Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-20
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
MILITARY AFFAIRS.

a spaIhIus illtl' "s!'ouS tooh place III lile
Senate chamber, Yesterday forenoon, it being
the report Of Senator Andrews on the smelt
question. The matter was referred to the
committee rs joke, but wonder where the
joke rests now: The report was not only
humorous and pointed in its illusions but
was finely read. 1t was received with great
favor and ordered printed. We publish the
report entire, AS we know our readers will
enjoy it
The Military Committee, to which was re-
ferred the petition of Judge Nathaniel KIM
ball and II others praying for law to pre-
vent the taking of smelts in Sandy Brook,
Ssco, beg leave to report
They first find that, in the course of legis-
ation, the petition was inadvertently referred
to the Committee on Fisheries, who were
fonndering 1bout over the porgy question.
The people of Roothbay, Harpswell. Ocean
Point, and other outposts of civilization. had
determined that 1.-THE porgy must GO" The
oiifdcto,ies of the people in the vicinity of
the porgy factories had too long been drink
| ing in the balm of thousand fishes" and
the long.horcmen were cidm-orous for bait.
| CooMbs OF the Committee, had not long to
| Wat before Dardn's hornpipc sounded and
| Harrington of the committee became satisfied
that the petition ought not to be admitted, as
there WAS koore business already before the
committee than could well be attended to,
such ss the protection of cells. pollvwogs and
| |, |.
this petition of Judge Kimball
| 1t then came to the Senate and was re-
ferrcd, very properly, To the Committee on
| Education. The smelts in this Brook gencr-
ally run in schoois. which the friends OF IRE
trenchmcnt and reform" were trying to Grip
pie at the (fshing) poles. 1t was the purpose
of the accomplished chairman to consider th,
mstter in connection with the school mill tax
but just AS the prayers of the petitioners were
| being weighed in the scales of Justice. Mr..
Pickhard the .ileut member of the House from
the Queen City of the East, rose to que>-
ton of privilege, and claimed that it could
not be considered in conjunction with the mill
tax. He had been down into the bowels of
the State House, and found 4 fly leaf from
Hannibal llsmlin's account book, when he
kepts peanut stand in the rotunda of the
| State House, and from that he had ascer-
tanned thst there is no mall in that pond to be
taxed, and no site for mill or dam, and y.
he smeh mice, he wouldn't 90 for the meas
IRE even if the smets were there BY q dam
site The member of the committee from
Sebago, having ascertsined that the smells in
the pond did not part their hair in the middle.
became sntaSonistic TO the proposition. and
accordingly the petition was kicked out of
the committee room.
| The much abused petition, coming now to
the House, it WAS again referred. and this
time to the committee on Military Affairs.
! Apprchcnding lest the next reference should
be to the Civil Service Committee, and the
| little smells in that brook be Whitfield down
to a size to conform to the present ''purchas-
ing power of a dollar" the committee at
once grapheied with the subject, and now
beg leave to make their of-fsh- al report:
That Gen. Leavitt, Of the War Department
of this State, be authorized To place the
Calling gun (now relieved from duty since
the Office seekers have retreated in good or
der on the shores of Sandy Brook. in Saco.
to he manned by the spare clerks in his
office who may be reccivin. enormous sala-
rlcs and that he at once shoot on the spot"
any man, woman, or child who undertakes.
by hook or by crook, to tempt the CAV and
festive .melts from the cool waters of SANDY
| Brook.
| Who hath sky of brighter CLEANS?
| Broadcr lakes, or Drawer streams?
| Eden-likc, our wide land teens
With saRtrs
| In the seals wealth untold
| Porgy oil that brings the gold.
| Pickercl Will their tails unfold;
But spare the SMELLS.
Now the eagle, sweeping DER,
Sees one spot near Saco's shore,
Sees one little brook or more
Full of SHELrs,
| Ours the realm of perch and CULVER"
| The CLASSY pond, deep flowing river.
spare all the fish, spare them forever,
But save the sxELTs.
For the committee.
JAMES NJ. ANDREWS.
Chairman.
The Work OF the COmr~ittces.