Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-23

~ to his financial condition ss The Nv,
meeting Of May :, man asked Who u
boothbay Water Company we're, and q
planned a. far ~ | knew. Cannot tell u,
explanation in full. All knew abous i
vas by Rradstreets report and the letter n
ee.ved from Hudson, They did not rspress.
MIN a. worth any money. The contract With
him vas signed Dec. II, 81. Thlnk The
nrsi 10 had with the selectmen that y,
lad ma 10 IT was about Avril q. Sc, bot ~
tact ~as generally understood in town. whss
they told me they had no, seen the conzse,
| told them where it was Think ve me,
the nett DAY aud examined il. Don't rrcol
ieet that they said IL Was not such cvusracI
s ~ were authorized to make. The chair.
man said II ~as . nice one, beyoud his az.
pectation with the exception Of one or suo
articles which he did not consider lesal.
There vas discussion as to the source
from which the water vas TO be takea. We
did not consider We bound the water cou-
pAnv 10 a contract Of hfty years unlsss sAs
town ratified the contract In that respscs.
considered that contract binding upon IL
town from Dec. ~ 10 April & The sssi.
mates for bringing water into the town varied
very much; from Adams pond they varied
from Nifty to eighty thousand dollars.
oses. In all these subsequent msesins,
held by the town did you not understand ths,
Il vas the matter In the contract To which
they objected ~hioh you had put In thsr,
without authority, rather than . war asaiost
wsterg
Aus. No, sir, l never Understood IL "a.
! Al~Ays understood they werv ready 10 have
water when IL came right, but never eould
understand what they meant by right.
carry on the tshing business to quite q
large extent. Engage in mackerel, cod.
herring, ale~ive and salt water fishing sen-
orally. The trm name is y. Nickerson 4
Son. My two brOthers, my father and my.
self have an interest in the concern. There
10 another firm al the hArbor, }. G. Poole. A.
times We employ $50 men in our business
but that 10 only for short season. Part Of
our business 10 hitinE ont hshermeu.
Redirect; Should say that there isn't
10 per cent Of the business done there now
that there WAS when went there 70 years
ago We get our crews almost exclusively
from the provinces, while we used 70 get
them from Boothbay and vicinity,
Ques. Mr, Niekerson, at that eonsulta-
ton with the selectmen In May. which you
say vac the nrst time you met them a. q
body, ~as ANY statement made by Mr. Race
AS to the amendment of the i<lh clause, and
what he would do II that were chan Sedp
Ans. Not by Mr. Race. Il was made by
Mr., Kelley, ! think. Mr.. Kelley said Il
II was first rate contract with the exception
of one or two articles. lie said II that article
could he changed so As to hold the town for
70 years he would hold up both hands 10 Il.
The clause WAS changed. Didn't consider
II necessary To make any report to the se,
lectmen As such. II they had come and
asked they could have had il. Never
h.. t.ykt k..s Al.
came to take the valuation On my store.
Senator Freeman Al whose request did I
understand that this town meeting Of July
l<th WAS calledS
Ans. by request Of some Of the cisisens
al the harbor village
ID. A. Moody, called Tor the petitioners,
testified as follows
! live In Boothbay. Am = druggist Have
lived there, think u 10 siI years last Ocso-
Der. Moved there from what 10 nov the
town Of P,tts,on. Was one Of the charter
members of the water company. ! assigned
my interest under the charter before the OF.
eeunon of the contract Was one OF tho
committee appointed by the town to execute
the contract.
Ques. And since that time, the time when
you executed the assignments Of your inter
| esu or voted To assign them, have you he'd
any interest. either directly or Indirectly, In
the Boothbsy Water Company
Ans. ln no way. Was present when the
new contract was made. The contract, and
! think all the letters that Mr.. Nickerson
had had, all those We considered q any 90.
eoun, from any parties whom be had cor
municated with in regard TO the water. Was
ready To maLe report at the meeting, but
none was called for, think that Il vas
some time in August, ~, that l had . con
ference with Judge Dsnfortn in regard "
the power of our committee to make this
proposed contract Of 'ss, the new one. ths
second contract, Went TO Squirrel Island
and saS him In regard to the matter. Had
been asked by certain parties II Vas willing
TO make a second contract providing there
were parties who would take 1t, according 70
the vote OF the town Of MAY rs. 1887. Said
" them that | would, provided that knew
We had authority 10 do 80, otherwise I would
not. and went to Squirrel Island. 6au
Judge Danforth and asked him II We had Q
| right 10 contract. lie aske me IL We had
ever been discharged and I told him We
never had. lie said. certainly you have .
right to make any contract"
| Ques. Di you state at that time when you
were appointedf
| Ans. Well I won't say a. to that posi-
lively. lie knew. because the Arst contract
had been before him and he had given his
bond already upon that.
This was last August, l think. Was ap-
pointed In May. 81. Paid four per cent.
upon our stock there. My real estate In
Boo,hbay 10 situated on what 10 known -
West street, not more than hundred rode
out from the business portion I should say.
1t is real estate alone-s lot with no build
| ...... IA IL .I.l.- -
and have a cellar partially completed. I
propose To build = wooden dwelling house
there. Should have built before now had
the water been put In as contemplated. An
one of the petitioners here asking for . d.
vision.
Cros. era nination. Shall no, build until
the water 10 put In and there is some protec
ton from 8re as long as can hire place
to stay. and II cant think I will move oat
Should estimate my stock Of trade at o., 900
or $500. Live right at the harbor.
Gus. Now, sir, when you saw Judge
Dsnfortb At Squirrel Island did he not ssy
to you that 1t would be necessary for the
Town to ratify any acts that you A. = commit
tee would perform.
Ans. He did not.
Did not 20 to him for the express purposs
of getting counsel. Offered 70 pay him and
a'ked him how much for his advice and h
said nothing"
Ques. Did you explain 70 Judge Danforsh
that the new contract which you did make
was With parties entirely opposed 70 thoss
who composed the Booihbay Water Com
pany when you made that first c0ntrscti
Ans. told him nothing Of the kind.
asked him II we would be authorized to
make a new contract. Did not know or heal
that IL was communicated to the selecsmsn
before they brought their warrant for the
March meeting OF ~ that the water com
pany had no report To make. Never VA
asked word In regard to the contract. and
didn't volunteer any information. Had thu
contract in the March meeting. Went there
with the express purpose II called upon u
make any report that they might ask for
and had the contract with me In my pocket
Hal conversation With Mr.. Race. I told
him went there With the intention 70 make
any statement that I was called upon Il
make. I said u hin, If any one was q
fault In not having any report there ! thinh
the sslectmen we're in not putting IN article
in the warrant He said " me, II ihinl
mysslf that II was our fault In not having %
article put in" This conversation va vith
Mr.. Race and Mr.. Kelly vas present. They
appointed . meeting and Friday when they
had seen Mr.. Sickerson they came 10 ny
7 =. 49, Al A.