Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-31
HEARING ADJOURNED TO FEB, IS,
Strong Requests From Represent
atives of Different Sections
For a Continuance.

The hearing on the ACCESSIBILITY of
changing the seat of government of the
state of Maine, before the committee
on public buildings and grounds which
consists Of Oakley c. Curtis of Cum
berland as chairman, George M. Bar
rows of Penobscot and Walter 3.
Clarke of Lincoln on the part of the
Senate and Edward F. Danforth of
Skowhegan, Elisha w. Pike of Eastport,
Alvah Snow Of Brunswick, Edwin L.
Haskell of Deer Isle. S. Reed Allen of
Richmond, Josiah Farrar of Corinth
and Charles A. Lynch of Washington
on the part of the House, was contin-
ued after some of the evidence had been
put in. 20 Wednesday, February 10.
The interested parties in the city of
Portland had a delegation about 100
strong on hand to do battle for the
Forest City. either with oratory or with
APP lause, but the number dwindled per-
ceptably as the afternoon wore on and
toward the end it was hard to see or
hear any OF them except the Hon.
Joseph 3. Reed. He mixed it up Win
he Hon. Leslie c. Cornish on q prop
POSITION to adjourn and came off dis
tinctly second best. according to the
expressed opinion of several interested
and disinterested gentlemen who were
present.
That the state House is not to be
permitted to so by default was eviden-
ced by the large ate ndanCc. not only on
the part of local citizens who were out
IN force, but also Oh the part of prom
inent citizens Of other sections of the
state. 1t was evident that the magni-
tude of The matter under consideration
had already begun to attract the at
tentlon of the taxpayers.
Chairman Oakley c. Curtis called the
committee to order at 229 and read
| the order under which the hearing was
held. Joseph r. Reed Of Portland
opened the case for the Portland contin-
gent He said that the feeling has
been that the accommodations at Au-
Susta have become entirely inadequate.
He read that portion of Gov. Cobb's
| inaugural referring to the need of more
room in some of the State departments
The hotel accommodations of Augusta
were treated in a rather humorous vein,
the speaker likening the city to Beth
| lehem Of old, saying that the legisla-
| tors were invited to sleep in the man.
ger or anywhere else, for there is no
| room in this house" The hotel accom-
mcdations i'll Portland were enlarged
| upon, the reason for the unusually fine
| conditions there heing ascribcG to the
| large summer business. The speaker
| then took UP the matter of expense, ell.
| ing attention to the fact that
| the State has 100000 surplus
| which has been set aside to pay
bonds in reduction Of the State
debt. Portland has agreed to tax It.
self for a half million and the speaker
expressed the view that better build
\ ing than the present could be built fol
that money. Mr.. Reed raised a littI5
furry of applause at the close when
he said that the people he represented
| requested that a referendum be az
tached SO that all the people can vote
on it.
| Mayor Nathan Clifford Of Portland
was the next speaker. ITe read the or.
der passed by the Portland city govern
ment Offering 100000 to the State as
an inducement to make change