Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-18

that town and out of courtesy to them he had
hoped the matter would be recommitted.
MIR. Gilbert said that the bill had been con-
sidered fully by the committee, that the OPP
position was due 60 some local feeling with
reference to the location of the church build
ing. and he did not think it necessary that
the matter should be presented to the COM
mittee again. and he would insist that the bill
now go forward on its passage.
The motion to recommit was lost by vote
| of 4S to 80, and on motion of Mr.. Gilbert.
the bill was then passed to be enacted.
| On motion of MIR. Bussey of Dixmont, re-
port of Committee on Legal Affairs. report
| ing legislation inexpedient on Legislative
order relating to selectmen keeping record
| of persons moving to and from their towns,
was taken from the table and recommitted
| to the same committee
On motion of Mr.. Foss of Saco, bill an act
to repeal chap 33l of the private laws Of
| 1877, restricting the killing of seal IN Casro
| Bay, was taken from the table.
Mr. Hale of Portland said that he had a
| bill to present. which he understood to be
| agreed upon as a substitute bill, and which.
he was informed, was agreeable to both the
petitioners and remonstrants. and he moved
that the bill be printed as substitute bill
and that the whole matter be laid upon the
table until some future day.
Mr.. Hinckley of Georgetown said that he
hoped the motion would not prevail. The
subject, he thought, was one which the COM
mlttee had considered fully. and upon which
they were unanimous in their report Mr..
Hinckley said that he considered this matter
of sufficient Importance to demand careful
considera ton. He detailed the origin and
course of former legislation relating to the
protection of seal in Casco Bay, and said he
did not think that because people came
to the towns of Falmouth and
Cumberland, and built elaborate summer
residences along the shore, thereby enhanc-
ing the value of surrounding property, they
were entitled to any special legislation which
would very injuriousy affect hundreds and
thousands of the hardy fishermen who obtain
from the waite of our coast scanty subsis
tence. He thought it would be great deal
more consistent to pass law granting a
bounty of fifty cents to dollar head for
| every seal destroyed, which would result in
| the benefit of thousands of dollars to this
State. He said that seals, instead of being
| 80 beautiful, harmless and innocent, as many
people supposed, were the most yOracious,
the most ravenous and most de-
structive to every kind OF valuable and edi-
| BILE fish on our coast of any species of fish
| except the shark. and he considered i, more
consistent to enact law for the protection
of wolves and bears upon the land than to
| enact law for the protection of seals in our
waters. If it is right that seal should be
protected in Cssco Bay. it is equally just that
| they should be protected in Saco Bay and
| other places, but he did not believe this
| House was ready t. enact a law to protect
the most miserable, the most destructive and
| most voracious of all animals that ever in
tested our coast, to the great injury of our
! fishermen. He hoped the bill would go for
ward on its passage
Mr.. Sprague Of Monson said that while
there was no minority report from the COM
| mittee which had had this question under
consideration, the committee were not exact
ly unanimous. He had himself considered
the propriety of making a minority report.
A long hearing had been given in reference
to the subject, and he had become impressed
with the idea that seals had rights, and that
they were a great attraction 10 the summer
visitors. He did not know of any fishermen
around Saco who had any objection to the
present law, but some of the fishermen in
other parts of the State, he understood,
feared that it would be enlarged. From the
evidences before the committee he believed
the seals were worth great deal to the sum
mer resorts.
Mr.. Hale explained that he simply wished
the bill to be laid upon the table to be print
ed, and said that it could be discussed when
it came up at future day.
Mr.. Dckey of Fort Kent hoped that
the courtesy of the House would be granted
to every member who desired to lay upon
the table II bill to be printed.
The bill was then laid on the table and or
dered to be printed.
Mr.. Hale of Portland, was called to the
chair.
On motion of Mr. DYER of Foxcroft, House
document No 9S taken from the table.
and on motion of the same gentleman it was
adopted as an amendme mt 70 House document
%. entitled an act to amend chap. 279 of the
special laws of 1888, entitled an act to amend
ard make valid the organization of the Bod
well Water Power Co., and for other purpos-
eS.
House document No. % was then taken
from the table and passed to he engrossed on
motion Of Mr. Patten of Brewer
O. motion of Mr. Walton of Skowhegan.
House document No. 40, resolve to aid in
constructing road from Shirley Mills in
Pscataquis county to the forks of the Kenne-
bee river, in the county of Somerset. was
taken from the table. and Wednesday was
assigned for its consideration
On motion of Mr.. Moore of ThOmaston,
House document No. IS resolve IN favor of
the bridge across Shin Pond stream in Mt
Chase, Penobscot, taken from the table
and the same gentleman offered the following
amendment: strike out the words ''tO be ex-
pended by some person designated by the
Governor and Council in the fourth and fl fth
lines, and insert at the end of said resolve
the folio wing, land said sum of $500 shall
be paid to said town when said bridge shall
have been completed to the satisfaction OF
some person designated by the Governor and
Council"
Pending the acceptance of the amendment,
the resolve and amendment we're laid on the
table to be printed.
On motion of Mr.. Diekey Of Fl. Kent.
House document No 81, an act to incorpor-
ate the plantation of Allagash, in the county
of Aroostook, and Thursday next was as
| signed fer its consideration.
On motion of Mr.. Hinckley of Georgetown,
House document No. SO, and ct for the pro-
lection of lobster traps, was taken from the
table. and the same gentleman offered the
following amendment: Insert, after the
word faction" in the eleventh line,
the words ''or indictment so
so that the line as amended may read, THAT
no action or indictment shall be maintained"
etc.