Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-01-18

l
70 tho proposed water power trust 10 al
ready drawn and has been exhibited to
several members Of the legislature in its
rough draft.
The provisions OF the charter in the
rough draft which were told Of tonight
BY member OF the legislature are sp-
pafentiy OF the broadcast character. No
such powers ~ this charter will carry
with 1t have ever been incorporated in
any charter granted in the State Of Maine.
1t will give the company, which is backed
by the Standard Oil interest, the right to
construct power lines anywhere in the
State OF Maine that it chooses to 90. It
Will have tho right Of eminent domain.
may build its lines anywhere it desires to
take its power or where it may desire to
sell it in competition with any existing
power company.
Tho company behind this measure has
secured from the Coburn estate, so 1t Is
said, power privilege on the upper
Kennebec river between Dead river and
Moosehead lake. There it asks for the
right to construct q dam which will de-
4 '~@Of SSASeuAh6 AhAO OV,OOO uOIoo- pOWeTs
1t proposes to build power lines anywhere
throughout the State, and those who have
been interested in the matter proclaim
that it will mean the opening wedge for
the creation OF great water power trust
in Maine.
Back Of the company is said to be mil
lions OF dollars. 1t hopes to secure the
/ tspht Af A.
have made an arrangement with the domi-
nant wing OF the democratic party,
backed by some republican members, by
which this bill is to be pushed through
the Legislature. The company asks for
these extraordinary rights on the ground
that it will enter the field ana create COM
petition in heating, lighting and power,
and that where prices are high to-day be-
cause OF any power company or monopoly,
it will force these prices to be reduced
by underselling the light or power.
\ Really it is said that this means the
smothering Of many companies by the
great wealth and the millions back Of the
promoters OF this gigantic enterprise. 1t
will undersell the existing power COM
panies, II it secures the charter it will ask
for, because it can sell its power at great
loss and for an indefinite time, and event.
ually force all the smaller power COM
panies to sell out to it and become a part of
itself, gigantic power-controlling trust.
With the right OF eminent domain, it
may not only carry its power to the
borders OF the State, but it will also carry
it out OF the State il it SO desires. The
rough draft OF the charter as it now exists
provides that the company which will be
chartered will have this privilege Of trans
! uniting its power outside of Maine, and in
fact anyw here outside or inside the State
that it desires to go.
The danger OF the charter such as it is
( proposed to demand OF this legislature is
just being realized by the owners Of
smaller water powers in the State OF
Maine, who see that il the proposed
charter is granted it will mean the
depreciation OF the value OF their property
bonds and stock. The charter will not
pass without fight, and the bitterest
fight it is predicted that the legislature Of
Maine has ever known.
The men who are behind this charter
have already been lobbying in its in
terest. One man who was approached
upon the matter was told that this COM
pany desired to develop Maine, but while
the company was waiting for the develop
ment OF the State that it would tenn
porarily get the right to take its power
out of Maine where it could sell it to
advantage, and when Maine was ready
for the power it developed that it would
be easy enough with the right OF eminent
domain which 1t asks for to take the
power anywhere it was needed. Temporal
rily this man was told the power thus
developed on the Kennebec would be
taken to the Connecticut valley where it
could be sold to fill the contracts which
the men back OF this company have made
with cities OF western Massachusetts,
which they have not been able to develop
power enough on the Connecticut river to
fill.
One man stated to Press reporter to-
night that he knew all about this charter
and the scheme behind it; said that
leaders Of the democracy had sold out the
democratic party of Maine to accomplish
something which some democrats, at least,
would never stand for and he predicted
row, such as Maine has never seen, II these
men attempted to carry out their bargain.
The informant OF the Press mentioned
names, and said that the company behind
the proposition had already been making
overtures to some OF the big power COM
panies OF the State to assist them in secur-
ing this charter through their influence in
order that when the time came they might
not be interfered with in the way OF COM
petition and that when the big consolida-
ton of power interests took place when
the big company had driven the little ones
to the wall that they might be taken care
OF in a generous manner.
This is said to explain many things
which have taken place here and which
ole