The Portland daily press., 1889-01-14
HISTORICAL STUDY FOR THE JUDICIARY.
Mayor Dickey's RemIn iscences of
the Ashburton Treaty.
A Claim for $4,000 Thar He Thinks is
Not a "Reminiscences.
Great Diplomats Who Met In the IL
brary Room Of the Capitol.
Especial to- the Press. ]

AUGUSTA, Jan. 1Z.-MaJ0r Dlckey. OF
Fort Kent, is not only the landmark of the
House, bat he is one of the most interesting
men as well. he has served with many
generations of public men in Maine; and he
is continually doing or saying something t,
call to mind scenes or men that are gone.
Yesterday forenoon he introduced in the
House an order that will bring up before the
judiciary committee before many days some
"reminiscences of one Of the most interesting
and important historic scenes that ever was
witnessed in our venerable State House.
The order refers to a claim of about dozen
settlers of the Madawaska county for about
$4,000 from the treasures of Maine and Mas
sachusetts. The history of this claim, as
set off by Major Dickey's "reminiscences is
very interesting. Previous to the Ashburton
treaty, which was included on the 9th of
August, 1S42, the lands all along our north
eastern border were in dispute between
Maine and the British provinces. The
British government granted to its subjects
lands that were claimed by Maine. and Maine
granted lands to her subjects over on terri
tory that was claimed by the British. When
the present boundary line was finally fixed
in 1912. many British subjects were left on
our side of the line holding land under titles
derived from the British, while many of our
people, holding titles from Maine, were left
on the British side. There was one whole
Maine town, the town Of Bakerville, that
was thus left in British territory. In order
topreserve the rights of these people the
United States and British governments made
an arrangement to suit the people of Maine
and New Brunswick. Major Dickey remem-
bers we'll the demands that Maine made He
was member Of the Maine Legislature in
eastern Boundary. He thinks he is the only
living member Of that committee, OF WHOM
were Edward Kavanagh, OF Damarisc0tta.
the chairman and next year governor OF the
State, Bion Bradbury, late of Portland,
dead. This committee held sessions in the
hot weather-the legislature then met in
summer-up in what is now the library
room. A great array Of able men were
there: Daniel Webster. Peleg Sprague,
Lord Ashburton himself and may others.
The British diplomats agreed that their
government would confirm the titles Of set
tiers on their side of the line, and the United
States representatives on their part agreed
to fix the titles on the Maine side. The
British moreover agreed to pay $4,000
Maine it was arranged that the State should
confirm to the settlers in its limits the
titles to their lands, and should re-
ceive from the United States treasury Sls50
an acre for the land so confirmed. Massa-
chusetts, however. was joint owner with
Maine in these lands, and received half the
money. About this time the Maine land
agent, who was Levi Bradley, allowed GER
tain lumbermen to cut timber on these town
ships, which the treaty arrangements con-
rad f,f has oft Enr hn nft
as and AT, large quantities of this timber
were cut off and the lumbermen paid the
money therefor into the treasures of Maine
and Massachusetts. But General Webber,
the Massachusetts surveyor stationed in
that region realized the error made by the
land agent, and though unable to prevent it.
kept accurate accounts of all the timber cut,
and made returns to the State authorities.
The records of his report Major Dickey has
hunted out of the documents OF the land
gave the names of the settler al
legged to have been deprived of their
lumber and the value of it. There were
about dozen of them, and their claims
amount to about $500. As half the money
paid for the lumber went to Massachusetts.
Major Dickey hopes to get but the other half
from Maine. About half the claimants are
alive, and the other half left heirs. Major
Dickey hopes to get the judiciary committee
to approve the claim, and will tell his story
is the only man in the legislature who would
instigate one of the committee to trespass
upon the familiar stamping ground of the
Maine Historical Society.
Capital Notes.
The hope of Waterville that they would
get their term of the superior court without
opposition seems futile. A remonstrance
against this bill has been drawn up and
signed by Orvilie d. Baker and twenty-five
Augusta lawyers. who propose to fight it out
to the bitter end.
At every session there is more or less in
surance legislation demanded. 1t is learned
that assessment life insurance companies
located outside the State will ask permission
to do business in the State. 1t would also
be expedient, 1t is asserted, to enact law
for an annual examination of mutual fire in
surance companies conducted in the same
manner as that of other companies. The
mutual concerns are now simply obliged to
make returns to the Insurance Commissioner
and these are not OF much consequence.
move is also on the tapis for general law
applying to assessment life and accident in
surance companies.
The entire $4,000 appropriation for the
State pension department has been used and
the committee on pensions have held
a meeting to consider the expediency of
increasing the amount appropriated. OF the
1900 applications for pensions the past year
S52 have been granted.
At the meeting of the committee on towns
0. ID. Baker, ESQ.,, attorney for the people of
Boothbay village, appeared and had Monday
January 21st, assigned as date ON which
hearing should be had on the division of
that town.
The committee to examine the state treas
urer's accounts have completed their labors
AMI have made their report to the governor
and council. The report covers the tran
sactions for the whole of 1888. The COM
mittee found the books properly kept. and
the accounts all correct.