The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-02


Booming AIong--shcrins Alarmed.
tsYRcrAL TO THE rREss.l
Augusta. February Lit looks as II the
railroad attorneys might have work to
do besides opposing the special charters
for steam and electric roads. Yesterday,
Representative Gardner introduced a bill
making mileage hooks Interchangeable,
but Mr.. Gardeners bill gave to the raj
way commissioners authority to exempt
roads from it's. operation. Back of the
movement to secure interchangeable
mileage books stands the army Of the
knights of the 9ripsack. The CONNER
cisl travellers want such law and they
want one which does not make the rail
way commission court of appeals. Last
fall the Vermont legislature passed a
law of this kind and 1t about meets
the ideas OF the Maine men.
Representative Virgin Of Portland will
tomorrow Introduce a bill based on the
Vermont statute and with IL will be In
The Vermont statute regulates the rate OF
fare to two cents mile with the excep-
ton that a higher rate may be charged for
books of less than one thousand miles.
1t is a. follows;
A person or corporation operating,
managing or controlling any railroad of
over 80 miles which is wholly or partly
located within this state, shall procure
and at all times keep for sale at the prin.
cipal stations on their roads, in this state.
mileage tickets In the form of coupon
books which shall contain 1000 coupons
and the maximum price charged by such
corporations, operating, managing OF con-
trolling said railroad, as mentioned
above shall not exceed two cents per
mile for such coupon book. Conductors
shall detach one coupon for each mile
travelled by the passenger in satisfaction
of fare; prosided that no single passage
shall be granted for less than five mile
of coupon passage. Coupon books Of less
than one thousand coupons may be sold
at price greater than two cents per
mile.
Coupon books shall be of convenient
size and shall be good In tho hands OF
any leIsOne pFtseutiuB TWIN.
THE SHERIFF'S FEES.
The announcement that movement
has been inaugurated in Cumberland
county to put the sheriff on "a salary has
been heard by the sheriffs of other coun
ties and there Is great lining up of
their forces. Letters have been received
here from several sheriffs and powerful
lobby will soon be well organized against
the measure, so its friends must do.a lot of
hustling II they expect to make nm i'm
preston. The advance guard of the
forces of the opponents appeared on the
scene yesterday when Charles A. True,
ESQ.,. of Portland and Charles T. Town
send ESQ, of Brunswick, Eput in an ap-
pearance.
NOT HYPNOTIZED.
The gentleman who presides over the
| University of Maine is irrevsrently called
the hypnotist of the Third House, but
he has apparently neglected TO hypnotize
some mem ers who are not doing as the
subjects should do. For instance. in the
Senate today an order was presented and
passed calling for Information as to the
money received by officers of the univer-
sity reading of the order might give
the impression that the legislature want
ed TO grab the salary and perquisites
That however, Is not its purpose. In
formation is what the lawmakers are sf.
ter. The order bears the name of Senator
Blanchard. He should have been hypno
tized, but wasn't. The order reads as
follows
Ordered That the trustees of the Uni
versity OF Maine be Instructed to obtain
| for the benefit of the members Of the leg
islature, the salary and perquisites re.
| ceiyed by the president, professors and
instructors, Iand all other attaches, in
Guiding ole ks. stenographers and type
writers, ana all others drawing compensa-
ton at the University of Maine, and the
duties OF each, and report the same as
soon as practicable to the legislature.
In the House the unexpected also hap
pened The long expected resolve making
an appropriation for gymnasium and
drill hall was presented. 1t leaves the
amount of the appropriation to be invest
ed, the university having accorded this
privilege TO the committee. 1t was the
idea to refer the resolve to the committee
on the University of Maine, but Gen.
Brown of Falmouth, another man who
wasn't hypnotized. moved to refer 1t to
the committee on military affairs and
the motion went.
General Brown stated after the session
that he had changed the reference of the
resolve because as military matter it
should 20 to the military committee.
His action had no other significance and
President Harris agreed that this was
the proper disposition OF the resolve.
a MILE A MINUTE.
Legislative railroading is making rec
ords again. The Bangor train, which
was side-tracked sometime ago that the
legislators might go over TO Bangor and