The Somerset reporter., 1896-02-13
STATE NEWS.

a Portland nan Is t. Aaee a big SIX
scat blackboard rau b. a Kerosene motor.
1t is expected tlIaf II viii De thc nnt
hor,elcss carnage ia Maine.
Mr John o. Rec. IF Portland. began
Thursday, an investigation of the Rich
mond town books. Ihe Investigation
is intended to cover a period OF lu year.
back, and was instigaied by a desire IN
the part Of the town TO verify 'he re-
ports Of the selectmen for those wears.
The Portland Packing Company have
purchased the Dexter factory OF
Charles 7. Moses Under the new
management. it is expected that 400, 900
cans will be put up the coming season,
which is 100000 cans more than was
ever put up at this establishment In
one season.
At the Portland Company works there
are in process Of construction the three
largest pulp digestors in the world.
They have been at work on them now
for about three months and it will be
three months longer before they are
completed They will be a. feet high
and IA feet in diameter. They are
being built for the Burgess Sulphite
company Of Berlin Mills. y. II.
Old Town was greatly excited by a
murder which occurred on Treat and
Webster Island Friday last. Charles
Dollon and Fred Albert got to quarrel
ing and the former shot the latter
through the heart, death being instau-
taneous. Just how il happened or whit
the trouble was about none of the Wit
nesses seem 10 be at all certain of.
a very important change, which is
in prospect at the Bath Iron Works.
is the substitution Of electric for steam
power throughout the works. It will
be the first plant Of Importance in Maine
to be thus equipped and the result Will
be awaited with no little interest. Three
motors have already been introduced,
and are working to the complete salts
faction of all concerned The works
will require about sixteen motors vary
ing from three to forty horse power.
\ successful liquor seizure was made
by New Brunswick officials at the boun-
Diary line store three miles from Heul-
ton, kept by Thibedeau1 brothers, last
week 400 gallons of various kinds were
captured. ThibadeauX was taken to
Woods store and confined in jail, but
] later was released on bonds to appear.
/ Other seizures were made all along the
/ line. They were in enforcement of the
Scott act, the New brunswick prohibi-
tory law.
Col. f. c. Harrington, Inspector Gen.
eral OF Rifle Practice, has made his
annual report for the year ending Dec
/ 81, 1898. The whole number of officers
and men in the - companies of Nation
al Guards, is l,116 men, as against !, LIS
men in 1s94. The number of sharp
shooters is 60; tirst-class marksmen. IS
second class, los; third class, %
practising and not qualifying, 1874; hay-
inS no practice, H. Col. Harrington
has been connected with this depart
ment since 1880. and thinks the guard
has shown continual improvement.
The returns from all the fire and
marine insurance companies Except do
nestle mutual eompanies) transactin2
business in Maine, during 1885, have
been filed at the office of the insur
ance commissioner, and show the yeal
to have been a profitable one for the
companies. The premiums received
amounted to S1,576, 4S9. the largest
amount ever collected in this State in q
single year. The losses incurred in lSq-
show 52.3S per cent OF the premium.
received against % - per cent for tht
losses paid to the premiums received
the lowest since lss9. 1t Will be borne
in mind that the premium receipts il
1895 were the largest in the history o.
this State, while the losses paid were
the smallest since lSQl lS795,5@3,) ano
with the exceptions Of 1892 and lSa3
it was the largest amount of iusuranc,
ever written in the state.