Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-25
kENNEBEc POWER BILL.
CONTINUED from Page one.)

charter could be had that would per-
nit it, to take the power developed
into Central Massachusetts. where
there is q large market. When it be-
came evident that such procedure was
impossible our first thought was to
drop the whole matter, but it later
became evident that at least a large
part of the power could be sold in
Maine.
There are but few places in this
country where so large a development
can be made and the power sold in
close proximity to the works. Niagara
Falls is the most notable example. Va
rious industries have gone there in
order to be near the power. The cleo
| tro-chemicai industries are demanding
| large quantities of electric power
| where it can be developed cheaply
enough. I doubt If there are more than
l. or 20 places and one OF them is
| this at Indian pond.
One of the gentlemen who came to
Us owned IS per cent. OF the privilege
affected and of course the interestsAof
the other per cent. must be taken
asks for anything that could not be
had under the general law. hut il was
thought best to apply for a charter
from the legislature for protection for
the capital invested. Niuety-tiec per
cent of the charter is restrictive II
restricts more than it grants The
charter only applies to the develops
ment and says nothing about trans
mission. In that we must be governed
lay the general laws of the State Of
Maine If we must sell our power in
the wild land townships immcdiately
surrounding the power. we will do so.
in time. We only ask for charter
which clearly gives us the right to de-
velop.
Il think that may speak here of the
doubtful points. The first is the right
to flow the water in great pond. 1t is
done right along the damages are set
tied and no one raises Il question. The
second is the right of dam to flow
State lots. None of the dams we pro-
pose to build would flow any state lot
but would flow Indian township and
then three lots in the lower part nf
MnXie Gore. Tue third concerns the
railroads We have met the railroads
and have come to an agree ment that is
expressed in an amendment to the bill
that any change due to flow |
age of rights of way shall be approved |
by the railroad commissioners. l have |
already touched upon the ownership |
If the land. We have come to an agree |
nent with 81 per cent of the Land |
owners and the other 5 per cent. haF"
not refused to sell. We have sim
pl+- not come to an agreement because
We thought their price was excessive.
"Sect ion 13 of this bill (Which pro-
pides for the state becoming tie owner
Of this development under certain
becomes contract be
tween the company and the State and
should II be declared unconstitutional
t would not affect the contract.
Il think we can now take up the
1hjectors. In the first place the ques-
ion Of the objections of the land own
RS We are in general in agreement
With IS per cent. of them and haven't
ricd 70 see the rest because our engi-
1eers haven't yet decided just what
and would be flowed and We did not
are to buy land until we knew wheth-
n we were going to need ii or not.
"The second objection might be that
he bill gives the right to flow Moose
lead. TIE charter as drawn provides
nat nothing shall be done to raise or
over the lake above or below the
lreS, ut standards.
Tie third objection. the railroads.
les been taken care of by agreement.
have explained about the State
ands.
THE next objection is concerning the
now selling power in the
STATE. The bill leaves it exactly as i:
s now We must sell in accordance
With the present law. We cannot
,hange that l do not believe that ii u