Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-12
dian Township was as follows.

dian Township was as follows:
The undersigned special committee
of the Governor and Council to inves-
tigate and report to the full board up
on the question of the flowing of In
dian Township by the St Croix Paper
Co, have attended To their duty and
submit the following report
Indian Township. as your committee
understand. is Stale land held in
trust by the State of Maine for the.
benefit of the Passamaquoddy tribes
of Indians, entirely subject to the con-
troi of the Governor and Council as
defined by Chapter IL, Section A., OF
the Revised Statutes of Maine
This township aseat present appears
is composed of land,@of very unequal
value in its acreage; some being
swampy, subject to the annual over
flow of the st. Croix river with but
little growth. consequently of little
value: other sections being covered by
a thick and heavy growth of valuable
timber; the wooded-portion being the
entire source of sppply cof wood for
that tribe. 1t seems. that during the
past summer tie Ssnt Croix Paper Co.,
being desirous.of INCREASING their stor-
age supply of water to furnish addi-
tional water power when required,
commenced the construction of dam
across the St. Croixgriver employing a
large number of men. although no
knowledge of this reached the Execu-
tive branch of thagState government
prior to Oct IS, when your committee
was appointed taHihTestigate and re-
port upon the conditions as found by
them, which was Il once entered upon
with as much attention Jas the time
and facilities would permit.
We find that the engineer of the ST.
CroiX Paper Co. has. made a survey
not wholly completeIit the time of our
yisitation and established howage
lines around an area covering some
1900 acres and made an estimate on
the stumpage on the tract at 100000
feet.
Your committee do not assume to be
experts on the amount or value of
such stumpage, but inasmuch as local
men, seeming of good judgment, who
are acquainted with the township
place their estimate of the amount
far in excess of that named by the
Paper CO., through their expert. and
considering the Importance of the
questions involved your committee are
of the opinion thar no action should be,
taken until competent experts made,
thorough examination of the property,
and report to the Governor and Coun-.
ell Another question has arisen
which has given your committee
thought for serious reflection.
The town and village of Princeton
is up river from the location of the
proposed dam in a fiat country and
serious apprehension is felt by the in
habitants as To the result of the flow
age contemplated upon their land and
homes, view which was had by
portion of your committee when visit
ing Princeton for the second time dur
ing the examinations In our opinion
the situation should be carefully eX-
amined by competent hydraulic ensi-
neers and whatever action is taken
should he with due regards to the
rights of the people of this town. Al
the same time the ST CroiX Paper Co.
is a large corporation, seeming to be
the very life Of this community anG
nothing unreasonable should be de-
manded which would cripple its
growth or reiard the development Of
that part of the State, offwhich this
corporation seems to be the chief fac
tor
We therefore recommend that imme-
diate action be taken to obtain so far
as possible accurate expert knowledge
as to the amount and value OF the
stumpage on the land, which is de-
sired to be flooded. and what engineer
ing precautions should be taken 10 pro-
tect the vested rights of the up-river
inhabitants of the town of Princeton
prior to the completion OF any con-
tract or conveyance of the right asked
for, and in the meantime the st. CroiN
Paper Co should be notified of the ac-
ton of the Governor and Council in
the matter.
The report is signed by Councillors
Alfred S. Kimban. Weston Lewis and
Willis Y. Patch of the special com
mittee
Old Town and Milford Bridges.
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