Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-03
Senate Bills on First Reading.

An Act TO authorize the city of
Lewiston to take ice from the An
droscoggin river. Lake Auburn and
other ponds in Androscoggin county,
and sell the same at cost to its in
habitants.
Mr.. Williamson of Augusta. moved
| that the rules be suspended and tho
bill be given its third reading at the
present time.
Mr.. WILSON Of Auburn Mr..
Speaker, ! wish to say one word in
regard to this bill for the Informal
ton of the House. About 1860 the
first company to harvest and distri-
butte ice for the citizens of Lewiston
was founded. From that time down
to the present there have been six
companies doing business in the cities
of Lewiston and Auburn. Each com
pany has survived but short time.
The latter company has absorbed
them and driven them out of bust
ness. and during this time they have
been acquiring the rights along the
banks of the Androscoggin river; they
have gone out to Lake Auburn and
acquired the rights there; they have
gone 10 SuDdtluS anu dNqoiiSt iaSiAt
there, so that today the ice company
doing business there practically con-
trolls all the shore rights in and
around the city of Lewiston where
| it would be practical to procure the
supply OF ice for municipal purposes.
| Two years ago the citizens of Lewis
| ton decided that they wanted the
| privilege Of cutting or harvesting their
| own Ice, and in less than two days
| they secured a petition signed by
| more than 1000 people of the city OF
Lewiston and came down here before
the Legislature and asked for that
| privilege. The matter was given 9
hearing before the judiciary committee
| il | remember correctly, and an ad-
| verse report was brought into the
| House of Representatives. Notwith-
| standing that adverse report the HOUSE
| voted to grant them their request. Il
| then went to the Senate and was there
| killed by two or three votes. That
in brief is the history of the ice prop
osition in the city of Lewiston, Now
there is no reason why the citizen:
OF Lewiston situated as they arc
their ice being harvested cheaper tlIal
any OllttI IIdti ia tIIc sotdtt VI -ioiii'
there is no reason why they shoult
not have the right to operate ant
cut ice for their own benefit Their
is no question but what at the pres
, ent time we are not paying an eX
horbitaht price. But. gentlemen, IL
acquiring that property that ice com
? pdny that tried to do business at LAX
Auburn were forced 10 purchase -th
ice company in the city Of Lewiston
for its own protection. They wer
| being driven out Of business. and nov
t with the property acquired at LAX
| Auburn they have got an immens
el amount Of money invested. | don
D know how much. and there is no doub
r but what they have got invested u
| that ice proposition twice it's actua
: value They would not have investe
II their money in that business withou
y expecting to get fair return on til
: money invested, and l have no douh
II but II the city OF Lewiston is give
e the right of self protection that tn
L. gentlemen who control this PROPOSE
lt tion-and they are shreWd bushes
: men-I have no doubt but you wi
& find they will get Il fair return,
/. not Il large one, on the amount
s money invested. We have before Ina
k questions of u similar nature. II
d city of Auburn. of which I am a rel
= resentative, few years ago had son
$ complaint about their municipal VIZ
o ter. and they claimed they were n
: being used fairly. They agitated Il
: question and they were told that
= was unconstitutional for the city