The Portland daily press., 1901-01-18


age Der capita valuation Of the other six
principal cities In Maine.
Bird. It's assessed valuation per capita
Is nsarly three times as great as the aver
age psr clnita valuation OF eighty towns
taken at random in the different counties,
being now In Portland about $500 per
capita to ESQ In the eighty towns
4th. Portland is ons OF the most heav-
lily assessed cttles In the United States
on personal estate, being about twice As
heavily assessed in proportion as New
York City.
9Th. Portland IL the ninth most
heavily assessed city In list Of 40 cities
in the United States.
In the light Of the above facts 10 Is an
intolerable injustice that the State Board
Of Assessors should increase Portland's
valuation and Portland have no appeal.
BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMIT
TEE.
The judiciary committee gave Its first
bearings OF the session yesterday. First
John II. maxwell. ESQ of Livsrmore Falls.
explained that the Livermore Falls Light
and Power company wanted the right to
extend It's lines to Fayette and walton's
Mills In the town OF Mt. Vernon. The
power company has heretofore leased lie
power but now wants to extend Its lines
to powers II has purchased. The coIu-
pany wants to furnish light TO the towns
OF keadfisld, Winthrop, Fsyette, Chester
Vile and Wilton. The committee will
report that the bill ought TO pass In
new form.
Hon j. II Drummond, Jr., OF Port
land, spoke for the bill in relation to the
United Gas and Electric company. The
company wants to absorb the Dover Gas
Light company and the Berwick Power
company. The United Gas and Electric
company wants to Issue $4,000 In bonds
with which to wipe out the stock Of the
companies absorbed. MIR. Drummond said
hs knew of no opposition to the plan.
The matter was tabled.
Calvin E. Woodside, Esq of Portland,
appeared for the petitioners who want to
incorporate the Scarboro Water company.
This IL a system used to supply water to
the cottages in the vicinity OF Higgins
beach. Thirty cottages are now supplisd,
and next year there will be thirty more.
1t is to reach these cottages that the oom-
many wants TO be Incorporated. The
amount of the capitalization Is 5000 to
cover amounts already expended.
Ephraim Dyer, one Of the petitioners.
explained that the only objector to the
plan had withdrawn his remonstrance
The matter was tabled.
Leslie Q. Cornish Esq of Augusta,
spoke FOR the act to extend the charter of
the Agamenticus Water company. The
company wants the right to supply water
to kittery and Eliot.
Josiah Chase, Esq, of York, appeared
for the York Shore Water company, and
objected 60 the bill in Its present form.
1t was tabled pending a conference of
the interested parties.
Among the dates set for hearings by
the railroad committee Is February
10, on the several proposed extensions of
the Portland railroad.
THE TELEPHONE HEARING.
AT the hearing on the bill to amend
the charter OF the Eastern Telephone
Company, Hon. W. L. Cobb of Rockland
opened the case for the company. Mr..
Cobb said he spoke as a business man
and a director of the company and not
as lawyer. He said that the town of
Vinalhaven, a prosperous place with over
1000 inhabitants, Is situated on an Is.
land. In 1895. Mr. +. S. Wall believing
that Vinalhaven should have telephone
connection with the mainland, organized
q company to supply It, Before the line
was completed an application was made
to the New England Telephone company.
MIR. Cobb said he understood on excellent
authority that the New England COM
pany had replied that it would cost
1900 TO build the line and they wanted
10 per cent on this and bonus of SIC, 600
from the people of Vinalhaven. In 1897,
the Eastern Telephone company secured
an amendment to its charter, giving as
,ts mem bers supposed, right to connect
the island with any point on the main
land. They had written opinions from
eminent council that the company could
do this but people who had an interest," In
the matter found that the act OF 1897 was
ambiguous. The Eastern company built
a line to Vinalhaven and then as 1t gave
the people good service the Eastern COM
pany was asked to extend its service and
did so taking In the surrounding towns
until now 1t has 900 instruments in use
and an investment OF over 500, 900. The
company after branching out from Rock
land bought the Franklin County Tele-
phone company intending. of course, to
connect it with the company's Rookland
system. Later the company applied for
rights In Lewiston and Auburn and Sc
cured the necessary municipal consent.
1t had two and-haIf miles OF line ready
when quo warranto proceedings were
begun and operations suspended. Mr.
Cobb said tina. now they were here ask
ing for what they thought they had got
by the act of 1897. what they supposed
they had got and If they couldn't get 1t
what the reason was. The point was
raised that the new lines must be con-
neoted with VinaIhaven. "well, they are