Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-10
CANADIANS SUSPICIOUS.
Believe Proposed legislation Is Of Re-
taliatory. Nature.


st. John. N. B., April slThe news that
bill has been introduced into the Unit
ed States Senate designed to end the
lumber boundary conflict on the st. John
river, and providing for repeal of the
law permitting free entry Of American
cut and owned lumber into the United
States,e causes much interest AS told
tonight by one closely associated with
the troubles, the Ashburton treaty pro-
vided that the St. John river, where it
forms the international boundary, shall
at all times be free and open for both
peoples.
A few years ago the State Of Maine,
acting, it is claimed, contrary to treay
rights, incorporated companies with char
ter rights to build works in the river and
two or more companies have built mills
and erected works. blocking the river
near Van Buren,, Me-, from the American
bank to an island in the stream, swing
ing a boom from the other side of the
island and building a dam across the
river. The definition of what is the river
channel enters into the dispute.
The companies claim the right to hold
up all logs coming down the river until
they have sorted them and secured their
own, and it is claimed by local lumber
Hfgh that as much as 100000 or $4,000, 900
feet has been thus held up. The logs all
come down in freshet time. The local OPP
orators say that in the first year Of the
troubles the American companies not only
held UP the logs but used some 10000
pieces and that they admit this but say
it would have been a loss to the owners
if the logs were let go after freshet
time; that they were willing to pay for
them. That, however, the local men
claim, is not the question.
In the second year large quantities Of
logs were held and it is claimed that
heavy loss was entailed on the local men.
The danger in holding the logs lay in
the fact that the, freshet must be taken
quick advantage Of.
The attorney general of New Brunswick
brought action against one Of the COM
panies, but the case was postponed on the
understanding that the matter would be
taken up by the International Waterways
Commission. When the commission was
appointed it was decided that it was not
broad enough to include this river. q.
This year Homer Pugsley, Canadian
minister Of public" works. introduced in
the House Of Commons bill to prevent
any boom being attached TO the Canadian
bank except under license by the gov
eminent Of Canada. { ',t"
All interested here decline to discuss 1t
tonight, but there is expression OF be-
lief that the bill proposed at Washing
ton is meant as retaliation for the pro-
posed Canadian act. It is also held that
the bill will not settle the boundary con-
f!icts. but will affect only the American
mill owners in st. John. Three firms
Andre Gushing & Co., Stetson, Cutler &
Co. and J. r. Warner & Co., all Ameri-
can citizens, operate mills here and be-
sides manufacturing Canadian logs, also
saw logs cut on American territory and
brought down the river. These later go
it is said, amount to $4,000, 900 to 75,0030 900
feet a year. H. A Powell, X. c., Of st.
John. counsel for the American company
in the suit brought by the attorney gen.
eral, has been in Washington in connec-
ton, it. is presumed, with this matter
H. A. Powell, K. c., who returned
home from Washington, said his trip
was not in connection with the bill
introduced in the Senate today. Asked
about the st. John river boundary
troubles he said that new diplomatic
negotiations were in progress for the
appointment of commission to settle
the lumber difficulties.