Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-24
COUNCIL MEETING.
Much Business Transacted at
Wednesdays Session.
BeaI Pardon, and Snow and StackpoIe
Matters Laid Over.
Cameron Claim Referred 10 Next Legislature
Hughes Granted Pardon.

yesterday. and able to be present and
preside at the meeting of the Council
There was little delay in commencing
work at the opening of the Council.
Councillor Gordon had been obliged to
return home. but the rest of the Coun-
ell We're present with the exception of
Dr. John r. Hill. who is in Europe
After passing a few orders for war
rants of the treasury the list of nomi-
nations as published in the Journal a
few days ago. was confirmed.
The first hearing was on the cele-
brated A. ]. Cameron claim for bind
ing the abstracts of the agricultural
reports for the year of 1873. This
claim has been up before every Legis-
lature since 1881, and at the last SEES
sion was referred to the Governor and
Council with power to act.
A. Nj. Goddard. Esq. of this city. APP
peared for the claimant and stated the
facts substantially az follows In the
year 1879. Governor Garcelon's Council
paid $.59.23 on this bill. and We're I'M
able to pay the balance as the funds
had been overdrawn. The money paid
Mr.. Cameron was taken from the high
school fund. The balance due it is
claimed is sS4O77. The law covering
the printing of the reports as it ex-
listed at that time. was for not exceed
ing $1,000 with 5000 abstracts of the
doings of the agricultural societies.
These it had been the custom to bind
in the backs of 5000 of the report of the
secretary of the board of agriculture.
these abstracts was repealed.
In 1879. the days of the celebrated
"Countout," Mr.. Cameron, who was in
the employ of Smith & Co, the State
binders under the Republican admins
tration, leased the plant and took the
contract to complete all the work re
manning unfinished from the contract
of the previous administration. This
was done as Smith & co. could not Sc
administration.
There was a delay in printing the
abstracts as the printers of the previ-
Gus administration did not feel en-
powered to print them since the law
for their printing had been repealed.
Eben F. Pillsbury the Garcelon print
er, did the work and turned-it over to
Mr.. Cameron to bind. He was en-
powered to do this binding by letter
from the deputy secretary of State. P
A. Sawyer. This was signed by him.
as the salary of the secretary of the
board of agriculture having been cut
down to 500 it was impossible to find
anyone who would accept the office.
Mr.. Cameron had previously bound
the reports of the secretary on his or
ders, as there was a doubt if the alb
stracts would be printed. The work of
binding the reports was delayed as
long as possible. The work was COM
pleted and a portion of the bill al
lowed, and the whole would have been
paid had there been enough money in
the treasury.
Mr. Cameron was led to believe that
unless he bound the books his bonds
men would be liable. despite the fact
that the law authorizing the printing
of the abstracts had been repealed.
He was told by the State officials that
that applied to the future, and did not
affect the work on the 1873 report. He
has since been trying to secure his
money.
In executive session the Councillors
decided that there We're points of
equity in the claim, and that it ought
to be referred to the next Legislature,
as they had no power to decide such
questions, and no money to meet the
claim.
Judge Warren G. PhilbrOOk of
annaara1 IN nraSant the