Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-29
Governor and Council In
Session Tuesday.
West Powna| The Site For
School For Feeble Minded.
Edward ST. Pierre, Lewiston, Grant.
ed Conditional Pardon.

Inc regular mOnlnlv meeting Oh the
Governor and Council was held Tues
day, Governor Cobb and all the MEM
bers of the council being present.
The first matter taken up was the
petition for the pardon of EdOuard st.
Pierre Of Lewiston, who is serving 10
years in the State prison at Thomas
ton for robbery. Louis ]. Brann OF
Lewiston appeared as counsel FOR the
petitioners and laid stress on the fact
that st. Pierre pleaded guilty OWING
to 4 misunderstanding of the case and
that the sentence was excessive. NO
one appeared in opposition and the
matter was tabled for executive ses-
sion The council in executive session
voted to grant conditional pardon to
St. Pierre to take effect June l. Mr..
Brann received many congratulations
for the able manner in which he pre-
scented the case for the petitioners
The committee Of the executive
council. consisting of w. Scott !4ibbey
of Lewiston. Thurston S. Burns of
WestbrGok and Leroy +. Pike of Corn
lsh, submitted its report on the Home
for Feeble Minded, which is as fol-
lows:
Augusta, Me. April 2S, 1908.
His Excellency. William II. Cobb ahC
Members of the Executive Council:
The committee appointed by thA
Governor to look up suitable ioca-
ton FOR the Maine School for Feeble
Minded provided for in Senate Bill
1874, beg leave to report that it. has
done the work entrusted to it
In order to get better idea of what
was needed, the committee visited the
Home for Feeble Minded at Wavorly,
Mass, 10 miles from Boston, where
about 1000 feeble minded persons are
cared for. 1t also visited what is
termed "the Colony" consisting OF a
tract of land comprising about 1900
acres, rugged in character, located
about 10 miles from Boston and three
miles from the Baldwinsville railway
station. Both the Waverly Home and
the colony are under the supervision
of DR.. W. f. Fernald, gentleman of
large and notably successful expert
ence in such institutions and to whom
we are indebted to much valuable in
formation and healthful suggestions
as to the local conditions, making up
an ideal site for the purpose. Ad-
vsed and satisfied rs to these, your
committee next searched for a place
cmbodying these conditions. Aside
from strictly local conditions, con-
ye.iicnce of access and good railroad
facilities are important corSldera-
tons.
Some go different locations have
been brought to the attention of the
committee. Most of these have been
visited by some member of the
committee and quite good many OF
these by all members of the commit
| tee.
| AS a result of their investigation
| your committee beg leave to recon-
rnend the purchase of tract of land
| embracing nine sets of farm buildings
also the stock, wagons, implements
and tools included in the option of
| two farms, and comprising, in the
| aggregate, 1854 acres.
| On this tract has been grown in one
year over 800 tons of hay, 1850 bushels
| Of apples, besides other farm products.
| There is estimated to be 775.00O feet of
standing lumber and POO cords of
| wood. Eleven springs of water are
| found or the property, three of them
believed to be ample for all needs Of
! the institution. In case further sup
| ply should ever be needed it can be
taken from Royals River which flows
| through one corner of the tract seven
eighths of "A mile from the center. The
| highest elevation above tide water Is
| sos feet. Distance from Gray sta
| ton on the Maine Central Railroad to
| the center of the tract is one mile
| distance from West Pownal station on
| the Grand Trunk to the center of
tract. one mile The distance from
Portland is 20 miles. The distance
from Lewiston is 16 miles.
The lay of the land. being an elevat-
| ed table land, is such as to permit
| perfect drainage and at the same time
afford abundant room for the proper
location of all buildings needed for all
| time. The view is very extensive,
embracing mountains in one direction
and ocean in the other as we'll as
everything between.
The amount appropriated by the
Legislature for the purchase of this
site was 100000. the cost of the entire
tract embraced in this recommended
ton is $19,150 plus the interest on two
small mortgages, the amount. at this
time, not definitely known, but said to
be between 5000 and $500.
Options covering the property are
transmitted herewith,
Harris w. Jordan. land. $500: A. j.
Morse, land and buildings. $4,000; d. j.
Ryther. ct al, stock, tools. etc, $4,000;
Sarah r. Hutchins, ct ais. land and
buildings, $3.50: George Fl. Wilson, land
and buildings, $1,4OO: Charles l.. Dow
and other, land. two sets of buildings.
Sc, 500: Marcus NJ. MuZZey and others,
land, $3.50; Emma D. Sawyer and 9TH
ers. land, $3.50; Charles NJ. Lane. land
and buildings, $4,000.
The report was accepted.