Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-26
Demands of M ayor
Viles an Explanation,
and Sets Forth What
He Has 'Learned."
Portland Law Maker Says He
Has Been Left lin the Air."
and, as He Is Heavy 1t May
Hurt When He Hits-Talks
About the Price of Saleratus
and Salt, and Resents Sm0th-
ering of His Little Rocket.

Hon. Edgar S. Fossett Of Portland,
walked into the Kennebec Journal Of
flee, Thursday afternoon. dispelling
the shadows by his genial counte-
nance. He had a goose to cook in our
oven and we readily promised to do
the Job. He said that he had been
left in the air. by the smothering of
the Viles investigation rocket and he
wanted to be "let down easy" as he
was heavy and the hitting might hurt.
Mr.. Fossett furnished the following
feather-bed to land upon and we here
by spread it out:
Augusta, March 25, 1915.
Editor Kennebec Journal:
Noticing some comment both in your
news and editorial columns this morn
ing concerning resolve which | in
troduced providing for an investigation
Of the office of State Land Agent dur
ing Mr.. Viles' administration, I have
no doubt you VIII willingly give me
space in your columns to explain why
such a resolve was introduced.
l learned that on the day following
the election at which Mr.. Niles was
chosen mayor of your city and on the
day preceding that when Mr.. Eiles
turned over the land agents office to
his successor, your mayor had paid
$4,000 for ten tons of fire extinguisher,
buying the same at the rate of ten
cents per pound The ostensible pur-
pose of the purchase being to use the
material so bought in extinguishing
forest fires. There We're some matters
IN connection with the transaction
which seemed to me to warrant inVeS-
ugatlon. for instance, an analysis of
the material purchased showed that it
consisted of 80 per cent crude soda and
l per cent common salt and colOrinS
matter. Anyone familiar with the
wholesale price of these products could
nave Informed Mr.. NileS that they
could be purchased in ten ton lots at
approximately one cent per pound. 1t
seemed strange that so good Il buei-
ness man as he is reputed to be would
pay local dealer a profit of 900 per
cent on goods bought for the use of the
state. | was unable to learn that such
materials lad ever been used by any
of our large numbering concerns in
hghting forest fires, so that both the
novelty of the character of the goods
and the price paid raised a question rs
to the good faith Of the transaction.
There was stili another point which
to demand exclamation.
" hen Mr.. Nlles paid for these goods
they Were in transit and had not been
!nVentoried or checked up by him or
by any other agent of the State. so
That he had no means of knowing
whether the state had ii fact received
or ever would receive the quantity of
Salaratus which he had bought | could
not conceive of a good business man
purchasing ten tons of apparently use
less material, paying therefor ten times
the market price and settling for the
goods previous to their arrival and in
Nentory. unless there was somethinc
about the trans; ction which did not
appear upon the surface If the trans
actlon was All honest one and if The
method pursued by Mr.. Niles in carry
ing 1t out was Il business like method.
II Is Que to him that these points
which | have suggested should DC
made clear to the public If it was !,
dlshonest transaction or an unbusi-
ness like one. it is due to the State
that the facts should be made public.
- 'it' ~ any event, L Ieel my action
warranted. 1t is not a sufficient ar
swer to the inquiry that any member
OF the House of Representatives,
whether such member be Democrat
or Republican, should assure the
House that he had examined into tn.
matter and found it all right
l would respectfully ask Mr.. Vilcs
your columns to explain 70
the people of Maine why on the last
day of his services to the State, he
bought ten tons of crude soda at ten
cents per pound and why he paid for
1t before he knew whether the parties
from whom he bought it had actually
delivered the ten tons Of soda in
question.
Yours very truly.
M