Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-08
HOUSE,.
Thursday,

Thursday, Jan. Z, 1909.
Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Hope of Augusta
Journal read and approved
The SPEAKER: At the request of
the gentleman from Portland (Mr.
Roundsl the Senate has returned, with
out acting upon, the order in reference
to the joint rules, which was amend
ed on motion OF the gentleman from
Portland SO as to include a committee
| on electric light, power and gas COM
panies. What action does the gentle
man from Portland propose to take?
Mr.. ROUNDS of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, l want to state here my posi-
tlon in introducing that order I come
from Portland, and as you all know
from the papers throughout the State
We have met with a loss there by fire,
the roof of million-dollar building
destroyed and the building otherwise
damaged, and our records ruined or
injured. Not only that, but inside of
three days afterwards we met with
another loss of almost q million dol
lars, and on the occasion of that loss
<e asked to have help from outside
cities all the way from Kennebec to
Boston. We went up in the night and
on the walls of that building not one
OF them doing any execution in the
way of good in putting out the fire.
wish it to be understood, however, that
I do not consider the head of the de-
partment of fire or of the police to
blame for anything that occurred there
Now two years ago committee of the
city committee of Portland appeared
before the judiciary committee of the
Legislature and tried to stop this evil
that was attempted to be enacted into
law that the firemen of the city of
Portland should be put in for life or
during good behavior. But the Legisla
ture saw fit at that time to put them
on that basis, while the officers should
be put in every year and look to polit-
ical inspiration to get them in. But
when we came to Augusta for a hearing
we found they would only give us
few minutes-there We're a number of
electric light, power and gas company
charters to be considered and we
could not get proper hearing. Now l
told my colleagues on the city commit
tee that if l ever went to Augusta
would try to get chance for the city
of Portland, with its millions of dol
lars of valuation, to have hearing
hat should not be limited to only Is
minutes on such an important matter
because some corporation has some
little gas company or electric light
company that they want to get through
or their attorneys want to go home. So
I put this order in. Now the police de-
partment, as you know, is under the
same conditions, and our people want
to be we'll protected, both as to fire
and police protection, and at least want
a proper hearing given them before
a committee of this Legislature.
Now to expedite business have been
told that our honorable upper branch
of the Legislature proposes to non con-
cur in my amendment, so that the va
rious committees may be announced
today. Therefore I wish to withdraw
MY amendment for the present and
introduce it later.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
wishes to withdraw House Amendment
A, which was adopted yesterday. 1t
will first be necessary to reconsider the
vote whereby the amendment was
adopted
MIR. ROUNDS: I move that the vote
be reconsidered.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman now