Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-15

ship of public utilities also figured in
the measures introduced in the House,
yesterday. Not exactly municipal
ownership, either, but ownership by
the people and for the people, not as
a municipality but 1&s "a district COM
prising several municipalities.
Representative Norton of Gardiner,
started the ball in motion when he In
troduced the petition of Frederick
Danforth and others for charter to
incorporate the Territorial limits of
the city of Gardiner. or the compact
part thereof, as water district, with
power to take by purchase or by
right of eminent domain, the property
and franchises of the Maine Water
Company within the city of Gardiner,
and towns of Randolph and Farming
dale, in the manner and with all the
powers incident to similar corpora
lions. The petitioners also pray for
legislative authority to build and oper-
ate water works within the limits of
the city of Gardiner in case such pro-
perty and franchises of said water
company are not so purchased or
taken.
And then Representative Potter of
Brunswick, introduced a bill of SINH
lar character giving the same rights
to a water district comprising the
towns of Brunswick and Topsham.
The Maine Water Co. also owns a
plant in those towns.
The request for legislation regulat-
ing the speed of automobiles and mo-
tov ;a1n IL
was another important feature intro
duced, yesterday. The bill provides
that these horseless conveyances may
not be restrictedto less than eight miles
an hour in the compactly settled por-
tons of villages, towns and cities,
while in the open country the speed
may be 20 miles an hour.
Resolves were presented calling for
$10,500 annually for the Maine Indus
trial School for Girls at Hallowell with
$500 each year for additional farm help
and $500 annually for the expenses of
the trustees. Another resolve calls for
$11,250 for extraordinary repairs and
improvements at the school, $10,750 to
be available In 1903 and $500 in 1904.
Woman's suffrage likewise appeared
in the bills that came to light in the
House, yesterday. 1t came in the form
of an act to enable taxpaying women
to vote in municipal elections. This
measure was presented by Representa-
tive Allen of Portland, and is backed
by the Woman's Suffrage Association.
Portland wants it's charter changed
SO that it's officers may be elected by
plurality instead of majority vote.
Representative Barker of Bangor
wants the Australian ballot law
amended so that stickers placed over
other names on ballots shall be
counted.
A bill was introduced authorizing
the Augusta, Winthrop & Gardiner
Railroad Co. to furnish Winthrop with
electric lights.
The hall of the House of Represen-
tatives was crowded in the afternoon,
when a large delegation came from
Lewiston to show their interest in the
contested election cases in which
Stephen j. Kelley, Jacob r. Little and
George B. Haskell, Republicans re-
monstrate against the seating of Frank
"A. AuOACy AhlCllelCl a. wy IC anu "A. VNl.
Garcelon, the three Democrats who
were given certificates of election by
the Governor and Council on the foce
of the returns. The hearing was held
before the Committee on Elections.
Hon. William B. Shelton of Lewiston,
county attorney of Androscoggin, and
Hon. Seth M. Carter of Lewiston, for
the petitioners and Hon. Daniel J. Nc
Gillicuddy, mayor of Lewiston, for the
defendants.
The petitioners allege that 26 ballots
were fraudulently placed in the box
| for the Democratic candidates in Ward
s.; that there was fraud in the handling
of the check list after the close of the
election; that the ballot clerks list and
that of the ward clerk showed that
| 447 names were checked in Ward and
that one list now has 47O names
| checked and the other AL that num-
Der of persons other than those who
actually voted are checked as having
voted and that the check lists were
marked up by Democratic official of
Lewiston; that the names that are
| checked whereof the said names are
| either did not vote at all or voted illeg-
| ally; that the ballots We're marked
| after they had been counted and be-
| cause of this the petitioners were
obliged to abandon their request for a
recount.
Abel D. Russell, engrossing clerk
in the office of the secretary Of State,
described the manner in which the Of
| fetal ballots are prepared and dis
| tributed. On cross-examination the
| witness testified that he had nothing
| to do with the counting of the undi-
vided ballots. Several dispositions
were read touching on the question of
| illegality of voting.
At the evening session after John A.
Finn, Geo. S. Mccarthy, and S. j. Kel-
ley had concluded their testimony for
the prosecution, Mayor McGillicuddy
opened for the defence. He presented
several witnesses to controvert the evil
dence presented by the prosecution, in
Guiding City Clerk Lambert, who has
| figured in the case from the start. At
1045, the committee adjourned until 2
o'clock this afternoon.
The following nominations were made
nv Gov HILL Yesterday. r.