Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-04


does not matter: II does not change the
contract. There have been other con
tracts executed In regard to the State
prison, to which | will refer later. ! an,
opposed to this contract. this act as !
now stands, first. on account OF the
amount of money that 1t calls for. and,
secondly the length of time u Is to run.
a contract was executed In lSs$ and tina
contract was In regard to lights. ina,
contract provided that lights should b.
furnished by a gas and light company
for a term of 10 years. In 1898 1t cost uii
der that contract $3.50 to light the, State
State prison. In 1895 1t cost $3153 to light
1t. In 1896 1t cost $4l9l to light it: and |
have examined the estimates which hav'
been furnished by the State treasurer
the prison for the next year: and 1t Is
only by stretch of the Imagination that
we can set a limit to the ultimate cost OF
the lighting of that institution undee..
| that growing contract. believe 1t will
take 5000 to. Eight that prison in a very
| short time am creditably informed
il cost between $500 and $500 for lighiin.;
| the State prison: and you want to com
pare that with the present estimate and
| then say what you think about the con
Thomaston
am opposed to this measure hecaus :
L has long time TO run and ! bellev
that il should be renewed at q less rat !
| TO what tlc cost may be If we adopt tn T,
policy OF perpetuating this contract with
| this company. ! believe that the prison
contract if renewed Is 500 per cent high
er than the price paid for water supple
| to any institution of IA similar size in tn =
| State Of Maine believe that If thu 3
contract is renew s,,lo it ought to be re,
may entertain different IDEAS in regar
, to that. That Is simply my opinion.
My friend, the gentleman from Rock {,
follow me and who will present the othe.'
side OF this matter with all the force that
| he is emnently qualified to bring to bear,
will tell you that this water system has
cost Il Sreut amount of money: that the
Thomaston branch does not pay: that
$1,000 from the town for hydrant service.
| and $l10 from individuals. is not enough,
| that $500 from the State is necessary to
make the stock pay Il dividend. But you
must remember. If you see fit to consider
this, that water system once located Is
| a vested. Il perpetual right; that. once in
Il town. ii Is there 10 stay and to grow;
| that it is future and not immediate profit
the investors expect.
Now the question is shall we consider
the interests of the State of Maine and
vote what we ulpiEk is right, or shall we
vote dividend on the stock of a water
company: IT We vote for this act as l.
is. we will pronounce a decision against
| the people of this State. and they will
have no motion in arrest Of judgment
| no writ of error will lie. no appeal can
be made TO Il higher court We shall sim
| ply have sentenced the taxpayers of this
State to Thomaston for term of 10
years al hard labor under a water con-
tract.
Mr. Fogler of Rockland; There are
certain equities connected with this
measure which | think deserve the seri-
Gus attention of this House. | do not
propose to enter into any extended argu-
nent in this matter | propose to state
certain facts which in my Judgment is
argument h,
favor of this bill. The Camden Il Rock
land Water Co. was organized some years
before 1887. and under their charter they
put in a system of water works in the
city of Rockland. the town of Camden
and the village of Rockport. Their source
of supply was Oyster River pond. stu
ated eight miles from the city of Rock
land. After the works had been put in
for the three places | have mentioned,
the company was urged by the people
OF Thomaston and by the State. officials
and supply water for Thomaston. includ
ing the State prison. The company in
NeStiEated the matter and found what
contract they could make with the town.
and also made an estimate of the com
pensation which they could have from
individual takers. The State was vitality
ried to the town of Thomaston so that it
would reach the State prison The State
has a large amount of money invested in
that prison. Il large amount in the build
care of the criminals and in the manu-
features carried on there. | have no
means of knowing the value of that class
of property. but the State was carrying
on manufactures within the wallis of the
State prison, and while ] have no par
ticular data except from the sales as re-
ported by the officials. have no doub;
that at times there are deposited in the
warehouses and shops of the State prison
articles manufactured or materials for
manufacturing to the amount of sloo.oco
any adequate protection from fire.
might almost say without any protection
whatever. They had only such means of
eXtinsuishing fire as existed upon and
within the State prison grounds. The
State prison is situated very high above
the river, so it is impossible for fire
company. to force water from. the river
to afford any protection to the prison.
And it was for that reason that the Gov
ernor and Council-Governor Bodwell at
that time-urged upon this company to
town of Thomaston. The company looked
the matter over. learned what contract
they could make with the town. esti
mated the amount they would receive
to the Governor and Council: I'VE can
not afford 10 put in these water works
into Thomaston, We cannot stand the eX
pense which will be necessary. unless tbs,
State will agree to pay us $3.50 Il year for
furnishing water for all purposes for the
State prison" They said that that was
tilt iONcSt SuIu TOT WHICH lneS cDulu al
ford to expend the amount necessary for
furnishing Thomaston and that insttu-
ton. The Governor and Council and the
State prison officials asserted. OF course
they could make no contract without.
Legislative authority, but they asscnted
to that proposition as a fair one as a just
one under the circumstances. The mat
ter came before the Legislature in 1887
and the Legislature authorized the con-
tract which the Governor and Council
and the State prison officials had agreed
to so far as they were authorized to
agree. that which they had assented to-
and in May following the contract was
made. They agreed to furnish to the
good and sufficient supply of water for
fire. power for manufacturing, domestic
and all other purposes. for the use of the
Maine State prison and for all buildings
in Thomaston which belonged to the
State. / will read from the CONTRACT:
Said company agrees TO introduce the
water inside the walls of said prison in
pipe six 80 inches in size, connecting
said pipe with their ten Q0) inch main.
and for the purpose of distinguishing
fires. they agree to furnish and set such
each, as the. Governor and Council from
time TO time may consider necessary
wherever the same may be located by the
Governor and Council, and on pipes of
sufficient size. The use of the HYDRA hts
is expressly restricted to fire purposes
and to the protection of the property of
the State of Maine
This carried out the agreement which
was made or asSented to by the Governor
and Council. And the understanding was
that this was not merely for 10 years
n fvat 80 s.x..- 10