Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-31
COUNCIL MEETING.
Much Routine Business for
Years Last Session.
Treasurer Authorized to Buy $780,
600 in Bonds at Par.
Many Reports Presented-Meetins, To.
day, at 10 A. M.


P. NJ. Wednesday, in the Senate
chamber for its last session of the year.
The hour set was 4 o'clock, bat the ex-
press from the East vas As Snillutes
late, and as Councillors Jones. Mar
chic and Haines were upon it, the ses-
sion was not called to order until they
arrived. All seven Of the members We're
present wnen Governor Hill .caHed the
body to order The session was devoted
mainly 20 routine business Of which q
mass comes with the close of the year.
Care is taken to prevent appropriations
from .lapsing into the treasury; and
there arc scores of accounts to be look
ed after and many orders for warrants.
Numerous reports from State depart
ments and institutions We're also pre-
s-nted, among them being the annual
report Of the fish and game commits
eiOner, the report of the pharmacy COM
mission the report of the inspectors of
prisons and jails, the report Of the
agent of the PenoDscot Indians, and
the report of the State pension agent.
all OF which are published elsewhere.
An order was passed authorizing AND
advising state Treasurer Smith to buy
up bonds 10 the amount Of 100000, II
tfcy are offered at par. and 70 cancel
the same. This is in accordance with
a law passed by the Legislature, last
winter so that if it is practical to do
50 with the surplus in the treasury, tbs
bonded debt may be cut down faster
than is possible if only the $4,000
worth Of bonds are cancelled which
now fall due each year. AS the close
of the present year finds q surplus of
| considerable over half q million in the
State treasury: Il record breaking
amountit is hoped that part of it car
be used in cutting down the bonded
debt though it is hardly likely that
bonds to the amount of 100000 will be
offered at par The total bonded debt
of tho state is now about 100000 and
this is no lloating debt.
Among the other orders passed were
those authorizing the printing Of aO0c
copies of the bank examiners report
1000 copies of the report of vital statis-
tics and 1000 copies of the Industrial
school report
At $40, the Council went into execu
tive session and confirmed the list Of
nominations by Governor Hill mad
public. a week ago. No action was
taken upon either of the two pardon
cases which are lying upon the table
and it is said to be unlikely that any
action will be taken upon either durine
today's session. A special committee
on Mrs. Getchelrs case will visit Tho
State prison before final action is taker
III her prayer for pardon. The other
pardon case on the table is that Of
Miller, the Washington county liquo
seller who is now III Jail.
AT P. NJ. the Council adjourned t.
10 o'clock. this morning. and will be in
session through most OF the day. N
evening session was held and none L
anticipated, today, therefore the legis
latiEe year the Governor and Council
frequently watch the old year out
After the adjournment the members OF
the Council We're entertained at an in
formal dinner by Governor and Mrs
Hill.
Tho report Of Geo. II. Hunt of OLD
Town, agent of the Penobscot Indians
shows that the tribe now numbers 800
members. u gain of two over last year
The number in the tribe has remained
practically the same for the past third
~ IL ttIIttlS. OuTlllS the year l0eTc
We're IA deaths. OF the 396 members O
the tribe. about $50 live on Indian
Island, Ole Town ard the rest are ir
Olamon and dncoln, with a few else.
where. The members OF the tribe otter
intermarry with the Passamaquoddy
Indians ana occasionally with the
French. but rarely With others. Among
themselves and in their council meet
ing, where the braves often show the
true cloquence of the red race, the
indian tongue is commonly spoken
though all speak English Well The
basket making industry is much car
~ied on and many families and parties
spend the summer at the resorts. re-
turning in September. Some of the
Young mer of the tribe are working in
y to agriculture and the culture of
maize has been pretty we'll abandoned
sor that of the Irish potato. The first
hoDorS for the season in agricultural
pursuits IS borne Off by Sarah Swasson
Who raised 100 bushels OF potatoes and
~ood amount of grain and garden pro-
luce. In the school IS pupils were reg
iStered. with ages ranging from to Il,
and good work was dore. The small
)oX epidemic which resulted in eight
asses. somewhat broke up the school
year.
The annual report of tie state COM
,oI,,, T Il