Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-14
STORM lNTERFERS.
0ne-third Of the Members
Present, Monday.
a Short Session Devoted Wholly to
Routine Work.
Today the Occasion Of Gov. Powers Reception
to the People.

Capitol when the hour arrived Mon
day afternoon. for the opening session
of the seventh week. 1t was warm
and cosy and comfortable in the big
building but the members didn't seem
to get there to enjoy it. The afternoon
trains were late, and the Legislators
who live off the main line had been
unable to get the trains. Then the
Lincoln banquet in Portland, and the
Loyal Legion meeting in Bangor, add
ed their influence to the storm. and
kept many members from returning to
the city.
There was in consequence the small
est attendance of any session, this
winter. OEiy so members We're pres
ent in the House and 10 in the Senate
when the gavel fell, but of course no.
body questioned the presence of a
quorum. Clerk Cotton called the House
to order and Wood of Camden, intro
duced an order making Jadge Phil
brook Speaker pro tenn. The order was
given unanimous passage and the pop
uiarity of the Waterville representa-
tive was attested by the vigorous APP
plause that greeted his appearance in
the chair. Later. at the close of the
session, he was given another generous
round of applause in reward for the
able performance of his duties The
judge is a lightning reader and he
rushed bills and resolves along on their
passage at more than railroad speed
In the Senate the regular presiding
officer was also absent and Judge
Stearns of Aroostook. was honored
with call to the chair which he filled
with his accustomed grace and ability.
There was almost no new business in
either branch. The session in both
branches We're almost an hour long and
was filled with routine work as is
shown by the full stenographic report
in another column. Among the COM
mittee reports was one from the In
sane hospital committee appropriating
81, 500 for each of the next two years
for a heating plant and repairs at the
Insane hospital at Augusta. The
friends of the travelling library move
ment have now part of their victory.
The committee has reported a resolve
of $500 annually for this purpose.
In the Senate, Sharp of Aroostook
presented bill to fix the salary of
the county attorney of Aroostook
county at 5000. On motion of Mr..
Plummer the resolve appropriating
$1,000 annually for State pensions was
taken from the table and passed to be
engrossed. On motion of Mr. Grindle
the Bluehill academy resolve appro-
priating $500 annually was taken from
the table and passed to be engrossed.
Mr.. Chamberlain presented bill to in
corporate telephone company authori-
zed to construct telephone
line from Damariscotta through any
and all towns in Lincoln county.
This mornings session will be busy
and interesting one unless all signs
fail. The general appropriation bill will
come up for consideration and de-
bate is expected. Several resolves Will
also be considered. There arc over ~
committee hearings advertised for this
afternoon before half dozen Of the
committees, but the public reception
may interfere with some of these. III
the storm continues. however, as II
promised to, last night, the reception
itself will be most seriously intertered
with.
The Maine State board OF asricul-
ture has issued the first bulletin OF the
year. This bulletin is devoted to the
lectures delivered at the State dairy