Daily Kennebec journal., 1912-01-30
School for Feeble Minded.

The. committee took up The School
for the Feeble Minded at the opening
of the afternoon session The first wit
ness called Was DIR. George $. Bliss,
superintendent Of the institution. He
stated that the farm upon which the
institution is located is situated in the
towns of New Gloucester. Gray, North
Yarmouth and Pownai The post Of
flee address is West Pownal
The greater part of the farm land
when he came there, Sept !, 1908, was
rough land i'll poor. cultivation. The
buildings We're in poor repair but all
that were. fit had been repaired since
he came. The rest were torn down.
Eight complete farms were included in
the property purchased.
Dr. Bliss was questioned by Mr.
TuRper in detail as to the inventories
Of the various farms and the increase
shown in value OF various farm prop
critics, over the cost, which he ex-
plaihed We're caused by improvements
and additional buildings.
The original cost of the eight farms
was. $21 900 in 1909 said ,Dr. Bliss.
How many acres Were included in
these farms" inquired Atty. General
Pattangall.
''The original figures were 1ll0
acres. but a survey made later added
some. SO that the amount is actually
1860 acres"
What does your valuation Of $3S.-
$50 in 1909 aud. A4097S0 indicate?"
asked Mr.. Tupper.
1T shows the Increased valuation
caused by improvements upon build
ings and expenditures for sewage sys-
TEN and water pipe" replied DR.. Bliss.
Atty. General Pattangall took up the
matter of an expenditure of S7S0l for
water power shown in reports and by
vouchers Mr. Bliss explained that
this related to the purchase of certain
land and water power on stream.
3 1-2 miles from the school.
Was this purchased by authority
of the Governor and Council?" DR.
Bliss was asked.
Partly by the trustees, but I un-
derstand an option was secured by
authority of Il committee of the Gov
ernor and Council" he replied.
DR.. Bliss went on to explain that
the land and water power were Sc
cured in order To furnish lights and
power FOR the institution when it was
able to stand the expense of develop
ment. An engineers survey showed
that from 70 to 125-horsepower would
be developed upon two of the sites at
a cost of about $25, 900. The stream up
on which the powers were located
was the Coliey stream of the Royal
river
DR.. Bliss explained that the school
had $50 inmates at the present time,
96 boys and S4 girls.
Atty. Gen. Pattangall put the ques-
tion in half dozen different ways
as to how MUCH commission Charles
L. Dow got for arranging the pur-
chase of certain property in connec-
tion with the Home but all that he
was able to elicit was that Mr. Dow
might have had a commission but
witness did not know how much
"Why1were Mr.. Dow's expenses paid
to Worcester instead of one of the
trustees" asked Atty. Gen. Pattan-
gall.
II do not know, except that the OPP
tion was in Mr.. Dow's name. so that
it would not be known that the prop
erty was being purchased for the
State
Further inquiry along. the same line
was made in connection with deeds
of other property bought for the Home
and details connected with the pay
ment for the property.
The membership of the committee
was increased at the evening session
by the presence of Representative Ma
comber of Winthrop. Mr.. Tupper re-