Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-06
Rum0Is Concerning School
For Feeble Minded.
County Of Knox Is Said TO Be
After The Institutions.
The Committee Hearing Expected to
Develop Lively Fight.

Before the committee on school for
feeble minded, Thursday. is scheduled
to appear the resolve for appropria-
tons totaling 100000 for the mainte-
nance and improvement of the insti-
tuition during the next two years.
Ii is reported that the committee il
inclined to favor the request but that
some of the members are not satisfied
with the present location. This
opinion, however, is not unanimous,
Mellen Tryon, representative from
Pewnal, being strongly opposed TO
any change of site.
This much was brought out at the
committee meeting, last week, where
the school was informally discussed.
The Reasons Advanced.
The reason assigned for the pro-
posed abandonment of part of the
Pownal location is that the soil is not
suited to farming: that there is not q
sufficient supply of water and that the
fuel problem is serious. member of
the committee states that the land is.
no good and that there is no water
and that the money already spent
there has been, practically. thrown
away. Others take different view.
This member says that when previous
legislative committees have visited
the school, the land has been covered
with snow, so they could not see wha.
it was like but that the present com
mittee had a favorable chance. 1t
was bare ground and they could see
the kind of soil. This sight, he says.
showed the land to be worthless or
the.fsa rff 1li for far
who are opposed to his views tall.
differently. They INQUIRE how any
person by looking at brown and froz-
en- land, can pass correct judgment
upon its productiyeness2
Last season, it is explained by the
friends of the Pownal location, 100
tons of hay were cut on the farm.
This is thought by them to indicate
fair hay producing qualities The crop
OF vegetables was large. On the Mer-
chant farm, so-called, the average
crop used to be 80 tens of hay per
year. The farm had been neglected
Tor a number OF years when the State
secured it. 1t will take several years
10 get it back into the same state of
cultivation il used to have, but 1t can
be done, say the farmers who know.
The question of water supply is adj
mitted by all TO be the greatest draw
back at this time. Artesian wells are
now being sunk to obtain a proper
supply OF pure water. The first of
these wells is down hundred feet
and flow of nearly 10 gallons a min
ute has been secured. AT 20 feet
fiow of five gallons per minute was
haI
VIII amply provide for the needs OF
the school. If the wells will not
furnish all the water needed. there is
the Royal river. 1t is very convenient
to the home and its water is excep-
tiohally pure. 1t can be piped into
and pumped to the school at moder-
ate outlay, say those who have in
Vestigated the matter
AS for the wood supply. men WHO
nave looked the farms over state
there Is at least 5000 cords of wood on
the place, while in addition to the cord
WOOD, they estimate the standing TIM
Der at about a million feet, nearly all
pine, This is quite an asset and
seems effectively to combat the claim
tiat tnere is no wood on the place.
ne announcement which set forth
.hal the committee was in favor of
aoandoning Pewnal was so closely fol-
loWeo by the statement that there was
an excellent location for the school in
tue town of Union, Knox county, that
y seemed as though they were both
Iiaue together. Senator Packard of
hiioX county is a member of the com.
nliltee ON the school for feeble mind
ca and is much in favor of its remoSaX
from the Cumberland county location.
:. VIII be recalled that in 1907 and
40. 80 Wlen the executive council OF
nose Years We're considering purchase
Oh site for the school, a sub-com-
lllttee was appointed to do the work
lney visited all sections of Maine. az
ahilhed not one, but hundreds of sites
ana finally decided upon that ar
foWnal as the best at that time ali
things considered.