Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-02-12

to pass on the bill authorizing the DeX-
ter & Newport r. II. Company to issue
bonds and secure them by mortgage
and authorizing the Maine Central to
guarantee the payment of said bonds,
also ought to pass on the bill amend
ing the charter of the International NJ
and S. A. Transportation and Express
Company.
H. NJ. Heath, Esq. of Augusta, ap-
peared for the bill authorizing the
town of Richmond to purchase the
franchise and property of the Rich
mond Water Co. and to incorporate the
Richmond Water Commissioners. No
opposition appeared and the report will
be ought to pass. a,
Later, in executive session. the COM
mittee acted on several matters on
which hearings has been previously
held. 1t was voted ought to pass on
the bill relating to the return of fines
on the bill giving judges of probate
power to fill vacancies among trustees
of voluntary trusts. on the bill allow
ing parties outside the State to bring
divorce action against libelees in this
State, and on the bill relative to the
serving of process on foreign trustees
1t voted leave to withdraw to the petit
TONERS for the Baker punative chair
and to those petitioners who ask for 4
law requiring a two-thirds vote to en-
able towns to establish water works,
etc.
The legal affairs committee had
number of hearings. but none of them
aroused much interest. The commit
tee voted ought to pass on the act to
amend the laws relating to services of
trustee writs; on the act in relation to
division fences; on the act to create a
lien On spool timber and bars: and on
the act to incorporate the Portland
Female Provident Association. The
committee voted ought not to pass on
the act to regulate the election of di-
rectors and managers of corporations.
and also on the act to change the reg
lister of deeds Office for Northern
Aroostook from Madawaska to Fort
Kent.
There was an interesting hearing be-
fore the committee on sea and shore
fisheries in the hall of the House.
Thursday afternoon. SmeltS were
served in every form and provided a
much varied and very elaborate repast
The subject is heard, in one form or
another, at every session and always
creates a breeze.
First came the hearing on the petit
tions asking for a law abolishing all
Weirs, hedges, pounds, nets and all
other devices for the taking of smelts
except by hook and line. A dozen Of
the petitioners, mostly fishermen from
Bath, Georgetown and Woolwich were
present. Rev. c. H. Taylor of Bath
conducted their case and introduced
them as witnesses. They claim the
devices mentioned result in an enOr-
nous waste Of smeH as well as other
fish, and that the supply of smelt has
thus been greatly decreased so that
fishing is now poor business. They
ask for law which will protect and
save the small smelt and give the in
dustry a chance to become paying
again.
Ex-Representative John Scott Of
Bath, appeared for, the remonStrants
against any change in the present law.
He crCss-Questioned the witnesses for
the petitioners very closely, and some
times he had fun with them and some
times they had fun with him. He had
several witnesses for the remOnStrants.
He claimed the present smelt laws are
constantly brokenand more laws would
not protect them. The hearing was
continued to next Tuesday.
After this hearing was one on the
petition of J. H. Mayen and others of
Dresden for law toregulate the plae-
ing of weirs and nets near bridges for
catching smelts in Eastern river. Mr..
Mayen appeared and explained the pc
tition. 1t aims to give the fish a fair
chance to escape and not allow the
owner of a weir near bridge to
capture them all. Hon. A. M. Spear of
Gardiner appeared for the remon-
strants. He raised the law point that
the petitioners had not given suffi-
cient notice and claimed that the pro-
posed law was legislation directly
against one class of weir owners and
directly in favor of others. Both sides
introduced witnesses and the commit
tee asked many questions. No action
was taken by the committee.
The railroad committee continued
Thursday afternoon. the hearing on the
Westbrook. Windham 4 Harrison Rail-
road. J. c. Scates OF Westbrook. was
called. He said he was one of the incor-
poratOrs of the company. There was nc
question about the raising OF money e e
good faith. Every rod Of the location
had been SURVEYED. No railroad or Other