Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-05
E. E. DAVIS & co.
STATE HOUSE.
State Assessors Have Committed the
Annual Railroad Tax.
Superintendent Stctson Issues An Important
Pamphlet Other State Matters.

"Troublcs and troubles" groancd
State Pension Agent T.. &. Milliken.
Tuesday morning. as he read the 10th
letter that he had received on that
day from the State pensioners asking
why their pensions had not been for
wardcd.
These letters are received every day
in large numbers by the impatient pen
soncrs, who do not understand why
there should be any delay. The real
fact of the matter as explained by
Colonel MiIliken to each, is. that on a
year when the Legislature is in session
it is impossible to procure the funds to
send to the pensioners until after the
adjournment of that body.
The appropriation for this work is
not available until The adjournment Of
the Legislature" explained the colonel,
80 | cannot send the men the amount
due them as the State aid. | am send
ing it now as fast as it is possible for
me to do it, but you see | had over 200
approved applications when the session
closed and it takes quite Il little time
to go through the regular forms and
get their checks to them"
The number Of State pensioners last
year was 22SS and thus far this season
about 1900 have been received. They
are coming by every mail. Monday S
mail brought in an extra large bundle
of them. A. coming from one city. In
all there We're l61 applications for PEN
sions in the Mondays mail. Some Of
the larger cities have not sent in their
applications.
1t is with the new applications where
the trouble comes in. The old ones that
are approved by the municipal officers
who state that the applicant is needy.
are not of much bother but can be at
| tended to at once after having been
dated and filed on the new ones, how
ever. the applicants record has to be
| Investigated to make sure that he was
a resident of the State of Maine when
he enlisted and also to see that he has
an honorable discharge. Then if he
! enlisted more than once each record
| has to be traced. If the applicant re-
| ceives a United States pension that
| cXpediteS matters. as the agent is then
| sure that the record is clear and the
| question to settle is whether the man
was a native of Maine at the time of
his enlistment.
/ Here Is Il case WileEc L tan bc vi
no use. but one that is deserving, re-
marked the agent as he took up let
ter Here is a lady who for the past
five years has been unable to work or
account of having to take care of hel
husband. He was in the regular ser
vice. cnlisting in 1858 and he re-enlisteC
1 in 1854 serving his country Scvera
years. The widow asks if she can OBJ
tain Il State pension and she has Givei
his record which ! have investigated
He was a soldier all right and he re
ceived two honorable discharges whci
his terms of service expired but he Wa'
not a native of Maine and consequent
~ the widow is not eligible to Stat
pension The United States law alon
can apply to her case.
| Fish commissioner II. y. Stanlc,
who was in the city. Tuesday, has in
verted another new bait for trolling
This one resembles the famous Archie
spinner. The products of the factor
] of Mr.. Stanley in the way of fiShin
supplies. are represented by sample q
about every kind in the office of tn
commissioners.
The board Of State assessors ha
their regular monthly session at thei
Office. Tuesday. The most importar
matter of which they disposed was tina
of committing to State Treasurer F. y
Simpson. the railroad taxes for tn
/. wear 1899 which is the amount assesse
upon them. the assessment being base
upon the earnings of the roads for tn
= wear ending June 80. 1898. The secon
column of figures in the table that 70