The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-26
The Fifty-FOurth Legislature.
A REVIEW OF HTS WORK.
THE FEW PUBLIC ACTS oUTLINED-THE SPECIAL
AND SPECULATIVE NOTICED.


The legislature which adjourned Wednesday
night added TO our statute books 254 acts and
JOG resolves OF this number more than three
fouths may be,cassed sprivate, special or specu-
lative. BY this latter term we mean charters for
railroads which will never be built, acts of in
corporation which will never be called for, per
mits to extend wharves which will never be re
quired, all of which are a dead loss to the state
as it may be assumed that every act on the av-
erage costs the state not far from ten dollars.
STATUTE TINKERING.
The following are the new public laws and
amendments to the revised statutes and public
acts not otherwise mentioned: To amend law
relative to liens so as to apply to vessels for
nse of dry docks; to amend chapter 113, Il. s.,
by correcting the number of section from "a
to 26; to amend chapter 8, r. S., so that towns
may elect highway commissioners or surveyors
as they deem best; to amend chapter 6, Il. s.,
so that the discount on taxes paid before
specified time, shall not exceed 10 per cent;
act for the protection of owners of stolen bonds
and provides that all actions for the recovery
of the same must be begun within one year
from March 1, 1876; act providing that soldiers
at the Togus Asylum shall not obtain resi-
dence in Maine; act requiring contestants in
case of election to the House TO give nctce OF
such contest Is days before meetings of the
Legislature, and to furnish evidence within
three days after meeting; act comforting power
upon the Supreme Court to compel payment of
Judgment against foreign railroad companies
doing business in Maine (aimed at the Grand
Trunk; act providing for the appointment of
deputy town treasurers; act relating to the
assessments of mutual insurance companies.
providing that any policy holder, officer or
creditor of such company nay petition the
Supreme court for an examination to inquire it
such assessment is necessary, which shall
annul, ratify or amend such assessment as JUS
tice may require; at continuing the state pen
sion law and providing that no person who
becomes dependent upon town or city by rea-
son of injury received iu the war of 1861,
shall be considered pauper or be disfranchised
for that cause; to amend chapter 1913 of public
laws of 1874, relating to disclosures of poor
debtors, so that creditors shall not be cited to
hear disclosures on islands not connected with
main land by bridges, nnless the debtor lives
on such island act recognizing the Biddeford
Light Infantry as part of the organized mil
itia: an act to amend the chapter 49, r.. S.,
relating to ways which changes the first
section so as to lay out and discontinue high
WAYS flOm town to town and to grade hills
on such highways and in all sections where
County Commissioners have the power by the
old statute TO alter roads; the words grade
hills have been added; act amending section
%. chapter "a Revised Statutes, relating to pau
Ders SO that the state shall reimburse any city
or towns which aids paupers having no resi-
dence in the state to such an extent as the gov
ernor aud council may consider just; act to
amend chapter 1873 laws of 1873, so that prison
inspectors may remove criminals from the jail
of one county to another, the county where the
convict is sentenced paying the expense; act
for the better protection of life and property by
an inspection of dams and reservoirs when Sc
lectmen of towns or county commissioners pc
tition for the same during the months of Au-
gust and September, which shall be done by an
engineer appointed by the governor, to be paid
by owners of dams when faulty and by state
when not So Owners of dams are to make the
same safe when reported otherwise, and in case
they fail so to do the engineer by authority of
Supreme Court may draw off the water held by
such dams; act authorizing justices of the Su-
preme Court to give notice of hearings on Pc
ttions for review to give the notice of the PEN
dency of the same as they see fit; act to EN-
power the plaintiff in cases where he is liable for
damages to the defendent, to offer to have Judg-
ment rendered against him for specified sum;
act requiring common carriers who bring to the
state persons who sha)l fall into distress and
thereby call for aid, to remove the same beyond
the limits of the state upon the demand OF mu-
nicipal officers; also repeas sections 80, 40 and
Al, chapter "A revised statutes, relating to head
money; act to amend section 20 chapter 90 re-
vised statutes. relating to record of marriages,
ETC., and making the penalty of officers neglect
ing to make such retdrns $40; act conferring
upon municipal courts jurisdiction in liens
upon personal property, giving concurrent ID
r,sdiction with all other courts to amount tor
which suits can be brought in such courts; act
relating TO the land agent and land office, pro-
yiding that the laws of 1872 shall be revived,
that the land agent shall make field notes of
all lauds, and with the Governor and State
Treasurer be commission to inquire what
means are necessary TO dispose of the settling
land of the state and report to the next legis-
lature; act fixing the compensation OF execu-
tive councillors, that it shall be same as mem
bers of legislature during the session thereof,
80 for each days actual attendance at other
sessions with travel at the rate of So for every
ten miles travel one way, and So 30 and neces-
sary expenses when on COMMITTEES work wnen
council ia not in session; another act repeating
sections 80, 40 and Al chapter "A revised stat
utes relating to head money; act amending
section 48 chapter 80 revised statutes, relating
to the manner of filing set-offs by the defend
ant; act relating to the punishment OF persons
guilty of cruelty to animals, and providing
that any officer of societies for the prevention
of such cruelty may interfere to prevent such
cruelty, and resistance is misdemeanor, and
further giving him power relative to cases
where teams are overloaded, and cruelty to
animals practised, and further declaring that
every living creature is an animal; an act re-
lating to the sale of property pledged for mon
ey; an act to explain and amend section DO chap
ter 81 revised statutes relating to civil action,
(section / declares that all property that any
debtor owns or has an interest in at time OF
death, which would become part of the assets
of the estate of the debtor, is liable to attach
ment and that any attachment OF property
shall not be affected by the death of any
debtor;] act requiring both parties where mar.
riage is intended and where one lives out OF
the state to give notice Of intention OF mar
riage in the town where one resides; act max
ing penalty of transporting liquors from place
To place for sale $50, and au hOrizing seizure
of liquors in transit; act providing that court
reporters writing out reports for law cases
shall be paid by the losing party; an
act relating to the taxes on foreign insurance
companies fixing the amount of capital stock
such companies must have to do business in
this state; act to facilitate the business OF
the land office and the disposal OF the
public lands, providing for the survey
survey, advertisement and sale of all state land
not fit for settling; acts to provide for the ex-
penditure Of the government amounting to
81, ,621 ,4S7. 10; act relating to the taxation OF
of insurance companies; act relating to saw
ings banks, providing that cashiers shall re-
turn average amount of gross deposits on first
Saturday of each month for the then last pre-
cedng six months after deducting value of
real estate owned by banks and on such
amount pay per cent. tax within 40 days
thereafter, also providing penalty for violation
of law by bank officers and prohibiting any sala-
ried bank officer from being officer in savings
bank; act renewing and extending the un-
cancelled state bonds issued previous to March
49, 1864, abolishing the sinking fund of 1855
and abolishing the office of commissioner of
sinking fund.- act remitting taxation of state
banks having no circulation; act to amend
chapter II section 1, paragraph X. 5.
relating to sales of real estate by license
of court authorizing administrators to sell the
whole of the estate when the sale of part will
be greatly deprecated by patial sale; act pro.
yiding that county commissioners shall not allow
sheriffs per diem for enforcing the liquor law
when the same are entitled to fees for attend
ing court; act relating to capital cases (pre-
yides that the Judge trying the case shall fix
the time of execution not less thap six months
nor more than one year from time OF sentence)
act to empower the Governor to authorize wo
men to solemnize marriages, administer Oaths
and acknowledge deeds; act to establish the
fees of sheriff ETC., providing that the same
shall be for acutal travel at six cents mile
each way with only one travel for any precept
with no constructive travel
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
There has been less interest in this class o.
legislation this year than at any time fo
many years. There have been very few oppor
tunities to turnan honest penny in the lobby,
owing to the state of peace among the railroad
in the state or entering it.
Of the legislation effecting railroads, the ac