The Portland daily press., 1893-03-22

court, to have that joke changed SO that
while it might lose its power OF amusing
other people, it should not place undue
burdens upon poor little Perham. Yes
terday the House voted to pass the bill
making the abatement $2S, 900 after Mr;
Woodbury. of the claims committee had
explained the matter. This was the only
case, Mr. Woodbury. said, where the
committee had reported in favor OF
changing the valuation OF town as es-
tablished by the state assessors. ;,
Mr.. Sprague of Monson having raised
the point that this action might make
troublesome precedent Mr.. Sprague
said that in his town the people thought
the valuation much too high but they
had not supposed that this door would
be open to them.
Mr. Fairbanks thought that this was
an especial case and that the claims COM
mittee should be sustained in its action.
Speaker Dickey's Chair. 4
Hon. William Dickey, the Father OF
the House, was on Monday afternoon
raised to the dignity Of the Speak rship
of many past Houses. Captain Lane OF
Augusta said that Major Dickey had
often beon candidate for Speaker in
the past. Mr.. Lane accordingly made
motion that an order be adopt
ed presenting to Major Dickey the
chair occupied by the Speaker of the
House prior to the alteration Of the Capt.
tol. So in addition to his other honors
upon the venerable gentleman from Fort
Kent has been conferred the dignity OF
the Speakership, SO far as this House
could confer it, theorder receiving
unanimous passage.
Shady Picnic Grounds.
Mr.. Bird Of Portland has introduced
an order directing the Judiciary commit
tee to inquire into the expediency OF the
States purchasing land offered for sale to
recover taxes and keeping such lands for
forestry purposes, the idea being that
this course would prevent the too great
diminution Of the timber growth of the
state, giving in each town one or more
patches of woods.
Cumberland County Measures
Senator Soldiers presented in the Sem
ate today two bills that were passed to
be engrossed under suspension of the
rules. The first bill provides that the
county commissioners of Cumberland
may raise temporary loan, to to paid
within one year, sum not exceeding
$4,000. The limit under the old law
was $25, 900.
The other bill provides that the COM
missioners of the Building Loan Commits
sion Of Portland, or such one or more of
them as may from time to time continue
in office, appointed by virtue of the
act :entitled IAN act to enable the
city sof Portland to aid in rebuilding
said city building, approved February %,
1867, and by virtue Of any acts amenda-
tory thereof or additional thereto, are
authorized to convey, transfer and deliv-
er to the city of Portland, on such terms
and conditions as may from time to time
be fixed by the city council of Portland,
all assets, records aud papers remaining
in the hands of them, or such one or
more of them as may from time to time
continue in office; and from and after
such conveyance, transfer and delivery
of any thereof the city treasurer OF the
city of Portland, or any other officer or
officers, who may from time to time be
designated by the city council, shall ex-
ercise and have all the rights, powers
and duties of said commissioners.
Both acts are to take effect on approval
Washington County's Dream.
Washington county still dreams of a
railroad. 1t has seen that railroad in
dreams, as Representative Scott would
put it, 'sfor 10, these many years" Col.
Green has tried hard to build the road.
The road from Bangor to Mount Desert
ferry, now controlled by the Maine Cen
trail, was to be a link in his Maine Shore
Fr--I. IN Ia ~, ~,
ter would have expired but the Legisla-
ture kindly extended it,, The Legisla-
ture at that time also authorized the
County Of Washington to guarantee the
interest on $500 Of bonds for 30 years
at 5 per cent and everybody hoped til +
this would result in the raising OF tn =
necessary money to build the road. But
financiers wanted to know who was to
guarantee the payments of the principal
and as this was a conundrum which
no one seemed ready to answer,
the funds did not materialize.
Now the Washington county people
have two railroads, on paper, a new cor
poration known as the Washington
County Railroad Company, having been
chartered to bnild over the territory
which Col Green's line had failed to
cover. After an animated discussion
ILLS dl tllt IlUuSO pdonCo oWo
| enabling acts. One authorizes the coun-
| ty OF Washington to take 100000 of the
| capital stock of the Maine Shore Line
| Railroad and issue bonds to pay for the
same, provided that Col.
Green can give assurances
that the road will be built and the people
vote to accept the act. The other act is
very similar in it's provisions but it APP
plies to the new corporations. In other
words, If Col. Green can do SO, he is to
| build the road under the Shore Line
| charter, but in the event Of his failure to
do so, then the new corporation is to
| take hold and try to realize the county's
dream. 1t would seem that railroad
| along the eastern section Of the coast
with the possibilities of the development
of valuable summer resort property, the
| trade of that region and the traffic from
Eastport and Calais which would be it's
eastern termini would pay. The western
terminus would be- ON the Bar
Harbor branch of the Maine Central
| In today debate, Messrs. Mccullough
of Calais, Woodbury. of Deering, Harris
of East Machias, and Leighton of Co
| lumbia Falls. spoke for the enabling