The Portland daily press., 1899-01-11
NEW BALLOT LAW MISSING
Bill Repeating Present System Failed
To Show. Up.
EDITOR TwITCHELL HAD 1T ALL
PREPARED,

And Was Looking For Fellow AgriouI-
turist To Present ft-some Busines.
for tho Railroad mmittee-Tho
Eastern Maine II ospitaI Bill.
ESPECIAL 10 THE PREss.l
Augusta, Jsnunry 10.-The various
measure. which we're presented to the
Maine law makers today did not include
the bill for the repeal of the Australian
ballot law. That was the surprise Of tho
session. Yesterday. DR.. George II.
TwItchell. the editor OF the Mime
Farmer. had the bill IN his possession and
it was understood that he was Ioo:.ipg
for some obliging member from the -pral
districts to present 1t for him. E,9ter the
obliging member was not found or Shsre
was some other slip-up In the arrange
ments, for the bill did not make It's ap-
pearance. DIR. Twitohell has gone out of
town. Hon. J. II. Manley Is in Washing
ton for a week or ten days.
The railroad committee, that organiza-
tion which does not have the benefit Of
Cum berland county talent, got the salk
today. OF the matters referred to it, the
chief is In the form of bill allowing
street railroads to acquire stock a other
street railroad corporations in SUI tantiaI-
ly the same manner as that in which
steam railroads are allowed to exercise the
same privilege. This bill apparently was
drawn In the interest of the Lewiston,
brunswick and Bath road for the general
bill is accompanied by a similar one ap-
plicable only to the road named. IL looks
as II the friends of the road recognized
the advantage of having two strings to
their bow. Both bills were presented In
the Senate by MIR. Heald Of Kennebec.
The general bill is almost Identical with
the law of 1897 in reference to the increase
Of stock Of steam railroads to secure stock
in other roads, the provisions of that not
being made applicable to the street roads.
The bill provides that one street road
operating another may hold stock Of the
latter. A street road holding a majority
OF the shares of another road may pur.
chase more OF such stock. A street rail-
road company may by vote of stock
holders meeting called for the purpose.
increase its capital stock for the follow
ing purposes: The construction branch
tracks, power stations or other bui dInRs
the abolishing of grade crossings, the
making of permanent improvements, the
paying of floating or funded debt or
money borrowed for any legal purpose,
the purchase of stock of another street
railroad now or hereafter leased or oper-
ated by 1t. the purchase of shares Of an
other road OF whose stock it owns ma
jority, or for other purposes. The amount
of the increase and the purpose for which
the stock is to be issued shall be certified
by the railroad commissioners to the
secretary of state after q hearing. The act
of 1897 in relation to steam roads provide
that the a dditional stock shall he sold 10
the highest bidder. The provision does
not appear In the street railway bill. Any
director or officer of street railway com-
pany who is a party to violation OF the
te4ms of the law is made subject to Il
penalty of fine not exceeding $1,000 or
imprisonment not exceeding one year.
Other matters referred to the railroad
committee were these, which originated
in the House:
A bill extending the charter Of the
Watervllle and Wisoasset road until
January /, 1901, introduced by br. Phil.
brook.
A bill extending the charter Of the
Westbrook. Windham and Harrison for
two years introduced by Mr.. Burns Of
Westbrook.
A bill extending by eight years the
time in which the Somerset railway may
locate and extend Its road.
PORTLAND MATTERS.
A number of measures of especial in.
tsrest to Portland we're presented. In the
House, Mr. Webb put in the resolve
making an annual appropriation Of $500
for the Maine General hospital and re-
solve approprlating $500 annually for the
Temporary Home was also introdu uoed
The bill for the annexation OF Dsering
to Portland was not introduced, but
several petitions in its favor and a couple
OF yemons RANGES have appeared.
The city of Portland asks to be reim-
bursed for $l3i2 75 expended for the needy
families Of Portland soldiers in the recent
war and Mr. Virgin introduced resolve
making the appropriation.
With the resolve was submitted the re-
port of IA committse Of the Portland city
council showing to whom and in what
amounts the money had been paid. This
action of Portland has set the representa-
tives of other towns thinking and it ia
EkeIy that there will bo food Of simlla-
resolves in the next few days.
Senator Drummond presented in the