The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-20


remainder, after reserving suitable number
for foreign exchanges, for distribution under
the direction of the board, among agricultural
societies and the people of the state. The
compensation of the secretary shall be $500
per annum and reimbursement for necessary
expenses incurred in the discharge of his
duties. The secretary shall be an ex-officio
member of the hoard of trustees of the State
College of Agriculture; also of the board of
commissioners relative to contagious diseases
in cattle.
The statutes have been amended so that in
case of the absence or sickness OF the Judge OF
the municipal court of Pennington, any tria!
Justice residing in that town shall have the
same jurisdiction in criminal matters as though
the municipal court had never been establish
ed.
A law has passed relating to the sale of
the franchise of railroads which provides that
the provisions of sections II to 20, each inclu-
sive, of chap. 81 of the Revised Statutes, shall
be construed so as to apply to the franchise of
railroad corporations whose railroads lie wholly
within this State, except that in case of rail-
road corporations notice shall be given of the
time and place of sale, by posting notification
thereof at the court house in each county
through which such railroad runs, either
wholly or in part, thirty days at least before
the day of sale. In case of sale upon execution
of such franchises. the officer shall deliver to
the purchaser conveyance by deed of the
franchise so sold. The franchises of railroads
CT their right to redeem mortgages, may. at
the option of the creditor be sold as before
provided, or may be seized on execution and
sold by auction.
The State Treasurer has been authorized to
procure loan of 1907 900 for payment of
bonds becoming due Aug. 10Th of the present
year. For such purpose bonds are to be issued
in sums not less than 800 bearing interest at
per cent and payable as follows: $4,000 in
one year, $50, 900 in two years; $50 900 in three
years; $4,000 in four years: $4,000 in five
years; $57 900 in six years. No sale of these
bonds shall be made at less than par value and
accrued interest thereon.
The law relating to ways has been amended,
which provides for an agreement of parties,
and if the parties do not agree, to an adjudica-
ton by the court. The case shall be reported
by. the Directing party, otherwise by the party
filing the motion, to the Law Court for judg
ment upon the law and the facts; and the Law
Court may, upon motion and report of the
evidence, set aside the verdict and order a
new trial. as in other cases.
A law has passed for the taxation of rail-
roads. 1t provides that the Governor aud
Council, between April l, and May l, in each
year, shall appraiSe the several railroads in
this State, with their franchises, rolling stock
and fixtures, at their cash value, and upon
The appraisal of railroad property shall en-
brace only the roadways, rolling stock and
franchises. The land, buildings and fixtures
outside of railroad ways shall be taxable in
the towns where located, as other property.
When railroad extends beyond the limits of
this State, the Governor and Council shall APP
praise the road within this State and so much
of the franchise and rolling stock as may be-
long to the company within the State. The
taxes shall be due and payable to the State
Treasurer, one half July ], next after the as
sessment is made, and the other half Oct. /
following. The tax is lien of all taxes on
the shares of any railroad company, and when
the tax is paid the State Treasurer shall credit
to each town in which shares in any road SO
assessed are owned April preceding, such pro-
portion of said tax as said shares bear to the
whole number of shares of such railroad COM
pany.
The name of the Bath Driving Park has
been changed to the State of Maine Live Stock
Association.
The law relating to liens on vessels has been
amended SO that whenever vessel shall have
been attached and the expense of retaining
possession shall be great or the vessel liable to
depreciate in value any attaching creditor or
owner of vessel may in term time or vacation,
petition a justice of the Supreme Judicial
Court for the vessel to be sold, and the Justice
may order hearing.
A law has passed relating to seizures on exc
cutions which amends the present law so that
40 seizure or execution of real estate where
there is no subsisting attachment thereof
made in the suit in which such execution is
sues, shall create any lien on such real estate,
unless the officer making it within five DAYS
thereafter files in the Office of the register of
deeds in the county or district in which all or
any part OF said estate is situated, an attested
copy of so much of his return on said execu-
tion as relates to the seizure, with the names
of the parties the date of the execution the
amount Of the debt and costs named therein,
and the court by which it was issued. If the
copy is not SO filed the seizure shall take effect
from the time it is filed.
A law was passed taxing express companies
and persons carrying on express business in
this State, threefourths of one per cent of the
gross receipts Tor the year commencing April
LIST OF the present, year and for every sub
Treasurer on or before May LIST annually. This
tax is in lieu of ali local taxation.
All telegraph companies doing business in
this State have also had imposed on them a
tax of two and one-half per cent on the value
of any line owned by them or by any perso
including all poles. wires, insulators, office
furniture, batteries and instruments, and any
circumstances or conditions which affect the
value of the property. The Governor and
Council are to determine the values and assess
the tax on or before May LIST annually and it
is to be paid the State on or before September
LIST annually, and shall be in lieu of all state or
municipal taxation on any of the property or
shares of companies or persons. When the
tax is paid each town will be credited such
proportion of the tax of each company as the
number of shares in said company owned in
the town bears to the whole number of the
company's shares owned in the State, the re-
mainder to be retained for the use of the State
The sum of $3.50 has been appropriated to
be expended under the direction of the Fish
Commissioners, for the propagation of fish.
A resolve passed that among the exercises of
the public schools, shall be the reading of the
constitution OF the United States, and the con-
stitution of Maine, as often as once in each
term, by every scholar who has attained the
age of fourteen years, either singly or in con-
nection with class, and that each scholar
shall pass an examination at the close of each
term, in the presence of the visiting superin-
tending school committee or supervisor, on the
first, eighth and the thirteenth articles of
amendments of the constitution of the United
States and on article first of the constitution
of Maine, and it shall be the duty of the
teachers and of the experimenting school COM
mlttee or supervisor, in each town, to see that
the requirements OF the resolve are carried in
to effect.
The legislature memorialized the General
Assembly of New York to amend the He'll
Gate pilot laws of that State SO that no half
pilotage shall be expacted from our vessels
using He'll Gate passage.
The joint select committee to investigate
alleged irregularities, changes and suppress
sion OF the election returns, and into the ille-
gal uses and expenditures of public moneys
under the control of the Governor and Coun-
Gil, has been authorized to sit after the close of
the present session of the Legislature, for the
purpose of continuing the investigation COM
mitted to it, and the power to further summon
witnesses, send for persons and papers, admin
lister oaths. and to employ clerical and stem
ographio force, is given to the committee, and
they may, if the same shall be deemed expe-
dent, make report of their investigation to the
Governor and Council. The sessions of the
committee shall be holden when practicable
in Augusta at the capitol.
MAINE.