Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-14

with signature of "E1sNER &
MENDELsoN Co., Sole Agents,
New York." on every bottle.
kind would be good thing and that this
charter would not be bad precedent.
Mr.. Morrill, of Cumberland said that
he was opposed to this bill on the general
principle that our rivers are the great
highways of the State, to which all citi-
Gems of the State had common right;
and even when the State did grant mill
privileges the mills had to use the water
so as not to prejudice any other one OF
those having right to the use OF the
water. He claimed that the State had
no right to allow any person or corpora
tion to even build a dam unless they kept
the driving privileges as good as nature
made them, and that this corporation
should not be granted a charter to build
d toll bridge across this great river, and
to be given right to collect toll OF every
log driven down the falls. He stated that
about 10000 600 feet had been driven
over these falls every year for the last 20
years at a cost of about $1,000 each year
for breaking the jams at Rumford Falls,
but by this toll it would cost $4,000 year
to take the logs over the falls, and he
pointed out that this amount would have
| to be deducted from the amount paid for
sttlmpage, the amount paid for labor, and
the profit of the business.
Continuing, he said This bill calls
this sluice an improvement" but if any
other man is going to step in and run my
business for me as he likes, l reserve to
myself the right to say whether it really
| is an improvement or not, and ii dom
think it is so, then don't want the State
to step in and force me into it, and take
from me the rights which have been
guaranteed since the white men first got
possession Of the country.
| believe in leaving this matter in such
shape that any person can sluice his logs
through II he wants to. but SO that he
shall not be obliged to pay toll to any
corporation If he does not want TO use
their sluice If | am going to get my
! lumber put through cheaper and with less
damage by using the sluice, it would be
natural that should use 1t and pay for 1t,
but do not want to be forced to do so
against my Will.
While | am glad to see such places as
Rumford Falls built up and great i'm
movements made, taxable property created,
and labor employed, / am equally in
terested in the long and short lumber in
terests on the river, and in all the in
terests on the river | have done driving
enough in this State to know that If the
mills were not Obliged to keep the chan
nels clear, driving would be impossible,
and no one could get a drive Of logs to the
4 L. 7 TO oil IJta
respect to the report OF the committee l
shall, from my own practical knowledge
of this matter, and my own Judgment
vote against this bill, and hope it will
not become law.
Mr.. Marston of Somerset Being
member of the committee on interior
waters, to which this matter was referred,
and the committee having reported unani-
mously in favor of the bill, feel it my
duty in defence of that report to give you
some idea as to why we made up our
minds to report ought to pass on this bill.
We had a very lengthy hearing on this
matter, and there came before us large
number of witnesses. The matter was
argued pro and con by able attorneys, and
In nv own mind, and the committee
seemed to agree with me, thought that
learned something about this measure,
and having had some experience in driv-
ing logs, i thought that possibly could
understand more about the testimony
| than IL l had never had such experience
In the first place. we all agree that that
- a. VIZ - tba hardest nlaces to drive logs
- IN IA the most extensive. in the State
=. T. fai, Of = mile long, with $50 feet
fall. There are two dams and the balance
20 ~. ,a,i a. allied with whirlpools and
1 ~ rina so that it is almost i'm
,,"ss;h,o when Jams have collected there to