Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-25
CAPITAL CHAT.
Continued from page ~

down in North Carolina and digresse,
to Maine in the following language
Let me refer to another case" sal,
the chairman Of appropriations in pic
tturesque fashion. up in Maine it wa
discovered about a year ago that the,
needed a station to study the habits o
the lobster"
True to it's instincts the House brok,
into loud laughter and there was per.
feet silence to hear what witticisn
Uncle Joe" was going to perpetrate
And after great consideration" h,
continued. Congress passed a law an.
propriating $4,000 for a lobster sta.
ton"
| "A hatchery" prompted Mr.. Little
field, who sat just behind Mr.. Cannon
enjoying the opportunity to correct his
elder.
No. station" persisted Mr.. Can
no. They wanted to study the habits
of the lobster, l suppose. They may
have done some Matching also. In the
name of science Congress established
] that lobster station. But in that case
Congress put an express limitation or
the expenditure, providing that the APP
preparation should be $4,000 and nc
more. 1t was alleged. as I recollect, in
the hearings that the lobster was a
| cannibal; that some means must be
devised to keep him from eating him
self. Haughter.)
1T was said that the lobster was
disappearing. Anyhow, the appropria-
ton was made. But some jealous
brother, knowing the facility with
which people go on. paying no atten-
ton to any ordinary limitations, pro-
vided that the sum should be $12,500
and no more. Well, what has hap
pened? They bought some land there
They have not yet established the sta
| ton. daughter) And now they want
some more land with residence on it
which cost $4,000, but which they think
can be bought for $500. Whether the
Holsters are to reside in the house do
not know; but l suppose that some of
our volunteer scientists will live there.
do not know about that.
But here is the language now, here
we are confronted with the proposition
to come in and found that lobster sta
ton. or hatchery" and spend $4,000
more for that purpose. He tells us that
1t cannot be done without that cxpendi-
ture. Well. what says the law? What
about the law for the expenditure? We
did not give the appropriation because ii
was not authorized by law. Congress
enacts the law. we tell the commissioner
and although he informs us that he had
IL in mind to make it a good fish hatchery
as well as lobster station, We are COM
relied to tell him that Congress enactS
the law and that his mind does not con-
troll or ought not to control, although
1t seems to do so In fact because In the
establishment of the lobster station there
seems to be no law whatever authorizing
II. Well, what is the result? Simply
that we did not put the provision into
the BILL
Quite chore towards gridironing the
counties of the Third Congressional dis
trict with rural free delivery routes,
which Gov. Burloigh is fast accomplish
ing. was done few days ago when Chief
hIachen of the rural free delivery divis-
ion of the past office depai tment, an
nounced that three more routes woulG
he established. March ]. In Somerset
county 1t has been stated that these
routes were in Immediate prospect. but
this was the announcement OF the dates
Two will be out of Skowhegan aud one
out of Fairfield. serving, all told. 1857 peo-
PIE, a large proportion of the population
of the county. not reckoning. of course.
the people in the large towns and vii
lagos. who are near to the post Office
and therefore possessed of fl lie mail ia
ciitieS. The three routes pass S19 houses.
of which 215 are on the two routes out of
Skowheean. A little reflection will con-
vince one of the significance of this to
people living in the country districts
Probably three-fourths Of these resi-
denCes are at least two miles distant from
the post office and the people now have
to drive that distance to get their letters
The establishment of the service is also
going on rapidly all over the Pine Tree
State. Some II or 20 routes have been
announced for Maine in the last two
weeks and there are others yet to come
Probably by spring time rural free de-
livery carriers will be traversing daily
a good portion of the more populous
thoroughfares in the State
The department also has issued a bulle-
tin stating that Frank a. Lincoln has
been appointed substitute letter carrier
at Augusta and that w. ]. Soule has been
appointed member of the civil servic.,
board for the postofiice at Waterville.
From time to time civil service examina-
lions are required to establish eligible
lists from which clerks and letter car
rierS can be selected. These civil service
boards exist in al the large cities of the
State having free delivery of mail.
The Maryland people have been putting
forth their m St earnest endeavors to get
that contract for constructing the Balti-a
more custom house away from the Mount
Waldo Granite Co. but they have not
succeeded yet. Henry Smith & Sons of
Maryland bid $71O0O for furnishing the
granite for the structure and the Mount
Waldo Co. bid y12 900 less. Senator Nc
Comas of Maryland. and representatives
of the Baltimore Builders Exchange and
of the Merchants and Manufacturers
Exchange have been bombartling the Of
flee of the supervising architect Of the
treasury and of Assistant Secretary
''Hod' Taylor to get him to decide the
controversy in favor of the Maryland
company. OF course they want the con-
tract for their home people If they can
get it,. 10 ~
There will probably be a decision within
few Gays. As a last resort the Mary
landers are now claiming that the gran
lite from their state Is better building ma
terial than the granite cut from the quar-
ries of Maine. They are further assert
ing. although with what veracity is
hardly comprehended. that their COM
rany is better able to carry out its con-
tract than the Maine men. In view of
the large contracts which the Mount |
Waldo people have executed. including
granite for the great post office building
in this city and the post office buildings
in Buffalo, Chicago and Milwaukee. their |
assertions in that regard seem to smack
strongly of vain boasting.
DR.. and Mrs. q NJ Randall OF Boston,
formerly of Augusta. are In the city.
They have just returned from Florida
and Texas. The doctor is combining bust
Eess with pleasure during the trip. He
is in excellent health. ~
Tnpdou cnpc,,,oac tone cf cola