The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-16
TELEGRAPH AND rELErHoNn.

Acts OF incorporation have been granted the
Harrison and Bridgton Telegraph Company,
ior the construction OF q telegraph line from
Bolster's Mills, in the town of Harrison, to
any point in the town of Bridgton; to the
brunswick and Harpswell Telegraph and Tele-
phone Company, for the construction of line
from Brunswick to Potts Point and Orrs
Island IN the town OF Harpswell; fo the Bar
HarDor and Ellsworth Telegraph Company,
ior the construction of a line from Bar Harbor
through the town of Trenton to some point in
lhe city OF Ellsworth, and also from Bar Har-
Dor through Mt. Desert to Ellsworth: to the
risangeiey Telephone and Telegraph Company,
Tor the construction of a line from Phillips to
Indian Rock, in the town of Rangeley, or any
Intermediate point, with branch lines to Lake
Umpagog or any other point on the Rangeley
cnaln OF lakes; to the North Franklin Tele-
pnone Company, for the construction OF a
Ilne irom Strong TO Eustis, with branch lines
to New Portland, Anson and Salem: to the
kockland and Vinalhaven Telegraph and
telephone Company, for the construction of q
Ilne from Rockland to North Haven and other
towns; to the Bethel and Umbagog Telegraph
and Telephone company, for the construction
OF line from Bethel Hill to Cambridge, N.
ID. to the Atlantic Telegraph Company, for
the construction of lines anywhere in the
State; to the Ellsworth and Deer Isle Tele-
graph Company, for the extension of its line
from Ellsworth to Bangor; and the construc-
ton OF telephone line is also authorized from
Princeton to Grand Lake Stream.
CORPORATIONS.
Only slight changes have been made in the
laws relating to corporations, and these have
been favorable ones. Hereafter corporations NAV
organize under the general laws with a caDital
ranging from $1,000 to $2,000,00O, and if an
organization is effected with a capital too small
the same may be increased to the above
maximum amount The old laws relating to
the publication of semi-annual statements and
a mol r0fFr -
otate mas been such general dead letter that
u mas been modified SO that any corporation
having ceased to do business is hereafter
released from such obligations
The court is also allowed to dissolve corpora-
lions without the appointment of trustees nm
on proof that there are no existing liabilities
against the same and no existing assets re-
curing distribution among the stockholders.
MISCELLANEOUS.
In the matter of taxation some important
changes have been made. 1t is now provided
that all personal property employed in trade,
in erection OF buildings or vessels or in the me-
chanic arts shall be taxed in the town where SO
employed April LIST of each year, and all real
estate owned by corporations, companies or
persons engaged in the express business will be
taxed as nonresident real estate in the munic.
ipalities where situated.
Ihe name OF the town of Howard has been
changed to Willimantic West Waterville
changed to Oakland, Maysville annexed to
Presque Isle, and town of Brookton incorpor-
ated. The village charter of BoothbsV has
also been revived and amended.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS.
The town of Waterville has been granted q
city charter, and the name of West Waterville |
has been changed to Oakland. The acceptance
of both OF these acts, however, rests with the |
people at town meeting called for the pur-
0QgA Amendments hovo hao,, -
charters of the cities of Auburn, Rockland. |
Gardiner. Calais Bath, Biddeford and Halle |
we'll, and the legislative axe has cleft Saeo in |
vain and Old Orchard has been established as |
separate town. This action was deemed the I
'nly best promotive of the growth of this fa |
'orite resort, and that projected improvements
nay De made as rapidly as possible the newly /
Incorporated town has been granted the priyi- |
ege of leaning its credit to an amount not ex-
eeolng 9lV'VOo. Bangor has also been granted 1
more privileges and may now waive her inter-
SIS IN the hfst mortgage bonds of the BANGOR
2 Plscataquis Railroad in favor Of a new issne
4 bonds for the extension of that road 10
heassnfe to beaade cdhsfr 1tftnu trrrr=
ting the Indebtedness of cities, but since tiAa-
Ict was granted the time for building the road
las been extended to allow ample time to Sc
,nre subscribers to the stock and the construc-
ion of the balance of the road provided for in |
he original charter to the Bangor a. Piscata
luis Railroad. Municipal courts have been es-
taDllSD6Q D6XLSE anu NeSlDfOCk anu 1t sup
Elementary act passed that there may be no T
Construction of the legislation this winter that
will deprive the judge of the Superior Court |
Of Augusta of granting divorces. Quite a |
number of towns have also been granted spec |
ial legislation of a retroactive character that |
certain doings may be made valid. These acts |
are largely the result of ignorance Of the law |
or carelessness in Its observance, and if the |
legislation of this winter is any index it would
seem that the conduct of municipal matters is
too often left to men untitled for the RESPONSE
bility.
RAILROADS.
The railroad legislation has been very COM
prehensve and provisions have been made for
the construction OF lines TO about every busi-
ness centre of the State. The restriction that
forbade the building of new road in the same
general direction and within ten miles OF an
other has been removed and the Railroad Com
missioners granted power to authorize road
having organized as narrow gauge to change
its gauge to the standard width. Also, to de-
eide whether necessity and public convenience
demand the laying out aud construction Of
across any railroad, and il SO, to To-
cate the same, thus placing in their hands
veto power upon highways between certain To-
calities. The law relating to railroadaDla
been so amended that charter limitations for
the completion of road shall not be construct
ed to affect any portion OF road completed
within the prescribed time and the helders of
not less than majority Of the scrip or bonds,
due and payable more than three years or ON
which no interest has been paid for more than
three years, are given the right OF commencing
a suit against the cor ooration. ANY corporation
having organized as narrow gauge railroad
may hereafter change the same to the standard
gauge on application to the Railroad Commits
sionerS, and a railway may be built in the
same general direction of any other and within
ten miles of the same. The law relating to the
taxation OF railroads has also been amended SO
that horse railroads will hereafter be taxed
one tenth of one per cent when the gross av.
erage receipts shall not exceed $1,000 per mile.
Acts of incorporation have been granted the
Merchants Marine Railway Company for the
construction of a railway and wharves at Cape
Elizabeth and the carrying on of any business
connected Herewith; to the York Harbor and
Beach Railroad Company for the construction
and operation of railroad from some point
on the Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Rail-
road in the town of Kittery or York to Union
Bluff in the latter town; to the Bethel and
Northern Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
for the construction and operation OF narrow
gauge road from some point in Bethel, Green
wood or Woodstock to Richardson or Umba-
COG Lakes; to the Mechanic Falls, Poland and
Gray Railroad Company for the construction
and operation of road from some point on the
line of the railroad leading from Mechanic
Falls to Canton, through the towns of Miuot,
Poland, New Gloucester and Gray to point
on the Maine Central in the towns of Gray,
North Yarmouth or Cumberland.
The contract. of May 4, 1871, and all addition
al contracts between the Eastern and Port
land, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad Compa-
MES have been ratified: the time for the COM
pletion of the Bangor and Piscataquis Rail-
road to Moosehead Lake, extended to January
27 1856; the requirement authorized by the
junction Railroad Company of Portland of the
franchises and all the property of the Port
land Dry Dock and the rightto exercise all the
privileges granted that company; the lease OF
the Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Railroad
authorized to the Boston and Maine the priv
ilege granted the Ocean Street Railroad Com
pany TO extend its tracks to the city of port
land, and their operation as horse railroad
the time for locating and constructing the
Maine Shore Line Railroad extended to Feb.
! /, 1887; the right granted for the construction
and maintenance of railroad from Ellsworth
| to some point on the Eastern Maine Railroad,
and the running of its trains over the latter
road to connect with trains going West; the
extension of the Eastern Maine Railroad from
some point on its present line to Mt. Desert
| authorized and the organization of the compa
ny from the bonds of the Bangor and Bucks
| port Railroad Company ratified the sale OIL
lsase of the Knox and Lincoln Railroad ano
the change and extension of its location r.