Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-12
LOBSTER LAI.
IIeegoB Rtnantlazess Jsaila is
Chln1e.
Lab3s Commsesss.

LAb,s commitsss.
There vss an Interesting hearing befor
the IaboT committee Wednesday sfssrnoo,
On the subject Of fortsighsiy %; mens o.
rsilsoads. Mr.. Russell Jones, enc .of tn
fofemen tn ne WassfvilIs shope. an,
Mesrs. Smiley and Brown Of the aam
shops appeared On behalf nf the petition
sys. Mr.. Jones said lie bad personally q,
preference in the msrer, hut he believe.
il you'd be IN the advsnsas
Of the voskmen Who desire,
70 get their money forsnisht!y to have tn,
privilege Of doing 20. Mr.. Hyiand said b.
bad known instances where men had sp
Piled for their money on special occasions
and had ossn told that Il wss contrary q
70 rule TO pay oftener than once month
Had done 80 himself Mr. Smiley spoks Of
the dissdvantsse Of the credit system undsl
which the men had to lshor and be though
only proper that the railroads, or especially
the Maine Central, should pay fortnishsly
It would be no worse for them than il il
for the roads in Massachusetts,. He didnr
believe the people Of Massachusetts would
repeal the Law any more than they would
ths ten commandments.
Supt, Brown, superintendent Of the Ban.
gar 1 Piscstsquis r. R., ssid that the en-
ployss on his road we're satisfied With
monthly rayments, and II compelled TO pay
sortniahtiy the road would have 10 employ
. larger force.
Representative Shaw Of Portland, said
he hsd been paymaster for the Maine Cen
rAl X. K. for 10 or 10 years. These
petitions coming from Watsrvills was the
ssst intimation he had received thst the
men wanted fortnightly pay ments He re-
ceived continually applications for pay.
ments in cases where. for special reasons,
the party needs immediate payment These
requests we're always granted on good rea-
Sons. When the fortnightly payment law
vas adopted 10 Massachusetts, he wrote the
large railrosd corporations and the replies
be received showed that in many instances
the men were Displaced ct receiving their
money fortnight!y. On the Boston &
Maine they have been compelled to add
largely to the force Of the psymaster's de-
psrtmen.. It would complicate the pay
ment system not only on the Maine Central
but on sil other roads.
senator Haines wanted TO know II they
couldn't arrange with the Wsresviiie en-
ployss to pay fortnishtly. He didn't care
for any law. but thought the mems demands
xsre entitled to consideration.
In executive session ii was voted that the
measure oush. not 70 pass.
Fisheries and oame.
The committee on fisheries and game dis
cussed the proposed change in The lobster
law and RspresentAtive Trusseil Of 81.
George spoke in behalf Of the poor lobster
men Of Maine and particularly for those 10
Knor equity. He said that the fishermen
desire q change in the size Of HOLSTERS al
lowed to be caught from 10 IL inches 10
10 inches and believed such a change
would be financial benefit. The fisher
men at present disregard the Law and sell
all the Holsters caught. The small Holsters
are sent to Portland. where they are packed
and sent west. They sell marketable
HOLSTERS. 10 LIZ inches long. for IA cents.
Mr.. Geo. W Smith Of JonespoIt, said
that the present law was perfectly sstisfse-
tory. II VIZ reduce the length to 10 inches
this leaves the Holsters between 8 ard 10
inches for packing and will practically
Wyman Of Millbrldge, said that ut St
George where the petitioners live the fish
ing Is lone in the winter. Nov the great
times for fishing are the spring and fall.
L nder the present law half the Holsters
canght from Mt. Desert to PASSPORT last
fall were thrown away dead for want Of
market. More would be thrown away If
we had 10 inch law. In the eastern part
of the State few Holsters are sold illegally.
1t Is likely that the law is as well enforced
10 Knox County as in Washington. He
Judged that Mr.. Trussell spoke from hear
say.
HOLSTERS 10 So inches in length are sold
for IL cents. The law is abused more
than the prohibtory law. and the speaker
believed that it would be for the best in
,eres,s of the State to repeal il entirely.
Representative Vaughan OF Warren
spoke in favor Of allowing the capture of
slevives in Georges river six days in the
week instead of four. ~ at present.
Mr.. James Lsughton, of fremont, had
been a Gamer for Fl years, snd thought
there should be no change in the law.
Most fishermen keep all the small Holsters
caught and pickle them. The law has q
restraining influence, however.
Mr.. Trussell replied that it would re-
quire 100 smart detectives TO enforce tn,
lobster law. The speaker had pei sonslly
b andled over q million pounds Of Holsters
il one year.
Mr. Wymsn thought the wsrdeus were
doing their duty and that the law WAS OBJ
served There were no seizures in the
county. though the wsrdens visited his fac
tory three times week.
Mr.. Hnckley, of the [ Underwood factory
at .Ionsspott knew Of no seizures being
made last year. though the wsrdens did
their duty. II the length was made 10
inches it would close every factory on the
cast
Representative Scho6eld Of Hsrpswell
in Cumbe rlsnd county said tina. only three
fines had been levied for short Holsters in
his county. From Portland to Small Point
there are no wsrdens and no enforcement
Of the law.
Fish Commissioner Counce Of Thomas
ton thought the law all right but wished
that the pickliDg might be stopped. All
the small Holsters are picked and it be-
comes impc ssble to tell what their length
originally was
Joseph Winter. VIM. d. Works. +. f.
Williams Of West Bath and Cbas. Banks
of Phippsburg appeared in favor of the
rep,al OF the law regulating the time and
manner Of catching bass in Winnegst ce
creek
Jas. Bailey Of Bath. Cbas. Bates of W.
Bath. and John Kimbsil of Bath appeared
in behalf of the remons!rsnts. whose case
WAS conducted BY Hon. w. II. Foyler of
Roe klani.
l. T. Carleton, Esq of Winthrop.said
that the people of the State Of Maine were
not in sympathy with existing game laws
The lass are made to please Boston sports
men. The game wardens are not enforcing
the law. They are set of irresponsible
men. They should be required to give
bond. Many of them systematically violate
the law. He thought the laws Of New York
better than ours, and recommended that =
special commission be appointed especially
10 examine into this law and the enforce
merit thereof.
Mr.. Jock Darling of Lowell said thst the
Jaw should allow people to get deer the
bss. way they can, by dogs or
o,herxite Mr.. Darling had been a
practical hunter for forty years In
July and August, Boston and New York
parties come and kill deer just for fun and
leave the bodies on the shore to rot. From
the city Of Bangor to the head Of the Pas
ssdumkeag, they kill every deer they can
find. This winter there is no attempt st
enforcement of the law. ask change to
allow people to kill deer by dogs in the
open season. No more deer would be killed
than at present In still hunting, more
deer get away wounded and die than are