Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-01

more in their county than in another
county with practically the same valua-
ton and population, I don't know.
And just a momen, On Hancock coun-
" the county OF magnificent salaries in
the past. My remembrance is that their
salaries are $50. This tabulation cut it
down to 500. In Hancock county the
population is g, co, valuation 81. 0n. 90
In oxford county the population is S.
600: valuation $0.0Oo. The delegation Of
oxford county appeared before this COM
mittee and asked that the salary OF
their county commissioners be reduced 10
$50 from $50, where it is left.
Mr.. SCAMMON: In regard to this
amendment in the salaries of the county
commissioners Of Hancock county, there
are some peculiar conditions which do
not appear in the explanation OF the
chairman OF the committee on salaries
and fees.
Hancock county has perhaps with one
exception. in proportion to its size. the
worst communications of any county in
this State. There is only one railroad. and
that is in the extreme eastern part of it.;
and the roads in the remainder of il are
dS q rune III pdu COlOlGOu IL - q NCIs
rough, mountainous, broken county.
and the county commissioners efforts TO
get around over the roads are met with
a great deal OF difficulty. Their expenses
are large. There is another factor which
enters into il that is ahead Of anything
that has been mentioned. Hancock
county, 30 far as I know, IL the banner
county in this State In regard to summer
people. Now those summer people are q
peculiar crop. always having something
they want done, the location Of some
road, or change in a road after it is
made. and there is no county in proper
ton to its size and population where the
county commissioners are called on SO
many times as in Hancock county.
II appears. as described today, that the
people of Hancock county have never
complained az the price paid for the Off
cial duties OF their county officials, They
are financially able and willing 10 do il.
There has never been any complaint
down there. and I submit that with the
peculiar conditions existing down there,
and the unanimous report of the dele
CATION, that this sum isn't an injustice
to anyone.
q MI. bO1 y Io.N. Inc uelSSdItpn Oh
Hancock county was invited to present
10 this committee their Recommendations.
. The delegation never did so. as l re-
member. On the contrary il was made
Very plain 10 il that the delegation
couldn't agree, and i. didn't agree, and
that the minority believed THAI the sal
aries as they were reconm ended by the
committee were enough.
Mr.. ALLEN Of kennetec: | didn't take
the time OF your committee to discuss
this matter, but will sav in a few
words, in regard to the salaries OF the
. county commissioners 81 kennebec
county that We ere asking in these
amendments fer the same salary as they
have been having for quite a number OF
years. The recommendation OF this COM
mittee was tor reduction. We iind that
the salary we have been paying has
broughr - this position some of our
leading business men. men of ability,
men with whom We have felt safe TO en-
trust the duties Of county commissioners
in tbs county.
our county delegation got together and
considered this matter ana i; was the
unanimous rerc.l that W. recommend
have been rayIHg our county commits
s.oncrs. We didn't consider this proper
time IN oar county 10 reduce these sal
aries. Ne have 4 nav county workshop.
which has not been bail, but a snort
time. and i IS :arge county, there is a
good deal 70 d.: in fact. the work is in
crcasing. You are also--as you set down
TO one of the Other bills that is to -
considered iater-you are adding more on
the duties OF the county commissioners
If this bill passes which has Seen recon-
mended by this committee. and I feel it
would be very unjust to our county com :
missioners. and it would work detriment
70 the best Interests OF kcnnebec county
that We should allow ;his reduction.
Therefore l hope that this senate will
sustain us in demanding Simply the same
sala ries We have been paying.
MI CHATTO Of Hancock: The Han
cock county delegation reviewed the sal
! aries OF the officers of Hancock county
and / think with one or two exceptions
We signed a report recommending that
the salaries remain as they have been
the last eight or ten years, and while
didn't have charge OF that report I sup
posed it was presented to the committee
on salaries and fees.
In speaking Of the salaries OF the coun-
ty commissioners IN Hancock county. as
Brother Scanlmou has said, our county
is a rough county. We have only one
railroad through the eastern part of il,
and over every other section of the coun-
ty they have got to so by team and au-
tomobi!e. 1t is an expensive way to
travel
Mr.. Allen. chairman Of that board, told
me that his expenses had been from $3.50
to 500, and the expenses of the county
commissioners are paid by the county
commissioners. Now If we reduce that
salary from $50 to $500. and the county
commissioners have to pay their own ex-
penses, from $50 to 500, that leaves from,
500 to $3.50 over their salary. Now l
don't believe that is enough. I did ad
vocate. supposing that the expenses were
paid that we cut the salaries from $50
to $500. After I found out that the ex-
penses weren't paid by the State, 1 ad-
vocated that they remain as they have
been.
Now there is another point in this mat
ter. The county Of Hancock don't find
any fault with the salaries paid to their
county officers. and we pay an inheri-
/