921 subtract a water COM
pany with valuation on
city books of ........... 10000
Remainder 90 valuation in
1921 $500
Add Sc 2-3 per cent assess
nent ratio) of $4,000, the
company's figures of cost of
new dam and fowage land, 1Z0,9O2
And you have as a result the
valuation agreed upon for
this wear ................ $685.
These figures do not seem to prove
Just right, according to our old-time
arithmetic, but perhaps that is out
of date Anyway they must be
right, for that is what the assess
ment books show. Figure it out for