Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-31

know. is a small county and all of the
towns that are incorporated are on
either side of the Pscataquis river and
a railroad runs down through the coun-
ty. The county seat is at Dover, and
| the lawyers at the upper end of the
county take the train at o'clock in
the morning and get down to Dover
| about $50. and they can then visit the
| court house and do their business OF
the day and go back on the train. and
| the people from the lower end of the
county have to go in the same way
SO it is necessary that the clerk OF
courts should keep open from 80 UNI
| Ill o'clock at night.
That mans salary is q thousand dol
lars. 1t was established at that amount
] four or six Years ago when the salary
system was established all over Maine
| At that time they had two terms OF
| court. Since the establishment of the
thousand dollar salary q new term has
| been added. so that we have now ir
| flscataQuis county three terms of
! court and it is very proper and just
| that that Office should pay man an
amount commensurate with the addi-
| tional dor
| This bill. if I am allowed to have it
brought before the Senate, will be
amended so as to read. two hundred
dollars for furnishing clerk hire for
that clerk OF courts. 1t does not in
| crease his salary at all 1t simply pays
for clerk. and. as you understand
very readily. tina: man now with three
terms OF court must employ a clerk
IN many Of the counties the conditions
Of things are such that they do not
have to keep an Office open but that
man docs from 80 to 6 O'Clock
AT night. and all l ask is that there
sha'l be given to him two hundred dol
lars to pay for clerk that will en-
abb" him to perform his duties proper
ly
ain aware that the Governor is not
in favor of increasing salaries. This
is not an increase of salary at all I'M
der the arrangement under which the
salary was fixed. 1t was q thousand
dollars for two terms of court and all
that we ask now is that two hundred
dollars be given for clerk hire. in con-
slderatiOn of the fact that we have an
extra term of court every years.
l move, Mr.. President that the bill as
shall amend it, be substituted for
the report
Mr.. MILLIKEN of Aroostook: Mr..
President. ! rise to ask question Of
the senator from Piscataquis through
tic Chair. When was the change
made? Or rather, put it this way. has
there been any change in respect to
the duties of this office since the pres
ent incumbent was elected to the Of
flee?
Mi. kNOWLTON: He has held Of
flee for eight Or 10 years
Mr. MILLIkEN: Since the last
election?
,Mr. kNOWLTON: No, sir.
Mr.. MIL4LIkEN: Precisely. Now, Mr..
President, the committee on salaries
and fees has not had an altogether
pleasant task at this session. We have
had all kinds of propositions before us
for the increase of salary and for addi-
tional clerk hire, which were claimed
not to be increases of salary, and for
various devices which were needed to
give the county officials more emolu-
ment for their offices. admit there is
a semblance of reason in this claim for
the county of Piscataquis on account
OF the additional term of court, al
though the increased work is not so
much as it might appear to be from
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