Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-17
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
sEVENTY.SEcOND SESSION.
SENATE.
Thursday. March Is. IS

sNellttse cuIlCu " oIiel ny tlc ITeSi-
dent.
Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Plummer of
H;tl.owell.
The Journal of yesterday read and
approved.
Papers from the House disposed of
in concurrence.
Bill. "An act to amend section ~ of
chapter of the Revised Statutes re-
lating to the regulation and conduct of
elections" came from the House. re-
port of committee on Judiciary Fought
TO pass" accepted by that branch. On
motion or MIR. Gardner of Penobscot
the bill and accompanying report were
tabled.
Bill. "An act in relation to the South
Paris Village Corporation. and to es-
tablish a system of municipal light
ing, came from the House accom-
panied by two reports from the COM
mlttee on legal affairs. as follows: Ma
jority report that the same Ought not
to pass signed Staples. Baxter. Mills,
Reed, Tracy and Weatherbee: minority
report fought to pass signed Pierce,
Cakes. Holmes and Gray.
In the House the minority report was
substituted for the majority, and in
that branch the bill took, it's several
readings, and was passed to be en-
crossed.
Mr.. Pierce of .ArOostook moved that
the Senate concur with the House in
substituting the minority report for
the majority report.
Mr. CLARK of Hancock: Mr.. Presi-
dent. before this matter has been fin
ally settled I would like to say one
word in regard to it. 1t has been the
policy Of this Legislature. and es-
peCi:llv so this winter. to be more or
less governed by ma jOrity reports.
think perhans that is Il fairly good
policy to pursue in most cases. unless
since the reporter even before it
we have some peculiar knowledge that
the cOmmitte has not.
Now III this matter. this committee
have gone over this and undoubtedly
weighed it very carefully. and heard
the testimony both pro and con- and in
a majority report decided that the
same Fought not to pass" The facts
as they appeared two wears ago before
the committee, and which same facts.
| understand. appeared this year, are
substantially as follows:
The Oxford Light & Water Company
which is composed of Governor HILL
Mr.. MacOmber of this city. and Mr.
Sheppard of Rockland. and some other
gentlemen. bought this plant up there
of the Wallace Brothers some few
years ago. and established this light
inc nj u-tf
street railroad line, which they con-
solidated with this plant. They paid
something like s135.C0O for this prop
ertN, and bonded it for approximately
$50 .06h. and foated those bonds as all
bonds are tloated upon the market.
Shortly after that they made several
improvements in the plant. and certain
individuals in the town of South Paris
bought a small water power upon one
of those rivers in the tOwn-a very
small pow er-and paid $1,000 for it.
After they purchased this power. and
had it upon their hands. they did not
know what to do with it. and so pro-
posed selling it to the town and let
the town establish a municipal light
ing plant upon this power. They then
ity for the town to construct u lighting
plant of its own.
Now. it has been the we'll settled
policy of this Legislature for all times.
| believe. that whel; we give Il COR
poration or person the right to cstab-
lish lighting or water plant. or any
other public corporation Il franchise or
charter. that they have vested rights
in that charter which we shall protect
at all times: and the only time we
shall not protect them is when they do
not serve the public. and do not come
up to the standard of satisfactory pub
lie service that a corporation should;
and it is an implied contract upon our
part that so long as you serve the
public fairly and faithfully you shall
have that franchise unmolested.
But in q great many cases / have
known where the public have not been
faithfully served: for instance. as be-
fore the Judiciary committee this win
ter. Which reports Il bill this morning
of the Castine Water Company that
has Il charter which has not served
the public as it should. but we are CIV
ing the town a new charter with the
express provision that the old COM
pany have two years in which to COM
plete it's work. thus implying and
showing that we will protect them
from encroachment by new companies
at all times.
In this case there was some evidence
that there is some defect in this plant.
that it was not lighting the way 1t
should be. Since that hearing two
years ago the oxford Light & Power
Co. has expended about $4,000 upon
its plant to complete it. and today in
addition to the investment they have.
they have $4,000 on which individuals
have endorsed notes for the company
in order to complete those works.
The people who apply for THIS char
ier claim that the town of South Paris
'orld light it's own streets cheaper
than it could by buying electricity of
he oxford Light &, Power Co. The
was satisfied two years
ago these were not the true facts, be-
:ause they were relying expressly
Upon their water power, and in no way
lpon steam. to light those streets. and
t was proven to the committee that
here was not a lighting plant in the
State of Maine which relied wholly
Ipon water power to generate electric |
ty for it's plant. but would have to put |