The Portland daily press., 1891-01-29
SOME CUMBERLAND COUNTY MEASURES.
The County Commissioners Want To
Be Paid Salaries.
Proposed Insurance Legislation In
troduced In the House,
A Chapter on Various Hos pitals Real
and Otherwise.
Especial to the Press.1

ana OtherWise.
Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, January 2S.-Two matters of
Interest TO Cumberland county will prob
ably be presented in the legislature tomor-
row. Ons is bill to change the method by
which the commissioners of Cumberland
county are paid. These officers at present
receive per diem compensation at the rate of
$3.50. The bill provides for an annual sal
airy, che amount to be fixed probably at $500
and travelling expenses. The change will
not materially affect the amount received by
the commissioners, bat as their labors take
nearly their whole time it is thought that a
yearly salary will be better method of pay
Ing them than the present system of per
diem compensation.
The other bill relates to the Portland Mu-
nicipal Court. Hon. George M. Seiders Of
Portland, has been here to-day as attorney
for the county commissioners In its interest.
At present the city pays the judge Of the mu-
nlcipal court and receives a portion Of the
sums paid In for fines and fees. The county
pays the recorder and takes the balance of
the court receipts. Under the provisions Of
and recorder and take all the receipts. 1t is
understood that this change is satisfactory
to both the city andc0unty authorities.
This has been busy day for the legisla-
ture and the committees. The hearings re-
garding the Maine General Hospital, the
Lewiston Hospitals claim and on railroad
matters were among the important matters
before the committees. A number of prOmi-
nent Piscataquis county Republicans have
been here today in the interest Of the Clason
Australian ballot bill.
The Maine General Hospital.
Judge Nathan Webb, Major Sidney w.
Thaxter and DR.. A. o. Hunt spoke for the
resolve appropriatidg $1,000 for the Maine
Hospital before the finance committee. They
told of the erection Of the new wing, nearly
doubling the capacity of the institution, and
fully explained its methods Of work and what
it had accomplished. DIR. Hunt also brought
to the attention of the committee the good
work being done by the training school for
nurses In connection with the hospital The
committee has not yet acted upon tho resolve
but will probably do so at its next meeting.
Now Comes lewiston.
Next came the hearing on the resolve ap-
propriating 0,09O for Central Maine Gene
raj Hospital at Lewiston, the scheme which
hung fire two years ago. In behalf of this
there appeared Judge F. M. Drew. who
acted as attorney for the witnesses. Mr.. j. L..
II. Cobb, who Is one of the principal pro-
moters Of the enterprise, DIR. Donovan and
DIR. Hill of Lewiston, DR.. w. K. Cakes of
Auburn , ana representative, Noble NOD and saw
is sadly In need OF city hospital. 1t seems
that In that city, according to the testimony
of DR.. Hill, that people dangerously wound
ed have been carried In dying condition
and laid on the tables in the police station or
alderman's room. because there was no other
place tc which to take them. People In simi-
lar condition are removed to drug stores and
saloons for the same reason. In the crowded
factory boarding houses. so says DR.. Hill
mill operatives nave died Of neglect because
friends from helping them, and the city Of
Lewiston has no city hospital
Judge Drew opened the case with an argu-
ment based on the reports OF the Maine Gen.
eral Hospital, to show that that Institution
received the majority OF Its patients from
Cumberland county, and was, In that sense,
largely local institution. Judge Drew told
how difficult it would be to t. ansport q man
with crushed hip from Fort Fairfield to
Aroostook county, 300 miles to the hospital
in Portland. He did not say what particular
good it would do this unfortunate individual
to have another general hospital In Lewis
tod, practically as far from his home. But
Judge Drew's argument was good one for
the proposed hospital at Bangor.
Then Mr.. j. l.. 81. Cobb told how $4,000
had been pledged in three days. He thonght
there would be no difficulty in getting S10,-
600 more. The state would not be expected
to give 10000 unless the city raised like
sum. The corporation had, through the ac-
tion of the physicians OF the two cities, se-
cured a lot and twelve room hous In which
to begin work. The house and lot are yet to
be paid for.
DR.. Donovan and DR.. Cakes, as we'll as
DIR. Hill, spoke Of the fact that there Is no
city hospital in Lewiston or Auburn. The
of general came from the fact that many OF
the Lewiston mill operatives are not voters
In Lewiston.
9Mr. Noble, who followed them. apparently
saw the weakness of the case for he told OF
the benefit such hospital wonld be to the
ferred to the hospital as an emergency
hospital to be used in case of a severe ac.
cident in the mills. In short, as stated
above, the evidence showed that Lewiston
sadly needs city hospital. No need Of 6
general hospital there was shown. The
hospital now conducted by the French
Sisters of Mercy was doing good work bu
was net suited to the needs of the city. Th'
physicians who appeared knew that theil
patients would not be refused there bu
were reluctant to apply for their admission
patient there. This French hospital als'
wants $4,000.
All the witnesses united In praising th,
| good work Of the hospital at Portland, al
though Of course they urged the claim tha
another was necessary. A good word wa
also said for the Maine Eye and Ear Infirm
airy. .
brought out the fact that since the resolve II
their favor was defeated two years ago tn
Lewiston people had done nothing but tall
until the legislature met this winter.
Senator Mallet created a laugh by askinI
DIR. Hill II new building was created II tn
builders would find 1t necessary to 60 out o
the state for architects?
DIR. Hill replied that he hoped the roo
would not leak II they did.
The committee did not vote on the matte
| this afternoon.
The Tax Committee.
The special tax committee has appointe'
hearings as follows, to begin at 7 80 p. M:
| February s-Listing system, State assessors
| February 4-The double taxation of mortgage
and the taxation Of timer lands.
February 5-Railroads, telegraphs and e,
February 1O-Exemptions, collateral inheri
aDces and savings banks.
February 11-Co, poratlon and franchise take.
February i2--Eiectric light, water, gas and ii
surance companies.
Messrs. Spear, Savage and Chadbourn
are list committee to lock up court deci
ions on questions of taxation.
Other Committees.
The committee on labor voted today to r,
port favorably on the bill to make Labor Da
legal holiday. Secretary Perry, of th
Lasters' Union of Portland, and Secretar
Gilpatrick, Ct the Portland Carpenters III
ion. were among those who appeared in I;
vor of the bill.
The committee on insane hospital toda
voted to report a bill Increasing the salary |
Superintendent Sanborn from $1,000 to S2oo
The amount asked for was $500. A resul,
In favor of the Bangor insane hospiraI wi
| probably appear later.
The insurance committee will give hea
ing on the question of the inspection of boj
| ers In puDlic buildings. hotels and houses.
The committee on railroads voted 10 r.
port favorably on the bill permitting Il
Buston & Maine to increase its Capital sto1
to So, ,OOC, 600; the bill to legalize the transf,
| of the RumfOrd Falls & Buckfield railroad