Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-28
authorizing a mortgage thereof by the

authorizing q mortgage Tnereo1 Dy the
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad Co.
An act to amend the charter of the
Maine Charitable Mechanics Associa-
ton.
An act to amend section 81 of chapter
81 of the Revised Statutes relating to
assignment of charter or rights under
it by railroad corporations.
Resolve providing for the payment
to the town of Jay, the amount de-
Quoted from said towns proportion of
the school fund for the year 1898. on
account Of an imperfect school return.
Paper from the Senate:
| Ordered, The House concurring. that
when the Senate and House adjourn
! it be to meet on Monday, Jan. 30. at
4.3O O'Clock.
The order received a passage in con-
| currence.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
! On motion of Mr.. Chase of Portland
! Bill! an act to create a board of over
! ssers for the poor and workhouse of the
| city of Portland. was taken from the
table and on further motion by the
same gentleman it was referred to the
committee on legal affairs.
On motion of Mr.. Guernsey of Dover
Bill an act relating to free public libra
| ries was taken from the table.
| Mr.. Guernsey moved that the bill be
referred to the committee on library.
Mr.. Philbrook of Waterville: l Go
not desire at this time in any way to
oppose the bill which has been present.
| ed by the gentleman from Dover (Mr.
| Guernsey. 1t is proper that the bill
| l. lp, nm
from Dover has suggested: but it has
| occurred to me that it would be prop
er time to say a word upon the bill so
that the members might be posted upon
It's purport, and then if they desired to
| attend the hearing before the commit
! tee they could do SO. | do not oppose
! the reference, but ] desire TO call at
| tention to the effect of the bill.
! This bill. in substance, provides as
follows: That the amount of money
/; which is now received by the State
! treasury from dog taxes shall go to the
/ various towns. cities and plantations
! from which The sums came, for the pur-
pose of supporting public library, and
all acts and parts of acts inconsistent
herewith are repealed. 1t is quite inn
I pnrtant, L think, for us to understand
| how much money is turned into the
State treasury from this dog tax. and
what becomes of it at present l think
that the members of the Legislature
will be surprised-I know that | was
10 learn that nearly 5000 is turned
into the State treasury as a result of
this dog tax. Under the law as 1t ex-
isis, today, if / sustain damage to any
If my domestic animals by reason of the
attacks Of dogs, l may go to the alder
men of my city or the selectmen of
my town or the assessors OF my planta-
tion, and lay before them a statement
of facts, and my city, town or planta-
ton will reimburse me for the damage
SO done. The city. town or plantation.
having paid me, then has right Of ac-
lion against the owner of the dog. If 1t
can pe asceftained who owned the dog
and if the man who owns him happens
to he good for the damages. III the
town. city or plantation is not able to
collect the damages from the owner of
) the dog. those officers may then go to
the State treasury and have paid back
| to the city, town or plantation out of
! this 500 900 the amount which the town
! had to pay me for the damages which
! | sustained. And if at the end of the
1
| year the entire sum is not paid back to
! me, then such remainder as there may
! be is credited upon my towns State
| tax. Now then, if this act should be-
come law and repeal such provisions
of the statute as are inconsistent there
i with. the effect would be this: That
| if my domestic animals are injured I
! still would have the opportunity, as
! understand the act, to go to the town.
city or plantat ton and require the town.
| city or plantation to reimburse me.
| The town. city or plantation would still
| have its action against the owner of
| the dog if the officers of the town,
city or plantation could ascertain who
owned the dog. But failing in that ac-
ton. or being unable to ascertain the
owner. the town would have no further
recourse because the fund which is ac-
cumulated under the present law would
have been disposed of for the mainten-
ance of the public libraries I'M the
towns, cities or plantations. So you