Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-04-24
MISCELLANY Y.
Massachusetts, Lands in Maine

A report of committee, consisting of
Messrs. t. E. Payson, n. W. Hazen, and G.
0. Brastow, appointed by the last Legislature,
"to ascertain the value, by township or lots.
of all lands in the State of Maine, owned
jointly, or in common and in severalty, by
ing the same from encroachment or trespass,
and also to inquire into any encroachments or
trespasses that have been committed, and to
report fully to the next General Court has
been made to the present session of the Legis-
lature of Massachusetts. The committee or
dered the lands surveyed, and Mr. Payson ac-
companied the explorers in order to make a
personal observation of the face of the country.
its soil and capabilities.
Upon making inquiries as to trespasses, the
committee found that such had been committed
upon large scale in spite of very stringent
laws of the State of Maine for their prevention
and punishment. These statutes, the commit
tee remark, ''seem TO effect all that can be ac-
complished by legislation the work is TO be
completed by executive vigor and fidelity. 1t
must be left for the agent of the lands to decide
upon the circumstances of each portion of the
territory, what expense for its protection will
be justified. The whole committee coincide
in the views of this subject taken by Mr.. Pay
son, that the best security that the Common
wealth can have against encroachments and
trespasses, is to be found in the knowledge,
judgment, energy, and honesty of the agents
employed"
Mr.. Payson's report is detailed and inter-
estng document. We make two extracts -
The quantity of land owned by and strict
ly in possession of Massachusetts, either in
severaliy or jointly with Maine, is now about
IA ,0OO, 900 acres. Besides, she still retains
the fee of some townships, upon which the
right to cut timber has been sold, either for a
time limited OF in perpetuum. With the ex-
ception of a few townships which lie upon the
extreme head waters of the Kennebec and Pc
nobscot rivers, these lands are all located upon
the river ST. John and its tributary streams
This fact materially affects their value, for the
timber upon the waters of this river, whether
New Brunswick, has but one avenue to mar
ket, and that is furnished by the river ITSELF
Whenever it reaches tide-water, it is within
the territory of Great Britain, and if shipped
to port of the United States, is subject not
only TO the export duty of the province. but
also TO the payment of such duties as our tariff
imposes. Whatever becomes of it, it is bur-
dened with the impost of the province. The
,e hot, al Il tha har
which goes down this river is shipped to Eng
land or the Continent Another consideration,
which in some measure affects the value of the
largest part of ii, is its distance from market.
These considerations cause lands upon the riv-
er St. John to be much less valuable than are
lands no better timbered and no better watered,
which lie upon the Penobscot.
The conclusion of Mr.. Payson's report is as
Sc Probably the only mode which can be
adopted for the security of the timber, is to
employ honest and efficient men (and such
there are,) to guard the entire territory, and
allow them to make no compromise or ADJUST
ment with trespassers in any way whatever,
but hold them up to the strict measure of their
accountability. The expense would not be
very enormous, and it would prevent every
thing except little petty thieving, which
probably cannot be entirely stopped. Whether
II may be deemed proper to 60 to greater or
less expenditure in this matter, one thing is
certain, that the lands have not been, and are
not now SO carefully looked after as the inter-
ests of the State require mH
These reports are accompanied by lists of
the townships, now first surveyed, containing
the details of the explorations and SURVEYS
with regard to them, and estimates of their
value.