The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-07
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
President Seiders's Innovation in
Opening the Senate.
Some of the Business That is Being Dis
Mcussed-Dexter Wishes to be City.

Especial to the PRESS.l
Augusta, January 6.-The Legislature will
convene at 4.30 tomorrow afternoon. and
then the flood of bills and petitions will
break loose and the reference of measures
to committees will begin. AS soon as the
necessary NOTICE can be given, the commit
tees will sit to hear the arguments which
may be offered on pending measures, and
the business of tie session will fairly be
under way. Then will come the members of
the Third House and many will be the con-
situations in the lobby rs they tell members
why their pet measures should pass, and
those of other fellows shouldn't. The Au.
gusta house. in the evenings, will be
centre of attraction for members and
others, and in railroad cars on the way to
the capital various great questions will be
settled, for the time being.
PROPER SENATORIAL DIGNITY.
President Seders has established a new
usage in the Senate, which has been
ceived with universal commentator. The
honorable upper branch has been in the
habit of beginning the day in rather a
happy go lucky style. Members strolled in,
the clergyman officiating as chaplain. found
his way to the desk as best he might. and
the officials seemed to have no particular
places. Now the chaplain is received by
the president in his private room, and the
two:enter the Senate chamber in company,
at just ten o'clock, while the officers are
in their places. There is a dignity about
the opening of the daily sessions now
which has been sadly lacking before.
DEXTER'S DESIRES.
Some time ago, a Dexter man, more in fun
than in earnest, said: "We'd better have
city government" The remark was re-
peated and was soon taken seriously.
Then came town meeting. which is de-
scribed as an object lesson on the desira-
bility of change in the form of govern
ment. Now there is committee of promi-
nent citizens in charge of the matter. and
they will ask for charter for city gov
ernment consisting of mayor and six
aldermen, two from each of three wards,
with the usual street, police and fire depart
ments and school board.
Dexter is town with almost as many
wells as there are holes in skinner. The
village is butt on hill sides, and the owners
by sinking wells back of their
dwellings and on higher ground are able TO
lead good drinking water through pipes to
their houses, one we'll. in some cases. sup
pIying neighborhood. To secure water
for those parts of the village not thus sup
piled, chart er Will be askedfforIa COM
pany, which intends to take water from Il
number of springs on the roo of high hill
and distribute it through pipes laid in the
streets. This supply would be intended for
domestic purposes. the town already having
hydrants for fire protection. which are
supplied with water from the stream run
ming through the village. This hydr ant
system has a pressure which is strong
enough to throw water over the tops of the
buildings. The mills well equipped with
their own means for fighting the flames.
CONCERNING TOWN LIBRARIES.
1t is said that a:reQuest.for changes in the
library law will be probably designed TO in
crease its scope and the amount of state
aid. Now. towns are allowed by the state
ten per cent of the amount they appropri-
ate for the support of libraries, but this
money from the state must be used in the
purchase of books. A larger state aid and
the right to use the money for other pur-
poses in conducting their libraries would be
acceptable to many of the towns.
FOR THE HOPELESS AND HARMLESS.
The plan suggested by the committee
which investigated the affairs of the Au-
gusta insane hospital for the care of the
surplus patients there is in line with the
methods adopted in other states. There
are among the patients many who. while
harmless, are known 10 be incuIable. and
whose intellect is so impaired that they
take no intelligent notice of their surround
ings For such unfortunates, warmth and
shelter, wholesome food and comfortable
clething are all that can be provided. In
Massachusetts institutions they are col
lected in buildings devoted to their care.
TheseFbuildings contain large wards. where
the patients sleep instead of the smaller
rooms provided for other classes of suffer
ers. The committee suggests that such a
building might be erected on the grounds
of the Augusta institution capable of
oommodating 800 patients. who would be
watched over by physician and assistants
employed for that purpose. The present
kitchen and laundry could be used to supply
thie new building and room might thus be
made for more patients of other classes in
the present buildings. This way of caring
for the hopeless and harmless insane has
been found both convenient and economical