The Portland daily press., 1881-01-28
BY TELEGRAPH.
AUGUSTA.
Hearings on Important Rail
road Matters.
THE MOVEMENT TO CHANGE
THE DIVORCE LAWS.
Woman Suffragists Make a Fav-
orable Impression.
Gov. Plaisted Presides Over the Tenn
perance Convention.
Gov. Plaisted Presides Over the Tenn
perance Convention.

SeNerhl Ullls Vi upoEtduCo Woro iAeAoo"SS~
as we'll as reported in the Legislature today,
while the preliminary steps were taken for a
joint special committee to which will be re-
ferred the report of the Valuation Commits
sion. The committee on apportioning the
Congressional districts was appointed. A
charter was asked for the Junction Railway
Company of Portland. A bill was introduced
which provides that owners of cemeteries aad
burying grounds, by written agreement record
ed by the town clerk, may, by vote of the
town, within one month after the agreement
is recorded, have them become public and sub
jet to the law, provided the agreement
does not conflict with the terms of any con-
veyance or devise of land for the purpose of a
burying ground. The Patrons of Husbandry
in Maine want law 30 that note given for q
patent right shall have the words "patent
right" incorporated in the body of the note,
and that the note shall not be valid unless
value has been received. A bill was intro
duced to compel tree agents who belong out Of
the State to take out license for which $50
will be charged The Senate tabled the Port
land g. Rochester railroad bill, with an amend
ment that was offered, pending its passage to
be engrossed.
The Educational Committee voted to give 3
hearing on the evening of Feb. 8, to those in
tsrested in a change of the school law relating
to employment of teachers, and another hear
ing Feb. 10, to the friends of Oak Grove Sem
mary in Vassalboro, who ask for renewal of
State aid to that institution.
The committee voted to report bill to
change the uame of the Maine Central Insti-
tute at Pitts6eld to that of anybody who will
give the institution $4,000, and authorizing
its removal to any town, providing the inhab-
itants shall donate buildings and grounds for
the institution equal to those at Pittsfeld, and
provided there is no Normal School in the
town. If the school maintains normal de-
partment it shall receive from the State the
interest of $4,000 until 1885, and after
that year, if 1t is in successful opera
ton and holds school property to the
amount of $4,000, then the State of Maine
shall pay over to the trustees of the institute
the aforesaid $4,000, and this shall be invested
by them and the interest applied for the uses of
the institute.
A resolve will be reported appropriating $500
for 1881 and a like amount for 1882 to pay the
expenses of teachers institutes in each county
The railroad committee gave three hearings
this afternoon in each of which decision was
reserved. One was given to the Boston &
Maine railroad company for authority to pur-
chase the Old Orchard Beach railroad. Geo.
Yeaton of Berwick appeared for the Boston &
Maine and Mr.. Foss of Saco for the remon-
strant, q party who holds five shares and OBJ
jects to the sale.
Frank Wilson of Bangor appeared for the
Aroostook River railroad company who desire
to extend their road from Fort Fairfield or
Caribou to Houlton and thence to Fort Kent.
There is no opposition.
o. W. Davis, Jr., of Bangor, also appeared
and advocated the revival of the charter of
the Brownville and Sebec railroad.
The legal affairs committee transacted a
considerable amount of business. They voted
to report a bill to increase the capital stock of
the Auburn Aqueduct Company to $3.50, 900.
They also voted to report bill to allow
libraries and charitable associations to hold
real and personal property to the amount of
100000.
The committee also voted to report bills to
fx the duration of licenses for billiard rooms
and bowling alleys; to amend the law relating
to fast driving on bridges; and to revise the
law relating to the taxing of lumber by re-
pealing chap. 100 of the laws of 1879.
They also voted to report adversely on the
bill for the prevention of the destruction of
pigeons, and on the petition to establish the
legal rate of interest at per cent.
The judiciary committee gave public hear
ing in the Representatives Hall to those in
terested in having change made in our d.
vorce laws. There was large attendance of
spectators, nearly one-half being ladies.
Rev. Mr.. Dickerman of Lewiston was the
first to call the attention of the committee to
such legislation as he considered necessary,
while he pointed out the evils which the
alarming increase of di FORCES occasioned Gov.
Dingley also presented his views, in which he
stated that there were more divorces decreed
in Maine in proportion to our population than
in any other New England state. Lewis Bar
ker Of Bangor believed that the only solution
of the question would be more healthy edu-
cation of the rising generation in regard to the
marriage relations.
The committee also gavel a hearing to those
interested In woman suffrage. Senator Dud-
ley spoke in favor of the proposed constitution
al amendment to allow women to vote, and
Mrs. DR.. Devoll and Mrs. Hunt of Portland,
and Mrs. Stevens of Stroudwater, who spoke
briefly on the right of their sex to vote in re-
gard to school matters. They made favora-
BILE impression. Another hearing will be
given Feb. 8.
The Committee on Military Affairs made a
visit to the Bath Soldiers Orphans.Home today
returning by to-night's train. They speak in
terms Of commendation of the management of
the Home, and will recommend an appropria-
ton.
Gov. Plaisted presided over the temperance
convention this evening. In his remarks he
offered no apology for not alluding to the sub
ject of temperance in his message, but claimed
that while he did not pretend to be temper
ance man he should enforce the laws he had
sworn to maintain. If there was any laws on
the statute book, he said, that they did not
want to enforce they had better be repealed
The Governor gave his hearers plenty of taffy,
and when he finished he was warmly congratu-
lated by Neal Dow, Joshua Nye, A. j. Chase
and others.