Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-21

such State Survey Commission join
with the United States geographical
survey in making Typographical sur
vey of the State in so far as 1t relates
to the collecting of data bearing on
the water powers and storage reser-
voirs of the State The State Sur
vey Commission shall place at the
disposal of the State Water Storage
Commission all information, and
copies of reports, maps and plans col
Iected by them and bearing on the
photography of the State
1t goes on that way section after
section. The Water Storage Com
mission is a separate department and
of the greatest Importance to the
State getting all the data in regard to
the water storage capacity of the
State. Is it possible that the com
mittee of the State, selected to super
wise all the business of the State shall
take the place of this committee that
is doing so much for the state? 1t is
simply striking out this water storage
commission.
l went this morning at no special
suggestion by mir. Babb. | am not at
all acquainted with him: ] went to his
room this morning. l said to him rs
the work of this commission over"
lie said to me There is work for years
ahead that can be done" When you
take this commission and abolish it
when it is doing so much, you are
striking another blow where you have
been striking SO many.
Mr.. HERSEY: Mr. Chairman, has
bill? I call his attention TO Section 70.
The office of railroad commissioner
and The boards created and known as
railroad commissioners and State water
commission are hereby abolished and
The tenure Of office of all officers and
clerks connected with said board is
hereby terminated. All powers now
vested in said boards together with all
The duties and privileges now imposed
OF conferred upon said boa rds by and
under existing laws are hereby imposed
and conferred upon the pttblic utilities
commission.
All proceedings pending before the
railroad commissioners or before the
state water storage commission at the
time this act takes effect shall be
transferred to the docket of the Public
Utilities Commission and he reheard or
decided by it as justice may require. All
existing decisions, orders and DEGREES
81 the railroad commissioners in force
WheE this act takes effect shall CON
tinue until modified or reversed by the
Public Utilities Commission. Said com
mission shall have custody and control
Of all records, maps and papers per-
tanning to the offices of the railroad
commissioners and the state water
storage commission"
The law from which the senator
quoted still remains a law OF the State.
The law has not been abolished. But
the boards have been changed to the
public service commission and they
haze the right to employ expert assist
ants Mr. Babb may be an expert.
These boards are simply consolidated
so that w can do better work for the
State. We have not touched the rail-
road laws of Maine or the railroad
commission law.
Mr.. MOREY: l did not speak of the
railroad commission.
Mr. HERSEY: Your law is not affect
cd. II is simply transferred TO another
management
move the rejection Of this amend
ment.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. MILK En-: Mr. Chairman, be-
fore The committee arises, | think the
senator from Androseoggin desires to
refer by common consent to Amend
ment +.
would like to suggest to the senator,
if I may, that he, by unanimous con-
sent be allowed to offer the last para
eraph. which understand is the part
ne wishes to discuss as to whether or
not the term water company" shall
include municipal water company. I
suggest, Mir Chairman, that the sena-
.or have unanimous consent to offer
that amendment in place of Amend
ment f, which was rejected
There was no objection.
Mr.. MOREY: This amendment
amends Section by adding after the
word state" in the thirty-second line
"the term water company when used
in this act shall not include water
companies when owned by municipali-
ties; or water districts
| wanted to raise the question and
ask that the amendment include cities
and water districts from the operation
&c this act
Here are the different cities OF our
state owning their water supplies, ana
it IS proposed Ia put them under the
operation of the public utilities COM
mission. The cities can no longer reg
nlate, have the power To regulate, the
price of the water for which they sup
ply the inhabitants of their city. | OBJ
iect to this. Is it right that the people
of the state should surrender their
rights to this new government?
Mr. COLE: IT seems to me, Mr..
Chairman, only fair that all the people
If the State should have all benefit OF
all the laws of the State, and II per
son is unfortunate enough to be living
within the precincts of a municipal
water district, and is not getting the
quality of water or the kind of service
which he desires, that he should nave
someone besides the local board To 80
| 10 fer assistance. | cannot see any on
ference between a municipal and Il prl-
vate water plant which is supplying
water to the people of the state OF
Maine.
I do mt think that q municipality