The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-09
FIFTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.
Especial to the Press I

| LIS Iioueo papers were passed IN concur
| renee,
| Reports of Conmittees-The Committee on
| Iowns reported a Dill incorporating the Hart
| land Village corporation.
The Committee on Printing and Binding SUBJ
| mltted contract with Hartford & Smith of
Augusta for doing the state binding the next
| year.
A resolve authorizing the county of Penob-
| scot to procure a loan not exceeding $4,000 to
| pay indebtedness incurred by building the
county workshop was passed.
| An act to incorporate the Mouse Island
| Association was read and assigned.
Notification was received from the Governor
that the designation of Abijah M. Billings of
Clinton, Me-, as Pension Notary has been
| revoked.
A bill to make available the school fund of
the inhabitants of Bowerbank, in Piscataqus
| county, was admitted under suspension of the
rules and referred to the Committee on Educa-
| ton.
An act to amend the charter of the Bucks
port and Winterport Ferry Company was
| received and referred.
On motion of Senator Thompson of York
ers said that he thought the greater part of the
amendments could be easily disposed of, but in
the other portions of the bill there were pro.
visions which should be retained, necessary, he
thought, to the protection of the measure. Mr..
Hobson also opposed the proposition of Mr..
Porter. Mr.. Nealley of Bangor. asked if all
after section was stricken out if the provision
| requiring railroad companies to get authority
| of the Legislature to cross tide waters was re-
| tanned. Mr.. Porter said it was provided in the
| statutes. Mr.. Powers desired to have such
| provision pointed out to him. Mr.. Bass oppos-
| ed the amendment. If the bill was so amend
ed the commissioners could lay out bridge
across the Penobscot at Bucksport. He be-
lieved that the amendments made last week
were good ones. Mr. Nealley took the same
grounds. He thought the majority of the
House were in favor of the general provisions
of the bill. Mr.. Talbot said that the three first
sections provided for the organization of rail-
road companies. That organi cation made, the
company must come to the Legislature for au-
| thority. The amendment of Mr.. Porter was
| lost.
The next question was the amendment pro-
posed by Mr.. Hobson of Wiscasset, offered
| Saturday, providing that section II be struck
| out as reported, which puts the duties now i'm.
posed upon county commissioners upon the
railroad commissioners, and all the amend
ments except those providing that the commits
sioners be paid by the state, providing that no
| railroad shall be built across navgabe tide
| waters without authority of the Legislature
and the amendment striking out the section
providing for the election of commissioners,
which were adopted.
Mr. Powers moved to amend section / so that
companies may organize on $4,000 subscription
per mile for it. 81 in. gauge instead of $10,-
600, and $4,000 subscription for the narrow
gauge instead of 5000. Mr.. Anderson said in
| this connection that he had not spoken against
the amendments just made (Hobson's) because
he thought there was feeling in the House
that those who were connected with railroads
could not legislate fairly upon the matter. He
said that the Hobson amendment sandwiched
in the duties of county commissioners with
those OF the railroad commissioners He could
not, however, see this amendment go through
without a protest Even $4,000 mile was
not one-thiri of the cost of suchroads This sub
scription at least should be required before men
interested in railroads should be allowed to 90 to
towns, which is now the policy of building rail-
roads, and get them to plunge themselves into
debt to build it when only one-thrd of its cost
is provided for. This amendment proposes that
these parties should only have basis of one
sixth of the cost with which to go to the towns
and with glowing promises, get them to take
grievous burden of debt. Mr.. Powers favored
his amendment, as did Mr.. Bass. The amend
ment was adopted.
The bill was then passed to be engrossed and
printed.
An order was passed giving the use of this
hall to President Allen and Hon. Mr. Madigan
to speak for the Agricultural College,
The bill relating to damages on ways was
taken up. The bill provides that notice of &C.
ton shall be begun against city or town by
persons receiving injury on any highway with
in one year after receiving the same. Mr.. Bass
moved an amendment limiting the time in
which notics shall be given to sixty days, and
also requiring the person receiving such injury
to give the nature of such damage and the ma.
ture of the defect in the highway causnglthe
damage Mr.. Bass advocated his amendment
He said it had become regular business to
bring suits against cities for trumped up dam
ages. Mr. Lynch advocated the bill al. length.
Only those having no case, those intending to
defraud cities would know all about the law,
and persons receiving real injury would know
nothing of the law. Mr.. Phillips of Orrng-
ton, followed in reply to Mr. Lynch. Mr..
Frank of Portland, explained the existing law,
and opposed the amendment of Mr. Bass Mr..
Bass advocated his amendment at length. MIR.
Bass amendment was adopted. Mr.. Bass pre-
sented further amendment that the act fshall
not apply to pending suits. Mr.. Keegan NOV
ed the indefinite postponement of the bill. Mr..
Bass remarked somewhat warmly that when
the majority of the House perfected bill some
fellow on the beaten side moved indefinite post
ponement. Keegan said he wasn't fellow; he
was member of the House as well as the
gentleman from Bangor. The House refused
to postpone and passed the bill with the amend
ments of Mr.. Bass, to be engrossed.
Passed to be Er,acted-Act relating to the Els
worth Police Court; act to amend chap sos, laws of
1874. relating to protection of fish in Narraguagr1s
River; to enable nonresident guardians to obtain
property in this state belonging wards out of the
state; act relating to Normal schools.
Finally Passed-Resolve relative to compulsory
pilotage; to procure burglar safe for the State
Treasurer.
HOUSE.
Senate papers were disposed of in concur
renee.
Orders PaSsed-Order presented by Mr.. Porter,
directing the Committee Business of the House to
inquire into the state of business before the Commit
tee ascertain the time when they may be able to re-
port finally, and report at to-morrow's session.
Reports of Conanittees:-By Land Committee
resolve appropriatiDg $500 for bridge on Chap
man Plantation.
By the Committee ON Fisheries, reference to
Governor and Council on petition of Daniel
Dresser in aid of Fish Commissioner recon-
mendaion; ought not to pass on bill to amend
the statutes relating to fish ways. (Gives the
Fish Commissioners power to construct fish
ways over dams and charge costs to proprietors
of said dams and sundry other powers of unus-
al character.) Tabled by Mr.. Pike.
By Legal Affairs Committee bill incorporat-
ing the Masonic Mutual Relief Association of
Mechanic Falls (tabled); bill giving lnn-keep-
ers and clearinghouse keepers lien on the
personal baggage of guests, (printed).
large number of bills were passed to be
engrossed.
Bill changing the statutes relative to the re-
pair or sale of meeting houses, so that the vote
of two-thirds of the pew-holders shall be nee
essary to vote such repairs, etc., instead of a
AL