Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-03


a restaurant, or get it from the street
carts A good many restaurants, espe-
cially at night, are places one does not
want to go into, and when they do go
there, they are liable to get that which
they wish they had not partaken OF.
These lunch carts as they are conduct
ed in a city are specimens of utter
neatness. The food is well cooked
and we'll prepared, and the wagons are
conducted i'll such way as to be IN
viting l can see no reason Whatever
if the city of Portland wants to have
lunch carts, why We in Augusta, or
anybody, should object to it. This puts
it entirely in the hands of the authorl-
ties in Portland, and, if they do not
want it passed, they need not license
the lunch wagons, and, if they do, why
should they not license them. 1t seems
that it is none of our affair, except 10
give them that privilege.
Certainly, my experience in three or
four instances has shown me that the
lunch cart would be fine thing. re-
member one night was at Old Town
about II o'clock, and I could not get
anything to eat at the hotel, and I went
COMPOUNDED of various ingredients-I
know not what but I know that the
stuff l ate should never have gone in
to the stomach Of either man or os-
trich. If they had had a lunch cart
there, ! should have gone to 1t that
night.
Mr.. GOWELL of York: Mr. Pesident,
this bill was referred to the committee
on legal affairs At the hearing the
proponents of the bill presented a Pc
tition, signed by 500 people of the city
Of Portland, asking that this bill be
passed giving the city authority to
permit the use of lunch carts in the
public streets. 1t seems that lunch
carts have been licensed by the city
authorities for several years, bt there
has been some question as to whether
or not the city authorities have right
to grant such a license without legis-
lative enactment. The petition was
supported by about so letters from
leading citizens and taxpayers, and
from the evidence presented at the
hearing it seems that the lunch carts
have been conducted in creditable
way and have given good service to the
people I think the people who signed
the petition were mostly railroad men,
who work a portion of the night and
find it very convenient to patronize the
carts. 1t seems that the people engaged
in that business have expended conslo-
cradle money in fitting up the carts
anG for the paraphernalia necessary tc
I conduct the business, and they ask tt
have their business protected.
| The opponents of the bill were most
" people engaged in the restaurant
! business, who claimed that the compe-
tition from those carts was unfair, anc
it appeared that the patrons of the
carts would not in many instances pat
ronize the restaurants.
| I am surprised that the question OF
constitutionality should be raised. be-
cause / think very few questions have
been brought before this Legislature
! at this session where that question has
NOT been raised A majority Of the com
mittee thought that this would simply
give the cities and towns of the State
! legal authority to manage the a1falrs
of the town. hope the majority repor'
of the committee will be sustained.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Mr.. Presl
dent, it is true that the members who
signed the minority report did consider
whether the city of Portland had any
| right to liccnse these parties to use the
streets of Portland for this purpose.
still have great doubts about it, and
think some others have.
There is another side to this ques
ton in regard to the injury 1T might
do to one side or the other. They have
| good restaurants in the city Of Port
land, open until IL o'clock or as late a!
a man ought to be out at any rate
where anybody can get a good lunch
There is no question about that. These
restaurants have expended large sums
Of money and paid large rents ant
paid taxes in the city of Portland, ant
their owners are among the best citl
zens of that city Now. if a man pay:
$500 year rent. his water rates, hi:
gas bill and electric light bill. he should
have some protection. BY this bill
these lunch carts pay but a sinai
amount of taxes and can operate
against this other man to his detriment
The citizens who are in that bushes:
should be protected. They hire thel
stores, pay their rent and their take
and then have lunch cart IN thelr vi
cinity. which pays but very small
tax. 1t seems to me that 1t is an injur!
to the restaurant keepers. I have M
interest in it myself. believe it to b.
right outside of the liquor question
that has been developed in this case.
When the motion is taken, l ask tina
the vote be by the yeas and nays
Mr.. LOONEY of Cumberland: Mr.
President. I do not know as I can adj
anything to what has been so we'll ant
ably said by the Senator from Kno'
and the senator from York. General,
speaking. unless I have very stron|
and decided convictions against
measure, | believe in supporting TIL
report Of the majority. The committe
listened attentively, l presume. to al
of the evidence on both sides of thl
question. and, having heard the testi
L., ft,n