Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-22

The committee on judiciary gave n
hearing on a large number Of matters
Of importance Thursday afternoon.
Req. Hall of Caribou appeared for the
proposed change in the time of the su-
preme court of Aroostook county. No
one opposed.
The next matter to be taken uD was
an act to incorporate the Lisbon Falls
Gas and Electric Co. H. T.. Coolidge Of
Lisbon Falls presented the case and
suggested that as there was no Opposi-
ton, except in the town of Topsham,
the promoters were willing to have the
bill reported in a new draft and leave
out that town.
An Act to amend Sections IA, Is. 16.
is and 10 of Chapter SO of the Revised
Statutes relating to the limitation of
actions against executors and admins
traitors was postponed one week.
Judge B. F. Cleaves of Biddeford ap-
peared in behalf of the act relating to
recorders ard clerks of municipal
courts so that such officials shall act
only when the judge is absent from the
court.
The next matter was the petition of
the selectmen of East Livermore for
tY,e incorporation of the Livermore
Falls Water District.
IJon. Herbert NJ. Heath of Augusta
aprss qred for the inhabitants of East
liver more. He traced the history OF the
matter saying that seven years ago
companv was formed to furnish the
town with water, under charter with
4 provision that the town might pur-
chase al an ytine. recent vote OF the
town was 249 to 10 in favor of purchas-
ING A district becomes necessary on
account Of the value Of the works.
Mr. Heath said that the attorneys for
the parties J. II. Maxwell and Judge
W. IT. Newell. had reached an agree
mont and submitted bill satisfactory
tc ell.
Mr. Rjsbec Of Rumford Falls opposed
~, the mart Of the Rumford Falls Trust
q, which acts as trustee and is also
, largo bondholder. The gentleman
from Rumford Falls was earnest in ms
ranarks and at last brought from At
torney Heath an interesting state
,ncnt Of the history OF water districts
in Maine. mailing" as he said. un-
truths that have been circulated IN con-
nection with this and the Portland wa
ter District in which it had been
claimed that the movement Tor water
districts was conceived in pubic pam
ic over fear of epidemics. Mr.. Heath, py
dates and data, corroborated by MEM
hers of the committee. showed That the
city of Waterville and the town OF
Fairfield held a mass meeting Tor the
purnose of forming n water district
three wears before the outbreak of any
eridemic of disease. being prompted
wholly by the advantages of munich
pal ownership.
The next matter was on an act to eX-
tend the charter of the Peaks Island
Water and Light Co. 1t was supported
by Edgar F. Rounds. who asked that
the charter be issued in a new draft.
No one opposed.
Peter Charles Keegan appeared in
behalf of an act to incorporate the Van
Buren, Light and Power Co., asking that
some of the incorporators be changed.
The same gentleman also appeared IN
behalf of the act to authorize the town
of Van Buren, to issue bonds to build a
Town hall and for other municipal pur-
poses.
At this time the committee took up
the employers liability act. drafted by
Arthur Il. Peakes of Foxcroft. The
author of the bill appeared first in its
behalf He said in part:
This is a bill which should be en-
acted as a matter of humanity and OF
Justice. It is humanity to allow an en-
ploye to recover for injury.
81 realize that this bill strikes at the
very roots of several branches of the
law which have not proved eiastlc
enough to meet with our modern coiioi-
tions of labor. We have power driven
tools. manipulated by hand and involV-
ing great danger to the workmen.
I've have no laws in our state conf
pelling the employee to provide sate-
guards and safety devices ana II Is
fact. though greatly to be depioreu' .na'
many manufacturers will not provide
such devices until compelled by law 10
do so. This bill here will. in a way