Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-15

The question being on the motion
to indefinitely postpone the bill.
Eir. DYER of RuCkfiold: Mr.. Speak
en- this bill is designed to protect pee
pie in buildings like schools, churches
and theatcrS. 1t requires that persons
in charge Of heating plants sinai! salts
fy the municipal officers Of the city or
town that they are qualified to hands
those plants. The bill does not provide
that those plants shall be handled by a
licensed engineer. The simple provis-
ion Is that he shall satisfy the munich
pay officers that ne is qualified to run
that boiler and they give him n certiti-
cate to that effect. The reason for the
bill is that recently there have been
some very narrow escapes in this Stat
from serious disasters BY reason Of
janitors. especially in school buildings
who We're unqualified to handle such
plants The bill docs not include pri-
vate dwelling houses nor any hall used
tor private purposes.
Mr.. TUCKER of Wiscasset: I don't
believe that the public officials Of &
town as q rule are competent to pass
on the question Whet Their man is quail
fled to take care Of Il steam plant
Mr. TOLMAN of Portland: l think
this bill deserves proper attention from
this House. | see no reason why it is
going to be detrimental to any of the
places included in the bill. l am in
favor Of its passage.
Mr. MURPHY Of Portland: I under
stand the cities are especially after
| this bill. AS far as Portland is con-
| crrned every engineer Of every school
| building is already selected by prop
| pr committee appointed by the city
| government Of which committee the
mayor is chairman. one of the causes
| Of trouble as far as Portland is con-
| ccrncd is the fact that the men in
charge of those buildings have recently
| been changed and it is known rnt>
some of the boilers and pipes have
| been tempered with, 50 the new men
could not properly take care of the
| boilers. As to the churches of course
| the municipal officers do not have
charge over the engineers. l wish to
say that | am opposed to the bill.
Mr.. COBB Of Gardiner: think as
| long a. the State has not got any Ii
ccnse law for engineers, as long as they
nave no man who knows enough to
give a man a license. l don't see the
| object now Of cnactfng 4 bill like this.
What is the use of having men to
examine an applicant for Il position
who don't know as much as the appi-
| cant? | think We are commencing at
! the wrong end. We ought to have all of
| our boilers looked after by men who
| ire competent and we ought to have
| mon for inspectors t. sec that they are
in proper shape ana then we would
have better men for janit0rs in our
public buildings I don't think this bill
will help the situation as to the safety
If our steam boilers bat very little.
| Mr.. DECKER of Weld: I have had
| experience with steam boilers for 80
| years ana | know something of the
responsibility in connection with their
| are and ! know what ii means to have
IN explosion in case whore the man
in charge was not competent. In our
schools and churches sometimes there.
| is more ut stake than there is in a mill.
! where the lives of the people and of
| children are ut stake. | am now the
owner of 4 block which contains q Ma
sonic lodge, several offices. two stores
| ana post office. and am We'll aware
that the boiler never has been ana is
not today receiving the care it really
| ought to have: ana if this law passes
| | know | shall be obliged to put a diff
| ferent man in charge of that boiler
| than | ever have had yet. / am in favor
of this bill, which will oblige us to
| have men who are competent to take
| care of our boilers.
Mr.. MCKINNEY Of Brdgton: 1t
| seems to mo this hill applies more es-
| pecially to cities than to the country
| towns. There are very few steam boil
ars in churches Or schools in our coun-
try towns, but il does seem to me that
| something should he done in regard To
steam boilers in tile cities. 1t is prob
| ably true that our municipal officers
| are Incompetent to decide upon the
| qualifications of a man to run a steam
| boiler. but | presume in every CITY in
| the State there are competent men
| who could be called upon by the NUM-
| clNal officers to examine 4 man who is
an applicant for such a position. 7
| know there is very great danger in
public buildings from the incompctencv
| Of engineers. l think this bill anp1ies
mostly to the cities and that there
| would be no trouble in finding man
with sufficient knowledge to determine
whether q man i competent for the
work or not.
Mr. THOMAS Of Rowland: In these
times when every town that is able is
building fine school houses and sacri-
ffcing most everything to build such
buildings for their scholars, it seems
| to me that We ought to see to it that