Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-16
ANOTHER WEEK
Begins With a Busy Session
and Buster Outlook.
Monday Afternoons Business in the
House and Senate.
The New Measures : Proposed Common
School Law Changes Notes.

the work of another busy week. There
were number of vacant seats in both
halls, showing that quite a portion of
the members fingered at their homes.
me session was just one hour long
and was well filled with work. 1t was
the last day for the reception of bills
aand petitions of special and private
nature. though these documents will
continue to be presented under suspen-
sion of the rules. There was quite a
lot of new measures to be presented
and given reference, and the disposal
of bills in various stages of passage
kept the presiding officers busy. In
the House for a while Mr.. Pearl of
Bangor. was in the chair, and in the
Senate Mr.. Drummond of Cumberland
presided a part of the session. The
session was not the occasion of any de-
bate or discussion. A few of the many
matters tabled We're taken up and put
on their passage.
There were an unusually large num-
Der of bills amending and extending
the charter of various corporations. A
host OF petitions and remonstfances
appeared relative to salmon, smelt ard
other fish on the coast, in the Kenne-
bee and the Penobscot. The proposed
anti-cigarette law, the 54-hour law for
women, ard the equalization of the
school tax were the subject of numer-
Gus petitions. The stenographic report
elsewhere tells the whole story. Below
are mentioned some of the most i'm
portant of the new measures intro
duced.
Mr.. Kinsman of Cornville presented
Il bill providing that whoever fires any
gun, rifle, revolver or other firearm on
the Lords day, except as an act of
security shall be punished by fine of
SO for each OifenSe.--Several petitions
were introduced asking for legislation
to legaliZe freight rates. Mr.. Good
rich of MaXfield presented an act re-
pealing the laws Incorporating the
town of MaXfield.-Mr. Merrill Of
Portland presented an act amending
the insurance laws. 1t reduces from
so per cent. to % per cent. the cash re-
serve which mutual companies are re-
quiied to keep on hand. but does not
allow them to pay-a dividend except
from the surplus of the reserve above
| SO per contributions, bearing in all
1000 names, came from Portland, Au-
gusta and Lewiston. asking that
homeopathic treatment at the new
Bangor Insane Asylum.-A resolve
| was introduced for the building of a
| fire proof brick vault in the secretary
| of States department at the Capital
| for the deposit and preservation of the
| important documents of the Executive
| appointments to office during the eX-
istence of the State.-Mr. Williams Of
Augusta presented a bill authorizing
| the Kennebec Light and Heat Com
pany to retire it's present bonds and
issue new ones, with $4,000 in addition
| if necessary.-Mr. Weeks of Fairfield
presented bill extending to 1898 the
time in which the Lewiston. Augusta
and Camden R. r. may file it's Local
| tons and commence building opera :
tons.
In the Senate. Drummond of Portland,
| presented a petition signed by II. J. Pat
| terson and IS others of Portland, asking
for an amendment of the city charter so
as to permit the election of three women
on the school board as members at large.
| He also presented five petitions asking
for the enactment of a law empowering
| the city of Portland. or of a general law
empowering all cities to retire. upon not
exceeding half pay. members of the fire
department who have served not less
than % years and faithfully performed
| Cne duties VI al pOSlllOIl III lile III t ucPdI
ment requiring them to give to its duties
their whole time, SO that they are unable
while thus serving to have other remun-
erative employment. Reynolds of Cum
berland, presented an act amending sec
ton SO. chapter 63. Revised Statutes. 1t
provides that in the settlement of estates
surviving partners have the same COM
and guardians. Pike of York. presented
a. petition of Allen Garner and 63 others
praying for the establishing of voting
l Dir.f In, L nj 10 q
part of Parsonsfield. An act was pre-
scented in relation to unclaimed baggage
by common carriers. 1t repeats sections
! Statutes. and section s. chapter 2 Re
vised Statutes. as amended by chapter AZ
Public Laws of 1891. is amended by in
word whenever in the first line. AGAR
after the word or in fifth line. and
again after the word whenever" in tbs
. 18th Iine.-Weeks Of Penobscot presented
a bill relating to the organization OF
parishes and religious societies. 1t pro
. vides that meetings may be called by
notice signed by two or more more, memb Der
vided In section .. chapter 49,. REVISED
, Statutes. An act was presented extend
ing the charter of the Bluehi,l Trust ant
Banking Co.-Act to regulate the taking
Of CLAIMS in towns of Phippsburg ant
, Georgetown.-Act amending act. chapter
49, Public Laws of 1887. relating to per
sons in destitute circumstances, wht
: of the United States during the Rebellio,
= and were honorably discharged. 1t pro
= vides for the including Of wives or wild
: ows in the list of those whose burial ex
) penses are paid by the State.-Grindle o
=. Hancock, presented an act amendin:
section g. chapter 9. Revised Statutes. b!
adding after 18th subdivision of same
!, the following: The property of widows
! real and personal. OF Il value not exceed
= ing $500. may. either by vote of the town
:, or at the discretion OF the assessors. b.
U exempted from taxation from year t
wear" On motion of Savage of Andres
coggin the judiciary committee was di
rected to inquire into the expediency Q
), changing the manner and time of tn
: service of writs and report by bill or 9th
I erwise.
II An important bill presented in tn
| House. Monday afternoon. was that b.
Mr.. Blanchard OF the committee on edu
= cation. 1t was drawn up by that com
mittee after an investigation and exam
nation of the recommendations regard
Z ling the common schools. embodied in IN
recent report of State Superintendent w
|. wv Stetson. Among the numerOn
changes made in the present commo
school system by this bill are the follow
s ing: 1t provides that the town schoc
g committee shall consist of three. n
Q more. no less. citizens: the superintend
% ent shall be elected by the committee bt'
| shall not be a member of 1t: the superin
70 tendent shall be known as the superin
: tendent of public schools. not OF comma