Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-31
STATE HOUSE.
Legislative Grind Is Over, and
Quiet Prevails.
Gov. Hill Receives Important Letter
from Secretary John Hay.
Removal Of State Capital Not Likely to
Become a Fact.

The members of the Legislature have
now gone to their homes and the State
House is again peaceful and quiet as it
was before the first Wednesday in jan
uary. For 12 weeks the incessant grind
Of legislation has been going on, and
the two houses, the committee rooms,
the Hobbies and the whole Capitol build-
ing have been given up to the use of the
men who makes our laws. These laws
have been many in number and varied
in character They cover all sorts of
subjects, from authorizing the building
of dam across the St. John river to
protecting porcupines and bears. The
volume Of business done at the first
session Of the list Legislature is away
above the highest record of the past
and is beyond the anticipations of any
one. Whether these laws are good or
bad can only be settled by the future.
If they are good, they will stand as
monuments of wisdom and good judg-
ment; if they are bad, they will be con-
demned by the people and cannot long
survive thereafter.
The session has been a long and
eventful one and the members have
gone back to the usual avocations tired
and weary and thankful that their
work for a time, at least, is completed.
When they return in September the
people of Augusta will be glad to well
come them to our autumn climate,
| which is the best on earth, and will ex-
tend to them all the compliments of
that delightful season.
| Already Col. Stevens has had the
i Senate chamber and Representative
4 hall swept and cleaned and busted and
Yhis force of men will be kept at work
hntl every part of the great stone
building will be put in apple-pie order
The fact that a commission has been
tappointed to consider propositions for
the removal Of the State capital from
Augusta to some other place does not in
any way cause much concern. 1t is
pointed out that the members Of the
commission will not find a widespread
desire to make the change. The COM
mission is composed Of level-headed
gentlemen, who will consider the best
interests of the State as Of prime i'm
portance before seriously considering
the project of the removal of the
capital. The people of Augusta may
be certain that the commissioners will
carefully weigh every argument, and
will render their opinion in accordance
with good judgment and wise states
manship.
AS an aftermath of the legislative
session the following communication
which was, yesterday, received by Gov.
Hill is given:
Department of State.
Washington, March %, 1903.
His Excellency, the Governor Of Maine,
Augusta, Maine:
Sir: I have the honor to enclose for
your information copy of a vote from
the British embassy, with enclosure
from which 1t appears that a bill is
pending in the Legislature of Maine en-
titled AN Act to incorporate the East
Branch Improvement Co.." certain pro-
visions of which are stated to empower
the company to divert the upper waters
of the Allagash river from their ma
tural course down the st. John river
into the Penobscot river.
This diversion. it Is alleged, would not
only deleteriously affect the lumber in
terests on the Allagash and st. John
rivers, but would also, in consequence
Of the resulting damage to navigation
lappear to be in contravention of the
third article of the Observation-Disclosures
treaty Of 1S42.
/ shall be glad to be favored with a
reply from you.
l have the honor to be sir,
Your obedient servant,
JORN HAY.
| An enclosure contains the substance
of g. communication sent by the gov
ernor general of Canada to the British
embassy bearing upon the above SUBJ
ject, which in turn was sent to the
secretary Of state and by him forward
ed to Governor Hill. The document
Icontains about 1000 words.
The following companies have filed
articles of Incorporation during the last
week at the office Of the secretary of
State:
The Choctaw Investment Co., organ
lied at Augusta, for the purpose of
dealing in real and personal property,
with 600 capital stock, of which
nothing is paid in. The officers are:
President. F. L. Dutton of Augusta;
treasurer. E. F. Whittum of Augusta.
Providence Starch Co., organized at
Portland. for the purpose of manufac-
turing and dealing in starch, with $780,
QUO capital stock, of which SO is paid
in. The officers are: President, Josiah
&c. Ward of Portland; treasurer, Benz.
lG. Ward of Portland.
James & Abbot Co., organized at
Portland. for the purpose of manufac-
turing and dealing in lumber, with
100000 capital stock, of which $500 is
. paid in. The officers are: President,
A. G. Percy Of Portland; treasurer, Jed
+. Tanning Of Portland.
Carey Manufacturing Co., organized
lat Portland. for the purpose of manu-
Featuring vending machines, with $780,
1000 capital stock. of which nothing is
lpaid in. The officers are: President,
IMillard w. Baldwin of Portland; treas
Iurer. J. E. Manter of Portland.
American Talking Scale Co., organ