The Portland daily press., 1885-02-11
Remonstrance Against Extension
of the Athens & Skowhegan
Railroad.
Discussing the Expenses Of a Visiting
Committee.
Hearing on the Grand Trunk Rail.
way Matter.
A Lively Struggle Over the ArOostoOk
Superior Court Probable.
Especial to the Press,

in March, 1881, when, according to the re.
monstrants it was stipulated that if the cor.
poration failed to complete its road to Athens
on or before Jan. ], 1885, the act was void Nc
efficient measures they say have been adopted
to complete the road The remonstrants de.
clare that they were the original subscribers to
the number is Edward Ware with some 2e
others
MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
The resolve reported in the House in favor
of the Maine General Hospital calls for an ap-
preparation OF $500. 1t was ordered printed.
THE STATE PRISON coMMITTEE.
! In the House Mr.. Cobb's movement to get
1 an itsmized account of the expenses of the
State Prison committee ELECTED short debate
and was then defeated.
! Mr.. Cobb said that being young man per-
haps he looked at such matter differently
from some of the older members. He con-
! sidered the bill as an exon bitant one. He un-
derstood that by the rules of the House a
statement OF facts was required. He also un-
derstood that 26 composed the party, when the
rule limited isiting committees to ten. Other
committees had conformed strictly to the rule.
He had been informed that the committee had
invited members to go as experts in order to
save hiring other experts with view to look
ing into the matter of steam heating of the
prison, &c. He didn't expect to defeat the bill
bat his object was that committees in the
future should comply with the rule, and if the
com mmittee wanted to invite friends let the
friends bear the expense themselves.
Mr.. Walton of Skowhegan inquired il an
itemized bill had been asked for in any OF her
case.
The Speaker replied that there had not.
Mr.. Walton differed with the gentleman
from NJ mot in one respect, that if there had
been anything wrong he did not believe in
covering it up. He did not understand why
thia committee should have been singled out
from the committees which had visited other
institutions. He was not in favor of visiting
committees as hs believed them to be bill of
expense. IL the officers OF our State nstitu-
tions cannot attend to their duties without be-
ing visited by legislative committees each
year OF the session, he thought they had better
bs turned out aud Others put iato their places.
He was perfectly willing that the committee
should repeat everything that was said and
for one OF the members of the temperance
committee was one of the party.
Mr.. Dickey thought the visit of the commit
tee and other members OF the legislature was
productive of good. The sanitary condition of
the prison was in bad state, and if COM
mittse could go to Thomaston and remain for
three or four days and not have anything to
take" he should be mistaken.
INCREASE IN PENoBsC0T COUNTY ESTIMATES.
The Penobscot delegation in the legislature
at the suggestion Of the county commissioners,
will ask the Legislature to increase their coun-
ty estimates from $4,000 to 900 for the
years 1856 respectively. The additional
$4,000 for these two years is for the purpose of
building fre-proof vaults in their county
building, plans of which are to be submitted
to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and
a committee of the Penobscot bar for thesr ap-
proval. While the Penobscot delegation was
in conference with the county delegation to-
day in relation TO this matter, after it had
been disposed of Mr. Bass of Bangor, appeared
before the delegation to urge them to recon-
mend to the legislature an appropriation of
$1,000 for the Eastern Fair and the same
ton.
THE GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY.
The Committee on Judiciary gave hearing
on petition for exemption OF taxes on gross re-
ceipts, az provided by the charter OF the Allan
tic g st. Lawrence Railroad Co. A. A, Strout,
sEq., of Portland, appeared for the petition
ers, and claimed that good faith on the part of
the State required that the agreement con-
tanned in the charter should be carried out;
that the Grand Trunk took lease of the At
iantic & st. Lawrence at a time when it was
threatened with bankruptcy, and whom the
debt of the city Of Portland amounted to ST.
e00,000, and the other obligations of the rail-
road were imperiled; that the lessee had SUBJ
stautialy rebuilt the entire line OF road, and
had run it at an annual loss OF 100000. 1t
was the only independent competing line to
the West, and that both policy and good faith
demanded that the Legislature should aid,
rather than unjustly attack it in its efforts to
bring business to the State and make it its
great Atlantic terminus. He showed the ad-
vantages arising from ocean lines of steamers
making their winter port in Maine, and said
that he would submit to the committee bill
but would place the burden where it was
placed by the charter, upon the lessor, and not
upon the lessee.
Judge Goddard George c. Wing, General
Samuel j. Anderson, Weston F. MilIiken,
Byron D. Verrill. j. M. Libby and j. S. Pal
mer all made brief remarks in favor of the bills
and declared it was the sentiment OF the peo-
pie acquainted With the facts that the legisla-
tion asked for should be granted.
S. G. Hatch Of the Executive Council, ap-
peared in opposition to the bill, in the absence
of Attorney General Baker and argued that
the State was fairly entitled to the tax which
was assessed upon the road in 1881, which act
the petitioners sought to repeal. The commit
tee took the matter under consideration.
COMMITTEE HEARINGS
The committee on Military affairs gave a
hearing to Mai Ptckey, on the purchase of
the block house at Fort Kent. The matter
was laid over, the committee to communicate
with the owner of this historical relic and
ascertain TIE price he puts upon it.
The oraer relating to the preservation of the
muBterout rolls in the Adjutant Generals
oficswss referred to q sub committee to ascer-
taix this expense of preserving them in book
firm, the ssoae as is done in New Jersey.
No hearing was given by the committee on
interior waters on the Cape Elizabeth ferry
matter, on account OF the absence of Hon,
Bion Bradbury.
The committee on legal affairs, on bill to
regulate the practice of veterinary medicine
and surgery, voted ought not to pass; also the
same on bill to compel speedy trials, etc.
Voted leave to withdraw on petition to in
corporate st. Sauvier's church at Bar Harbor.
Ought to pass on bill for q loan by Franklin
county commissioners; also on bill to legalize
actsof Congregational church at Sumner, and
on bill to repeal act Incorporating town of
Kingbury.
A hearing was given to parties interested in
the bill to supply NWateryille with water from