Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-22
no attention to it. Years passed on. II

no aUttublOu ~ IL. lt1IS DdSSttt Ol. IL
the year 10 the Legislature began to
think that it was full time that some
thing should be done in relation to these
matters, and accordingly they passed
another act calling upon that company to
do as they agreed in this matter
lot the land and put it into the
market for settlement. Sixteen years
have elapsed since that time. They
say now that you have delayed too
long and now it is too late and all of
this land today is either ours or belongs to
our assigns. Well, according to the pro-
visions of this act the State has at all
times authority and power to enforce the
conditions of that original act. ] say here
and now that tho time has come when it
is absolutely necessary that in some form
that land should be obtained for settle
ment here in the State of Maine. Now in
order that. there may be no difficulty
about it, I have endeavored to prepare a
bill which will bring about this result.
In the first place say that the Governor,
State treasurer and land agent should as
certain as soon as possible what land OF
those 20 townships were suitable for set
Element in the present year, so that by
January 1st they may know what proper
ton of these lands are suitable for settle
ment, and take the response bility of say
ing that know that large percentage
of these lands are thus fit for settlement
What next do propose to do? That in
the course of the month Of January next
the Governor, State treasurer and the
land agent shall notify the Different per
sons in possession of these lands such as
| f>r that thny mr.
to be lotted and put into the market for
settlement according to the provisions of
that act, and then / allow them till the
first of September to accomplish that work.
And then there is further provision
that should they fail the attorney general
is directed to bring suit against them and
a penalty provided which ! think will be
sufficient That is all there is to 1t. ]
don't think at this time there is any dan
ger Of doing anyone you call IAN innocent
purchaser any harm. But In case there
should be anyone who was an innocent
purchaser Of these lands have provided
that he shall be excepted. No one is to
he harmed and everyone Is to be benefited
/ say in closing that IL 1t be true that we
stand powerless in the face of this gigan-
tic wrong let us hide our faces with
shame let us clothe ourselves in sackcloth
and sink in ashes forever. Applause.
Mr. Dickey of Fort Kent said that these
lands were given to that railroad and GER
tain townships were reserved for settlers,
ST Francis for instance. Anybody could
have had land for dollar an acre. This
subject was up a few years ago Twas on
the committee and we chose sub-com-
~ r tho
ney general, and Mr. Heath of Augusta,
and they examined the question
thoroughly and decided that the State had
authorized the railroad folks to mortgage
or sell all those lands in fee simple, and
in the name of God DOM that carry th I'm:
If 1t don't it is no use to have such thing
as fee simple. The thing was thoroughly
investigated and / am satisfied there is nc
chance whatever. The facts are irresistible
that we have got no mere rights to those
lands than we have to the moon. 1t
passed by subsequent legislation after the
railroad was built and nobody can tear 1t
up. / would say further that the most OF
those lands laid in such places and in such
position and such locality that nobody
would go there and settle on them, and
| they were not lands that were fit for set
Element except a very few. ] was here
when some Of those subsequent acts were
passed, and perhaps all; and the president
of the railroad company was so honorable
about the matter that he gave me a bond
that those lots in st. Francis-the people
should have them free If they were settled
on. I could not ask them to treat the cit.
liens Of my district any better that were
on those lands. II Is gone, 1t is past, and
that is the end of it.
Mr. Keegan moved that when the vote
be taken 1t be by the yeas and nays.
The motion was lost, 1t not being
seconded.
The question being upon the substitu-
ton Of the minority report for the major
iry, division was called for, & voting in
the Affirmative and 40 in the negative.