Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-13
FREE DELIVERY.
Good Prospects for Gardiner
and Bar Harbor.
Many Maine Petitions Against Roberts
Received in Congress.
The Work Of Congressman LiuIefieId on the
Special Roberts Committee.

|
iaD.-The second week of Congress
finds the House pegging away with the
big debate on the currency bill. 1t
does not appear yet, what members Of
| the Maine delegation will take a part
in that debate. They will all vote for
the caucus bill, which was prepared
| during the summer by special COM
mittee, and all are firm believers in the
provisions of that measure. The Re
| publicans, however, are generally
| showing indsposition towards debate,
for their minds are already made up
| as to what course they Will pursue.
| The subject has been 50 thoroughly
discussed before the country that most
| Republicans think it waste Of time
| to talk 10 any great extent further.
| They Will make some speeches during
the week. just to show their constitu
ents where they stand on the measure
| Accordingly. a large part of the time
| for debate WILL undoubtedly. be Occu-
| pied by Democrats who love to air
| their views in long Windod speeches
whenever occasion arises. If The Maine
members take part in the debate at All.
! it will be in short Speeches directly to
the point and without any attempt at
| spread-eagleism.
Representative Burleighs reCommen-
| dation for the establishment of free de
| livery in Bar Harbor and Gardiner. if
| adopted, as now seems entirely prob
| able, will make IL cities in Maine that
| have free delivery serviCa. Thos"
cities that have free delivery now are
| Auburn. Augusta, Bangor. Bath. Bel
| fast. Biddeford. Brunswick. Lewiston.
Portland. Rockland and Waterville.
| The receipts for the post office at Gar
diner during the past year. We're $40
1566S. out of that sum the postmaster
was paid S2100 $1,000 We're for clerk hire.
$500 for rent. light and fuel. and $500
for other incidental expenses. This
would make the total expenses of the
office $3945.20. and the total net revenue
was $621l.4S. The Bar Harbor Office did
not make quite as good showing The
receipts were more-$l0.2l2O The
postmaster was paid the same salary.
but s1655. We're required for clerk hire
and s53602 paid a bill for rent. light
and fuel; other incidental expenses foot
up $1452. Thus it will be seen the total
expenses of the office We're s436601, and
the total net revenue was $5S46.02.
he correspondence III lne case began
several days ago. The language en-
ployed by the department in its letter
of notification and in the letter on Gov
ernor Burleigh's recommendation are
the same in each case, both in language
and in form. Accordingly the cores
pondence over the Gardiner office will
fit both cases. 1t is as follows:
Washington. Nov 2s. 1899.
Hon. Edwin C. Burleigh. House of Repre-
SentativeS:
Dear Sir-The report of the auditor OF
the treasury for the post office depart
ment shows that the gross revenue of the
post office at Gardiner. Maine, for the lis
cal year ended June 80 1899 exceeds the
sum of $4,000. This showing would en-
title the citizens of the town to the bene
fits of the free delivery service. if it
should be deemed advisable to estab-
lish it.
l have the honor. therefore. to request |
that YOU will advise me II you desire the |
service established. If so. a post office in |
spector will be detailed to visit the town |
with instructions to ascertain and report |
whether the local conditions are favor |
able for the establishment of the service. |
Very respectfully.
,signeO PERRY S. HEATH
First Asst. p. NJ. General.
Governor Rurleigh received this let |
ter on his arrival in Washington, as
his mail was held here few days |
while he was EN- route. He promptly |
notified the department when he ar
rived here of his recommendation that
free delivery be established in both !
cities TIE following letter was then re-
ceived, one for Gardiner and one for
Bar Harbor:
Washington, Dec s, 1880.
8
atlVeS:
Dear Sir-I beg to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your letter of the Sd instant, in
which you recommend the establishment
of the free delivery service at Gardiner,
Maine, and to state in reply that. in order
to ascertain If the local conditions at that
town are favorable for the Inauguration
Of the service. a post office inspector will
be detailed to make the necessary lnNes-
tigation. As soon as his report IS re-
ctived YOU will be further advised.
Very respectfully.
,Signed) PERRY S. HEATH
First Asst. p. NJ General
All the members of the Maine dele
cation have been overwhelmed with
numerous petitions from their constit-
uents for the unseating of b. II. Rob
erts. and also for a constitutional
to prohibit polygamy.
These petitions and protests have been
50 numerous that it is almost physi-
cally impossible for the members to
them individually. Gov
ernor Burleigh stated, today, however,
that people of the 3rd District could be
assured that all the petitions had been
attended to and properly plac-
ed on file and before the proper com
mittee of the House of Representatives. .
He said that he wished to make the
public statement. SO that those who did
not receive personal acknowledgements ;
would understand the reason therefor. {
The same thing is true of other mem ;
bers Of the Maine delegation and all ;
Maine people who have forwarded Rob
erts petitions and protests to the House .
can rest assured that they have reach I
ed their proper destination. ,
These Roberts petitions have come ,
from the entire country and are num-
bered by hundreds of thousands. 1t is
the usual custom to have all these pc ,
ttions entered in the Congressional ,
Record, stating the name Of the society
Continued on page g.