Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-01-29
NO. 20.
MINE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.
TUESDAY, Jan. fS.

Prayer by the Chaplain of the House.
Papers from the House were disposed of in
concurrence.
On motion Of Mr.. PArTEN of Penobscot,
pending its first reading, the bill an act to ex-
tend the time for taking smelts in the Penob-
cot and its tributaries, was laid on the ta-
BILE.
A communication was received from the
Secretary of State, Transmitting the report
of the Justices of the Supreme Court, to
whom the Legislature referred a resolve in
favor of the town of Alexander and ls other
towns. Referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary. 7N
On motion of Mr.. Conn of Androscoggin,
the resolve in favor of Frederick Thurlough
was indefinitely postponed.
On motion of Mr.. ELLIS of Waldo, the re-
solve in favor of James Cousins, Jr., was
laid on the table, pending its passage to be
engrossed.
On motion of Mr.. REDLoN of Oxford,
Ordered, That the Committee on Legal AT.
fairs inquire into the expediency of amend
ing chapter 6, section 81 of the revised stat
utes in relation to building, opening and re-
pairing roads in places not incorporated.
This order was admitted under a suspension
of the rules.
On motion of Mr.. RoGERs of Sagadahoc,
Ordered, That a message be conveyed by
the Secretary to the Governor and Council,
informing them that Hon. Charles A. White
has been duly elected State Treasurer for the
current fiscal year, that he has signifed his
acceptance of the office and filed his Official
bond, which has been duly examined and ap-
proved by the Legislature and deposited in
the Office of the Secretary of State.
The message was conveyed by the Secre-
tary. g
III tha I,ta
rior Waters, reported in a new draft, bill an
act authorizing William r. Sawyer to locate,
construct, and maintain an aqueduct in the
town of Steuben into and through the village
of Millbridge, and that it ought to pass. Read
and assigned.
Mr.. ELLIS, from the Committee on Civil
Service Reform, reported the following re-
solve: That the Secretary of State be d.
rected to furnish, hereafter, each member Of
the Legislature, two boxes of stationery, each
year, and no more, such as has been furnished
the present year, and they shall receive no
other perquisite. The Secretary of State is
hereby directed to keep detailed account Of
all stationery delivered to each department
and is forbidden to deliver to any other per
son. Provided that this resolve shall not
prohibit the usual amount of blanks to men,
bers and stationery for committees of the
Legislature and for the use of the Secretary
of the Senate and Clerk of the House. Print
ed under rule.
The resolve to facilitate the settlement of
the public lands of the State coming before
the Senate on its passage to be engrossed,
Mr.. THOMAS proceeded to explain the pro-
visions of the resolve and to urge its pas
sage. He said that when his eyes for the
first time rested upon the Legislature of the
State the question then before the august
body for consideration was the winding up of
| the Land Office. Ithas engrossed much ofthe
| the time of the Legislature ever since. Once il
was constitutionally abolished, but sprang up
again under the law. The land once pos
sessed by the State has all been sold, and il
now only owns the fees from - 900 acres,
which the settlers hold not by deed but BY
certificate. The Treasury of the State does
not derive one cent from this arrangement.
The chief condition which was to benefit the
| State was the performance of the road labor.
He submitted an amendment to the resolve so
that no interest should be required upon the
notes given on receiving the land. If inter
est was to be required it would necessitate
the continuance of the Land Office. Mr..
Thomas urged that the bill had been care
fully considered and drawn, so that the
rights of all were carefully guarded, and that
it was the best measure for closing up the
Land Agents Office.
Mr.. BARKER spoke in favor of the resolve.
He explained the history of the State lands
In 1926, all of the wild lands, after they had
been surveyed, were divided between Maine
and Massachusetts. AroostoOk county being
thus opened, and its value becoming known,
it was necessary for roads to be built. To
| bring about any action relative to the lands,
concurrent resolves of the two States were
necessary. But large portion Of the State
which belonged both to Maine and Massachu-
sets, were not laid out into townships, and
from lS43 to 1850 the speaker and Gen
Small were engaged in surveying this wild
land Then it was thought best for the State
to purchase Massachusetts share of the prop
erty, and it was done in 1853, the State pay
ing $780,, 500. Then the State went to work
and gave it all away to railroads, but with tie
provision that if any tract was found suitable
and was wanted by settlers it should be sur
veyed roads built and put into the market at
not more than 81 per acre. This matter has
been considered, he said, by the Committee
pm State Lands and State Roads, and legisla-
tion upon the matter is necessary now. II
there was no Land Agent he wanted
to know who was to find out about
the lands wanted for settlement? Re-
ferring to the resolve, he said that some
thought it was not just to the old settlers who
had paid 30 cents per acre and who had COM
| piieu with all tiie requirements oI tne Ctate
But he thought it about fair thing since there
was not now the choice in lands there was
some years ago.
The Senate then adopted the amendment OF
Mr.. Thomas and the resolve as amended pass
ed to be engrossed The resolve is as fol-
lows:
"That the Land Agent be authorized to con-
vey by deed to all persons who now or here
after may legally hold certificates Of land
from the State, either directly or by assign.
ment, the land described in such certificates,
upon such persons furnishing satisfactory
proof before January /, 1880, that they are
the sole owners of said certificates, that no
other person has any legal or equitable inter
est in the land therein described, and that all
road labor due in payment of said land has
been performed, all other settling duties be-
ing hereby waived. The price Of said land
shall be 80 cents per acre, without interest,
payable in road labor provided that nothing
herein contained shall authorize any person to
make any claim against the State for any ex-
cess of road labor over and above 35 cents
per acre, performed in payment ofany land"
On motion of Mr.. VNroN the bill an act tC