The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-02-22
THE CAMDEN HEARING.
Evidsnss That was Submitted on water
Works Question.


Anguish, February 2l.-It was one
o'clock this morning when Gov. CIeave'
began his argument In behalf Of the re-
monstrAnts against the bill providing for
municipal ownership OF the water WORKS
in Camden. At that time the judiciary
committee had bsen considering the case
since noon, but there was so much on
the docket that tho committee concluded
20 wind up their long days labor with
an hour of oratory. ana they got it.
Gov. CIeaves told Of the organization
OF the company and It's expenditure OF
! large sums OF money in Derfectng Its
plant. The company has been serving
the towns through which II runs. IL has
heard the complaints made In Camd en-
and Ia here to meet them. The matter
as presented here seems to be contro-
versy between the taxpayers OF Camden.
With that the company has nothing to
do, but 1t is ready to protect It's rights,
attacked by n movement designed to In
jure IT, This movement has been given
aid in newspaper interviews and In
stories circulated In this House. Let
those who started these stories take the
responsibility for them. The company
has not adopted such q oourss, bus at
last ths time has come when it may pre-
ent its case to an impartial tribunal
which will weigh the evidence and give
1t just consideration.
The company does not deny the right
OF the Legislature to grant this charter,
but It relies on the policy of the State TO
protect capital engaged in enterprises for
the benefit Of the public. Years ago,
leading citizens of Camden asked this
company to extend It's lines to that vii
iage, and 10 is to the credit OF these gen.
tiemen tnat they are here today protest.
ing against this movement. Who asks
for this legislationf Where are the psti-
tioners for its They say they had town
meeting, yet the highest number OF votes
cast there was only 3l6, and when an at.
tempt was made to reconsider the vote
1t took only 81 to defeat It.
This is the first time that the Legisia-
ture OF Maine has ever been called upon
to condemn system OF water works be-
cause OF dissatisfaction on the part OF
faw men. They have abandoned the
contention in regard to rates, because 1t
has been shown here that the rates In
Camden are % per cent less than In ether
Maine towns supplied by water COM
panies. They say that the ssrv1os is
poor, yet the testimony shows that there
Is a pressure of ll5 pounds on the guage
which they required 60 be- placed in ths
post office, where all may see It. Only
one other company In Maine has an equal
pressure. But the town burned up. You
have testimony here that the fire oc-
Cured on night when human agency
could not stop 1t, and there was no COM
plant from the merchants who lived
through that terrible night and were
burned out. The civil engineer tells You
that the service Is adeq uate and he made
test at time when notice was given
for the IRE company was notified to be
uresent. The town of Camden is getting
what 1t contracted for In 1sS7-water
through ten inch pipe from Mirror
10 pays for.
Well, they have had several fires. How
can anyone account for this great differ
ence In pressure OF which they speak y
They have had good streams at many of
them. What is the trouble with the fire
service in the town OF Camdeng Twenty
hydrants in a town of 2sc0 Inhabitants. |
II they had consulted an engineer instead |
Of trying to break down this company,
they would have done better service TO
her town. MIR. Gardner admits it when
he says that his proposed service would
Include 90 hydrants. They had been told
that they needed more, but they never
vent to the company to make arrange
rents for them. Instead we have these
statements ana this ASSAULT
IN the water company What protection
8 any man to have II his Interests are to
,e attacked in this wayS When great
ums OF money have been invested in
hese public works, they are entitled to
ome consideration, L say this bill Is
dangerous TO the rights OF property an Il
he rights OF the Individual They say
his bill is similar to the Auburn pill,
mt the Auburn people took the whole
property. They did not Iop OF an arm
raving the body mangled and bleeding.
hey ret up living commission to ok
mine this property to examine the
'ooks Of the company and fix a price, and
men the town receives the right to re-
use to purchase. They provide for an
ther commission to establis the pro
alta value OF the securities of the COM
any. Then they say that II they DO not
ssume them the property reyerts to the
ompany. These securities are largely
eld by savings banks Set this rowing
commission In motion and what Will be
he effect upon the value OF these seouri-
les? This bill means the beginning OF
he dismembeIment of this company.
viii Rockport come two years hence ana
rhomaston in fourS VIII the company
e thus dIsintsgrateds The testimony
hows that they proDose to hold this act
8 club over the company when they
re now receiving good ssrvics at a favor
bic rate.
Gov. Cleaves in closing, expressed con.
dence in leaving the case with the COM