The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-12

BY TELEGRAPH.
AUGUSTA.
A QUIET DAY IN THE LEG|S,
LATURE.
HEARING ON THE ROCK
LAND DIVISION CASE.
MORE STRINGENT PROHIB-
TORY LAWS WANTED.
Special Despatch to the Press

today. The House passed an order to have the
committees all make their final reports by the
25th inst, which means final adjournment of
the law makers by the first week of March. In
order to facilitate and prevent the interruption
of business the House voted that no question
giving rise to debate shall be discussed until
after the morning hour has expired.
Mr.. Perry, the Fusion member from Cam
planned that the report of the recent commun-
istic meeting at Camden was garbled as it APP
peared in morning paper, and denied that he
had ever insinuated that $50 had been paid to
Baptist clergyman OF this city, who was a
former classmate Of his, which everybody
here knew was base falsehood, with or with
out Perry's disclaimer.
An attempt was made to have the rules Of
the House suspended for one week for the re-
ception of petitions, but the time was only ex
tended for today.
Clerks in the Treasury.
Edwin c. Burleigh of Bangor resigned the
Assistant clerkship of the House today to ac-
cept clerkship in the State Treasurer's Office
Mr.. Burlegh was serving his fourth term as
Assistant Clerk. For three years he was Land
Agent. The House ordered another assistant
clerk to be elected, which resulted in the choice
of Frank L. Patten Of Newport, who received
SO out of the IS votes cast, the Fusionists hav-
ing no candidate of their own.
The Rockland Division Case.
large number of committees were. engaged
today in the consideration of matters referred
to them. Among the various gentlemen who
acted as counsel before the committees for par
ties, was the venerable Governor Arson P.
Morrill,. The most animated hearing which took
place was that before the committee on towns
in Representatives Hall, which drew full
attendance. The hearingwas given to parties
interested in the setting off Of Ward in the
city of Rockland and incorporating it into
separate town. For the two previous winters
this project has been before the legislature and
defeated each time. The petitioners complain
Of the unjust burdens they have to bear, and
claim that while they receiyesnone of the bone
fits that those living in the city derive, they
have to pay their part Of the taxes for the
same. If they are set off they offer to pay
their proportion of the city's Indebtedness
Ward is a little village about one mile and .
half from the city proper, and is piece Of ter
ritory some eight miles square. In contains
125 farms. There are likely to be several
hearings before the committee is resdy to re-
port.
Investigation Of the Count.
Mr.. Hales committee on investigating the
election returns, warrant and appropriation
books and papers of the Governor and Council
for 1879, surrendered by Sawyer, met this
aftarnnnp for fba frcf ipno
Geo. d. Bisbee of Buckield, was elested
clerk. A competent stenographic reporter will
be employed. The session of the committee
was principally devoted to arranging the cleo
ton returns and getting them in shape for ex-
animation! The crookedness under the
Garcelon regime will be thoroughly sifted. The
first public hearing will be given by the COM
mittee some day next week. Quite number
of witnesses have already been summoned.
The committee on State reform school voted
this afternoon to visit that institution on FRI
day of the present week. On Wednesday of
next week they will give hearing to the
managers of the Industrial School for Girls at
Hallowell.
The Bridgton Railroad
Tomorrow hearing will take place before
the railroad committee on the granting of a
special charter to the Bridgton & Portland
railroad. The length of the proposed road is
some forty miles running through Bridgton,
Naples, Casco and Raymond, and its cost is
estimated at some 100000. 1t seems that the
company cannot organize under the general
law, for the reason that it will be built within
ten miles of another road, which the railroad
law forbids; consequently there must be
special legislation to carry out the project.
The Wants OF the Prohibitory Leaders.
Neal Dow and perhaps others who are here
today will appear before the legislative tenn
perance committee to ask for additional penal
ties to the liquor law, and to urge the commit
tee to report some meas ure that will compel
sheriffs and county attorneys, who now wilful-
ly refuse or neglect to prosecute violators Of
the liquor law, to do their duty as required by
law. The enforcement OF the law depends
mainly upon sheriffs and county attorneys, and
the friends of temperance claim that in several
counties these two officers, notably in Penobs-
cot county, are derelict in their duties. In
Penobscot county it is said the law is nullifed
by the refusal of the sheriff and county attor-
ney to enforce it. Representatives of the re-
form clubs will appear before he committee
and ask for favorable report on the prohibit
ton of the sale of cider as beverage. AS the
law now stands it only applies as construed by
the court, to cider drawn on the premises
where it is sold. The reformers want the
peddling Of it by the quantity as beverage
stopped or placed under restrictions
Valuation Commissioners.
hn CumharIoud no,,pty do1a0a%;oy, <h;. of
ternoon voted solid to recommend the appoint
ment by the Governor of Hiram Knowlton of
Portland on the State Valuation Commission
for that county. The Franklin county delega-
ton selected j. W. Fairbanks of Pennington,
and the Washington county delegation L. G.
Downes of Calais as members OF the commits
sion for their respective counties.
Consolidation OF Schools.
The bill to authorize the consolidation of
schools in certain cases, amends chapter
eleven of the Revised Statutes so that it will
read as follows:
Section IA town at its annual meeting,
or at meeting called for that purpose, may
determine the number and limius Of the school
districts tn erein, but they shall not be altered,
discontinued or annexed to others except on
the written recommendation OF the municipal
Ofncer6 ana experimenting school committee,
accompanied by a statement of facts, and on
conditions proper to preserve the right and
obligations of the inhabitants; but when in the
judgment of the board consisting of the NUM-
cipal officers and experimenting school COM
mittee or supervisor, the number of scholars in
any district becomes too few for the profitable
expenditure of the money apportion to said
district, said board may suspend the school in
said district and cause the money to be ex-
pended, for the benefit of the scholars in said
district, in the adjoining district or districts.
Said board shall make record of its decision
in relation to the school in said district, sign
the same and cause it to be recorded by the
town clerk, and such decision shall remain in
full force until annulled by vote of the town
or by the action of a subsequent board. Said
board may reserve not more than one-half of
money appropriated to such districts to be ex-
pended, in their discretion, for the conveyance
of children of sush districts to and from school.
RIO the Associated Press.l
In the Elliot bridge case the committee on
ways and bridges voted to report legislation in
expedient.
The committee on legal affairs voted to re-
port bill authorizing the county commits
soners of Somerset county to reassess certain
taxes. also to report a bill to incorporate a