The Portland daily press., 1873-02-08
The State Board of Harbor Commission

The State Board of Harbor Commission
erS.
One of the most important measures now
pending before the Legislature is the bill to
establish Board of Harbor Commissioners
for the State, to be appointed by the Governor,
who shall have power to protect the harbors
and navigable livers of the State from the de.
terioration that they are suffering, and which
threatens ere long to render some of them
useless for the purposes of navigation.
1t is well known fact that Maine has more
good haroors and navigable rivers than any
other section Of the country of like extent;
yet in no section of the country have the
rivers and harbors deteriorated SO fast as in
this State, and it is an important fact that
this great injury is most inflicted by those
who will be most damaged by increased diff
Guilty or suspension of the navigation.
During the past seven years Congress has
appropriated S745, 900 for improving the nav
igation of the rivers aid harbors of Maine,
and 100000 will probably be appropriated
by the present Congress for the same purpose.
There will be further appropriations recon-
mended and made ifthe officers of the general
Government are not convinced that the ex-
penditure of money will be useless in conse-
quence of the entire lack of interest manifest
ed by the State government to protect the
rivers and harbors from damage by its own
citizens. Within few years the general
Government has been spending money to
clear out the obstructions in several rivers
that are naturally navigable, but which have
been filled up by the refuse from hundreds of
mills. The general Government has little en-
couragement to clear out the rivers when its
officers see while they are doing this work
that the same men asking to have it done, are
continuing the same reckless poicy. The
State Legislature should not only enact laws
to prevent this course, but it should create a
competent board 10 enforce these laws. 1t
may at any rate be assumed that Congress
will not continue the policy of clearing out
rivers that the State takes no care to protect.
At present the Legislature is asked by hun
dreds of private parties for authority to extend
wharves, build fish wers, or construct bridges
over navigable waters. The Legislature, ig-
norant of the merits or dement's of the case,
grant authority, and thus much injury is done
to others, and frequently the navigation of
the river is rendered dangerous and difficult.
All these matters should be referred to the
Commissioners, who would act for the gener-
al good, relieve the Legislature of much work
and not unfrequently of long and expensive
hearings. Any person acquainted with the
legislation of the State can call to mind the
costly controversies that have grown out of
hasty and impartial legislation in respect to
wharves, draw-bridges, ETC., all of which
would have been avoided if the matter had
first been examined by a suitable board, such
as the present bill contemplates.
This bill is designed to systematic and
harmonic all interests, not allowing riparian
owners to take due advantage cftheir neighbors
or the public. Our rpresent system, or rather
lack of all system amounts to this and no
more-that man shi II not destroy "a harbor
until he has asked permission.
There are many cases where it is necessary
that there be some authority to stop by in
junction or otherwise, injurious or unauthor-
lied structures, or to prevent any nuisance
and to have the same removed, which author
ity, if exercised by legalize body would be
obeyed. Serious difficulties now exist for the
want of such an authorized body.
In other States the system has been adopt
ed which, working in harmony with the Off
GERS of the United States, has been of incal-
culable benefit in preventing the injury har
bors and preserving the safe navigation of
rivers. This is notably the case in Massachu-
sets where a law was enacted with provisions
similar to those of the pending bill.
In speaking of the Massachusetts Board,
Gen. Thorn, United States Engineer in charge
of the works of the general Government says:
ssIn my offic al relations with that board dur
ing the last two years, I have more than ever
been convinced of the indispensable necessity
of similar board in this State-an intelligent
impartial and experienced boa.d, competent
not only to protect 9nd develop navigation in
all navigable rivers and harbors, but also to
project and secure other than navigation inter.
ests in their rights and property in a manner
least liable to conflict with the interests ofnav-
igation."
This is the highest authority that can be
educed in support of the bill; and in eonsid-
Grafton of the fact that Gen. Thorn knows
most of the workings Of the present lack of
policy, and has no personal interest in the
matter except to secure the results of his own
labors to the General Government, the Legis-
lature can hardly fail to carry out his sugges-
tions, derived as THY are from long expert
ence, by promptly passing the bill.
There is danger that the legislators from
the interior may not fully appreciate the i'm
portance of :his measure; but if they will
consider th,t cheap transportation is OF vital
Importance to those sections producing lQm-
Der and other bulky staples, and that at TINS
time large part of the State is dependent TOR
this upon the safe navigation of tn, rivers OF
the state, they will doubtless come to the
CONCLUSION that any movement to improve
Ihe present means of communication is of
vital Importance to them.