Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-03
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

Prayer by the Chaplain
Papersfrom the House disposed of in con-
currence-
Order relating to the Orphan Asylum at
Bath came from the House asking commit
tee Of conference and on motion of Mr.. EMERY
the Senate consented to join in committee OF
conference. The chair appointed Nessrs.
MoRTLAxD, CORNISH and FRIEND on that
Committee.
Mr. BIsBEE, from the Committee on the
Judiciary. reported bill to amend chap 90,
81 and IS of chap 6 Of the revised statutes
relating to the assessment and abatement Of
taxes.
Report accepted and bill ordered to be
printed
Mr. BERRY from the Committee on Agri-
culture reported bill an act to amend sec. 9,
chap 81 of the revised statutes relating to
mills and their repairs.
Report accepted and bill ordered printed.
Mr. EME.Y from the Committee on the
Judiciary. reported bill an act to enforce re-
turns and publication of statements by cor
porations. Provides penalties when corpor-
atoms or their officers shall neglect to inclose
returns to the Secretary of State, as required
by law. Report accepted and bill laid on
the table to be printed.
Mr.. MoRrLASD from the Committee on the
judiciary on order Of the legislature to in
quire into the expediency of changing chap.
go Of the revised statutes, reported legisla-
lion inexpedient: report accepted.
On motion Of Mr.. EMERi, pending its pas
sage to be engrossed, an act TO abolish con-
tinuance fees in certain supreme Judicial and
superior courts Of the State, was laid on the
table.
On motion of Mr.. BIsBEE, an act TO au-
thorize the Kennebec Log Driving Co. to
erect a boom across the kennebec river at
Browns island was tabled pending its pas
sage to be engros.ed.
Pending its passage to be enacted, an act
to amend sec. 81, chap. of the revived stat
utes relating to punishment for bribery and
corruption at elections, was tabled an motion
of Mr.. PAEcmER.
| The resolve in aid of road from the forks
of the Kennebec river in Somerset county, to
Shirley mills in Piscataqus, was taken up as
regular assignment.
Mr.. BrxToS opposed the appropriation for
this road. 1t was in the interest of the lum-
bering men and it would entail a large ex-
pense upon the people of Somerset county to
keep it in repair. The soil was poor and not
good settlers land.
| Mr.. FLINT said: Ii was not the lumber
ing men who desired this road; in fact the
land proprietors were opposed to it. 1t
would open up good district for settlers and
would shorten the distance to Moosehead
Lake and other places by many miles. He
considered it a public benefit for it would
open up lands which our young men might
take and thus We would retain them here in
stead of forcing them to go West.
| Mr.. BAKER considered the road of great
Importance for public travel and as open
ing district which would be settled by the
young men. The owners of the land will sell
it for 81 LOO per acre, that is. the soil, reserv-
| ing the lumber, for themselves.
| Mr.. JENNINGS said: He considered it a
measure of great Importance. He firmly be-
lieved in the policy of appropriating money
to open up the lands of the northern part of
| the State. There was the best farming see
| ton. Further, the summer travel to Moos e
| Head lake is increasing each year and this
road would facilitate that travel Soon that
lake would be one of the greatest summer
resorts in the United States and he wished
to encourage that travel, besides he desired
to vote in favor of the bill to encourage the
opening and settling the farming land of the
northern part of this State.
| The special assignment of the morning
hour was then called for. Majority and mi
nority reports If the Committee on Fisheries
and Game on seining mackerel. Pending
the substitution of the minority report.
Mr.. BREWER said: The petition was pre-
| scented by two towns, and referred to the COM
mttee on Fisheries and Game. They gave
notice of their hearing, but on that day none
of the petitioners appeared. But the remon-
| STRANGE, which had double the signers of the
petition, and came from four different coun-
ties, was represented. After considerable eff
fort, two of the members of the House from
| those towns, came in and represented the side
| of the petitioners. The representative of the
remonstrance said some 800 men were en-
gagged in the fisheries, as well as nearly 5000
vessels, and they csmed it would be great
injury to their business to prohibit their fish
ing with seins. There is no good reason why
the request of the petitioners shall become a
| law.
Mr.. WAKEFIELD, said that the report of the
committee after extended hearing was
| nearly unanimous. only one member in the
minority. Practically then the report
was made nine to one in the majority.
| Mr.. JENNINGS, said the hearing was long
one and patiently listened to by the committee.
He thought the gentleman who presented the
minority report was not very anxious that it
should prevail Certainly the report of the
majority coming as it did from nearly all the
members of the committee, should be con-
sidered by the Senate.
ne question u SUBSTITUTE lne HlilorltN
report in concurrence was lost.
The majority report was then adopted.
On motion of MIR. DISGLEY, an act enti-
| tied an act to amend sec. L. of chap. 2lS
| of the public laws of 1877, relating to saw
ings banks, was taken from the table. He
was opposed to the amendment of the Sena-
tor froS, Oxford (Bisbee) for striking ont
the words three years" and substituting the
word since Surprising that it should pass
and that there should not be surplus for
ten or fifteen years, this amendment would
| force the division of that surplus among all
the depositors for those ten or fifteen wears,
and the pay for clerical work to do this
would be more than the surplus. for it would
in all probability be small surplus.
Mr.. BIsBEE thought this amendment would
legislate in favor of those for whom the saw
ings banks were formed, viz. the poor peo-
pie. They could not keep their money in for
many years and the rich men could.
Mr.. PATTANGALL said He hoped the
amendment would not pass. for he thought it
would give the depcsitor a wreng impression,
that he could get more than four per cent for
his money.
Mr.. PARcuER said; He thought the peo-
pie were more anxious to have large divi-
dends than that the reserve should be in
creased. If bank could pay more than four
per cent. he was in favor of allowing them to
do so.
The vote was then taken on Mr.. Bisbees
Il =