Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-21
THE LEGISLATURE.
Both Branches Resume After
the Weekly Recess.
Nothing Of Unusual Interest, but
Considerable Business Started.
A Large Amount of Work Is Looked
ji;eA for Today. ~

Few matters of general Importance
made their appearance at yesterdays
Session of the Legislature, and conse-
quently there was little to arouse
special interest.
The most important of the measures
introduced was that presented in the
Senate by Senator Gardner of Penob-
scot incorporating the East Branch
Improvement Co. This bill provides
that Nathaniel NJ. Jones, Fred w.
Aver, Halbut P. Gardner, Herbert W..
Marsh. James w. Sewall and George
H. Hamlin be created a corporation
with a capital not exceeding 100000,
the purposes being to improve the
driving of logs on the East Branch OF
the Penobscot river.
Section three of the bill provides that
the company be authorized and en-
powered to hold by virtue of any con-
veyanoes made to it the franchises,
eral estate. sideways, canals, piers,
dams, wing dams, side dams, boOms,
steamboats,. improvements and other
property of the Telos Canal Company
and the Grand Lake Dam Company.
both of which were incorporated by
special act of the Legislature of Maine,
approved August Z, 1S49, and of the
East Branch Dam Company, incpr-
porated by special act of the Legisla-
ture of Maine, approved April 25. 1867,
which said companies are hereby au-
thoriZed and empowered to sell, assign
and convey by deeds duly executed by
the presidents of the several COM
panies to said East Branch Improve
ment Company, such franchises, real
estate. canals, sideways, piers, dams,
wing dams, side dams, bOOmS, steam
boats. improvements and other prop
erty owned or possessed by them at the
time of such transfer, and upon re-
ceiving such cOnveyanceS said East
Branch Improvement Company is here
by authorized and empowered to exer-
else all the powers and privileges of
said Telos Canal Company, said Grand
Lake Dam Company and said East
Branch Dam Company, including the
assessment and collection of polls in
accordance with all acts of the Legisla-
ture relating thereto and the duties Of
said several companies shall be and
become the duties of said East Branch
Improvement Company which said
company shall thereafter be holden to
perform such duties
The bill further provides that Gin adj
dition to the rights and powers now
possessed by said Telos Canal Com
pany said Grand Lake Dam Company
and said East Branch Dam Company,
said East Branch Improvement Com
pany for the purpose of facilitating the
driving of logs and other lumber shall
have the power to build additional
dams with proper gates and sluice-
ways, clear and deepen channels and
canals and remove distractions in the
east branch of the Penobscot river be-
tween Grand Lake Dam and the foot
of Telos Lake, so-called, and the
tributaries thereof and to erect neces-
sary piers, booms, side booms and
other works. Said company shall also
have the power to repair or rebuild any
dam of other works which it may ac
quire as aforesaid, said Telos Canal
Company, said Grand Lake Dam
Company and said East Branch Dam
Company, increasing the height Of any
such dams if it sees fiji. to do so and
the additional damage for fowage
caused by such new dams, or by the in.
creased height of existing dams, may
be recovered in accordance with the
provisions of Chapter 90 of the Revised
Statutes"
| In the settlement of damages sus-
tanned by any person the bill provides
that if they cannot agree with the
company upon the sum to be paid they
may appeal to the county commission
ers where the land is located in the
manner prescribed by law in the case
of damages caused by the laying out
of highways. This appeal must be
made within one year.
The bill authorizes the company to
make contracts with any person or
corporation to drive logs and other
lumber into the Penobscot boom or to
their place of destination for sale or
manufacture, charging such compensa-
ton therefor as shall be agreed upon
between the parties. The company
shall have lien upon the logs driven
which lien shall have precedence of all
claims except those of laborers, which
shall continue for 80 days after the
logs or lumber shall arrive at the place
of destination. and may be enforced by
attachment.