Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-02
STATE HOUSE,
Superintendent Stetson Gives Law
Concerning School Superintendent.
Commissioners Decide Engineer Barker al
Blame in Pennington Railroad Accident.

Hon, w. w. Stetson OF Auburn, State
superintendent Of schools. was at the
State House a short time, Friday after
noon, while oh his way 10 GuIford
whefe he addressed q mass meeting in
the evening
Mr.. Stetson will address a union meet
ing of several of the churches at ELS
worth, Sunday evening, on the school
question.
Mr. Stetson was asked about the new
law governing the election of school SUI
perintendents,
Il am very glad to give the ruling of
the school department Oh that point"
said ne, FOR there has been deal of in
uuiry about it. The ruling is as follows:
superintendent of schools cannot be
elected by the town unless there is an ar
town warrant providing FOR the election
of all necessary other town officers a
superintendent of schools cannot be
elected by the town unless there is an ar
ucle in the warrant specifically providing
Tor the election Of this official. In case
the town does not elect or the election is
Illegal then 1t Is the duty Of the super-
intending school committee to elect a SUI
perintehdent of schools"
The railroad commissioners were III
session at their department.. Friday
and gave their decision on the result Of
their hearing on the matter of the
accident at the crossing of the
Maine Central Railroad and the Sandy
River Railroad at Pennington. on
December 20, 1897, in which two en-
gines. one belonging to each road col
lided. and William $ Barker, engineer
on the Sandy River locomotive was
Killed.
Many witnesses We're examined by
the board, who arrived a the decision
that Mr.. Barker, the deceased englnep"
was wholly at blame, and that he came
to his death by an accident that wts
caused by his gross carelessness in not
watching the signals.
The commissioners closed their de
cision with the following statement:
We cannot. however, close this report
without expressing our surprise at the
evidence of gross carelCssness dis
closed by the testimony in this case. in
the mana cement of the tracks ard
SiS fICiS III lliiS ' iitl, ny lfc tlllItltH -
of the two companies. especially by
those of the Sandy River Railroad, and
we deem il fortunate and almost
providential. that some serious accident
has not occurred here before
Bank Examiner f. f. Timbcrlale ami
Assistant w. g. Ellis examined the
books of the Waterville Trust Com
pany. Friday.
Charles Weymouth Of the State
House force is back on duty again,
after several weeks absence on account
of i'll health.
There viii probably be no more farm
ers' institutes held until June on ac-
count Of the bad roads and the busy
season that follows
The following list of books We're re-
ceived at the State library, Friday:
History of the q. A. r.. Christ In Camp,
Life of Commodore William Brain
bridge, New England Farmers Jour
nal, Three Years in Camp and Hos
pital, Hester, Poems of Barton, Fern
Leaves Successful BUSINESS Houses Of
Portland, Story of First Massachusetts
Battery. Kings Chapel. Russell
Dairy, North and South, Denning's /.
S. Grant. Seige of Washington. ID. g.
Forest and Shore. History of New
England. New York and New Jersey,
Principals and Acts of the American
Revolution. Davis History of the Con
federate States, Southern Confedera e
Reports of Battles, official two volumes,
New Sweden Centennial, History Of
Town of Porter, Meals Portland Illus
trated, Sketches and History of Cam
den, LOCKE, History of Gorham, Mines
of Maine by Bartlett, Captain Cyrus
Sturdi vafrt, Memoir of Doctor Gilman,
. Leaves From Gettysburg Battlefield,
History Of BATTLE of'Bunker Hill, Port
land; Centennial .by IlIsley, Mich Cow,
Centennial Celebration Of American
Independence, Memorials Of Marshfield,
Mass. Fred Douglass, Thomas Barnes,
Great Fire of Boston, Old Cops Hill
Burving Ground. Mr.. Davis Address
in Portland in 1926 on Adams and JEFF
ferson, Pleasures of Memory.