Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-20

These remarks are preliminary to
The matter of the amendment SO that it
may 5c clearly understood by the mem
hers of the House. / never heard Of
the amendment before, but | can read
lily see the effect of it. | have a letter
here from a prominent man living in
East MachiaS, one of the county otli
GERS there and | am perfectly willing
t. read a part OF it which is apple ca
Bile here He says: There is no rea-
sen in the world why the town shoHld
not help maintain this bridge especial
ly after the State has contributed 5000
with the verbal promise of Mr.. Bogue
and Mr.. Allen and others, representa-
tives Of each town that if the state
would help. then the towns ought to
be willing to do something. Machlas-
port has done its share, and East Ma
clliaS also as far as the town can; they
have voted in town meeting one year
to give $1,000 and the money was as
snssed and raised and is now in the
hands of the town treasurer, and the
only reason that it has not been paid
over is because II. l.. GOOch has re-
fused to draw an order for it and de
clareS he won't until the trustees sue
HIM"
Now, Mr. Gooch is very rcspccta-
bic man in East Machas. being one
of the selectmen of the town for many
W drs, and he is the only opponent Of
the measure. and it seems that he, be-
ing first Seiectman, is the man who
has Blocked the payment of the sum of
$1,000 1t seems to me the town should
Rave paid its share of the cost of build
ing the bridge, and this amendment
rs introduced is THAI if We pass this
bill oblising the towns to appropriate
equally the cost of maintaining the
bridge in the future. that the town Of
East Machias shall not be obliged to
pay over it's share unless the select
men of East Machias audit and APP
prove tho bills: in other words. it
means that the town of East Machias
shall not be obliged 10 pay in future
fer the maintenance Of the bridge I'M
less Fl. l.. Gooch is willing. That is the
Way it appeared to the committee.
Mr. PATTANGALL.: Mr.. Speaker.
don't propose to take the time of this
House in arguing all the details con-
nectcd with the Machiasport bridge
matter, because there is no occasion
for it here and there is no motion mad
here to indefinitely postpone this bill.
am perfectly willing to concede that
the bill is a good bill in order to have
come from the committee on judiciary
hut even though the first seIectman of
the town of East Michias did appear
in opposition to the bill | should still
contend that it was a very poor pro-
vision with regard to any bill to be
paid by any town. that it should first
be audited by the selectmen. l fail to
sec i'll all the arguments which have
been made with regard to how this
bridge came to be built and all that
sort of thing, and what has been done
in the past, anything touching that
point at all. In reference to the letter
read from my distinguished friend who
is a county officer down in Washington
county. ] don't see that that has ad-
vanc"d any reason why the snlectmer
SHOULD not audit Il bill before it is paid
by the town. Is that any reason why
there should be objection to a bill be
ing audited before it is paid? It is a
simple provision that the town of East
Machias shall know what it it paying
for. That is wise provision think