Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-26
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from page %

the State of Maine. relating to paup-
ers, reported ought not to pass.
Mr.. Drew from the same committee.
on bill, An Act making the first day of
January legal public holiday, report
ed ought not to pass.
Mir. Littlefield from the same COM
mittee, on resolution for ascertaining
the condition of the public RECORDS, re-
ported ought not to pass.
Mir. Kelley from the committee on
legal affairs, on bill. An Act to amend
Section eight of Chapter 90 of the Re-
yised Statutes, reported ought not to
pass.
Mr.. Boyd from the committee on
railroads. telegraphs and expresses,
on Bill. An Act to amend Chapter 70
of the Public Laws of 1899 relating to
railroad crossings, reported ought not
to pass.
Mr.. Hill from the committee on Ii
brafy, on resolve entitled AN Act to
establish board of trustees to super
intend the State library, reported
ought not to pass.
MIR. Blake from the committee on
salaries on Bill. An Act to fix the SAL
AIRY Of the State pension clerk, report
ed ought not to pass.
Mr.. Jones, chairman of the House
committee on county estimates, sub
mitted the final report of that COM
mittee, that they had acted on all mat
ters referred to them.
ON motion of Mr.. Davis of Water
vile, the vote was reconsidered where
by the House accepted the report of
the committee on judiciary to which
was referred resolve entitled "Resolu
ton for ascertaining the condition of
the public records"
Mr.. Davis further moved that the
report of the committee be amended by
striking out the word mot" so that
the report of the committee will read
ought to pass"
Mr.. PETTENGILL of Rumford;
Mr.. Speaker. is this resolve printed?
The SPEAKER: The resolve is not
printed
Mr.. DAVIS: I will ask that the re-
solve be read to the House. (The re-
solve was read by the speaker).
Mr.. DAVIS of Waterville: The rea-
son for the introduction of that bill
and that resolution was general infor-
nation in regard to the condition of
the public records of the State of
of us during the immediate period pre-
ccding our Waterville centennial
Those having historical matters in
charge found deplorable state of the
public records and by public records I
mean records of the parishes, records
that concerned not only the affairs of
the city and of the institutions of the
city, but that touched the history OF
the entire Kennebec.
think | can make the matter plain
in a very few minutes and believe
there is nothing in this that any menu
Der would care to turn down. The
meaning of it is simply this: The
public records of the State of Maine
are in "a very bad state. The records
of coanties towns and parishes are in
a particularly deplorable state, and
although there is legislation covering
the care of these records, yet it has not
been lived up to. Investigation was
made n few years ago i'm Massachu-
sets which resulted in the appoint
ment of ii commission that today has
in charge the public records of the
towns. counties and parishes. Now,
the purpose of this resolution is simply
this: The official designated shall
Il
dtion of the records in the state.
whether they are properly housed,
whether they are properly transcribed,
whether they are in condition so that
ut apy time they might be available
for State county, town or parish uses;
and this of course means Il great deal
10 the State of Maine-more than we
ire aware of unless we look into the
II ~, tc MOI
far as to designate the kind of ink that
shah be used in TRANSFERRING the re-
cords. twas told yesterday by one of
The leading attorneys of Augusta that
even the records of some of the princi-
pal streets in the city of Augusta. re-
cords of the boundaries are not to be
had.
Now, this resolution does not aim 10
put any hardship upon any ofiiciai ana
the duties of the Secretary or state IL
he were appointed that agent. would De
simply by correspondence. to invcSti-
gate the general condition OF ne
records of Maine. whether they Wer'-
carefully kept, or whether NOT, ana re-
port to the next Legislature such con-
djtion. with the hope that a commas
sion might be established who should
have the supervision and the regulat-
ing of these matters. And. MI.
Speaker. submit that this is a matter
of so much Importance that we should
not neglect it longer. therefore ask
the massage of the resolution 1t can
work no hardship upon anybody ana
is a step in the right direction.
Mr.. SMITH of Pressure Isle: Mr.
Sneaker, l do not care to discuss TINS
matter very much, but it is one OF
those things that come in at the last
hour at time when the committee
has no opportunity to investigate H.
and it may be as the gentleman from
Wateryillc has said. that 1t IS mat
ter of a good deal Of importance; ana
if so. then why didn't he present II pc
fore so we could have advertised the
hearing and had the hearing anu
everyone could have been here.
AS I recollect not a single person ap-
peared before the committee yestef,
day. hut we had a sort of inforMal
hearing in regard to the matter. we
had no time to go into it's merits OF of,
merits. Furthermore than that
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