Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-08

AuC 1WO DlllS
The Dutton bill provides for the APP
pointment of three commissioners, the
chairman to receive n salary of $4,000
annually each of the others $4,000. A
tl"rk shall be appointed with a salary
OF $500 and an assistant with $500.
Engineers and other employees shall be
appointed and their salaries fixed by
the commission. The bill declares that
upon authoriZatio of the Governor
and Council the commission may pro-
coed IN the name of the State to take
such property as recommended by the
commission by right of eminent do
main. TO take possession, appropriate
and use such lands, etc, etc. and that
tine valuation shall be fixed by three
dsinterested appraisers whose report
shall be made conclusive by final de-
cree from the supreme judicial court.
Baxter's bin would provide three
citizens of the State" as commission
ors without salary. these to appoint as
chief engineer competent hydraulic
engineer. who shall employ engineers
and other assistance. The sum of ST.
go Is appropriated for 1917 and S15,-
t0O for 1918. or $50 much money as
may be necessary" This bill is inter-
prctcd as n return to the old water
ttorage commission which remained in
force until the functions We're taken
over by the public utilities. The oppo-
nents 10 the bill object to the move to
disrupt the administration of the pres
ent Public Utilities Commission which
is accredited as one of the two or three
ahlest in the country. The Baxter bills
direction to the utilities commission to
turn over the records, maps, papers,
Instruments transferred from the old
storage commission apparently deter
mines the intent of the bill.
Mr. Baxter rs the hearing was called
to order asked If the first speaker, Mr.
T. r. Yates Of st. Catherine, Ont, was
to be confined to one hours statement
on the working out of the Ontario sys-
tenn. This procedure was accepted by
the committee until Charles Carter or
Lewiston asked II each side would be
limited to one hour. Mr.. Baxter said
there would be several speakers in ia
vor of the measure and that they would
need more than one hour. The motion
was put that leach speaker have all the
time he wants." this was granted and
the committee settled back to listen to
Mr.. Yates, as he outlined the working
out of the system under a similar COM
mission to that supported by Rep. Dut-
ton.
Staggered GiIIin
Sen. Gillin following the close Of Mr..
Yates address demanded to know if
Mr.. Yates would advise taking away
the vested rights of investors. Mr.
Yates admitted that he did not under
stand local conditions and could only
discuss conditions coming directly under
his observation in Ontario.
We'll It staggers me-" said Sen. Gill
lin.
In regard 70 the right of eminent do
main as stated in the Duttou bill Sen
Gilln had several questions to ask mr..
ally drawing out the answer that the
ontario commission paid adequately "in
nearly every case
Rep. Cole of Eliot asked Mr.. Yates
the commission had been exporting
EXCESS power until recently when. he
understood the government volunteered
the Information that the exported power
was expected to call a price of SIS as
compared with $12 at home.
Questions were shot In thick and
fast upon Mr.. Yates by Rep. Barnes of
Houlton, Chairman Davies. Charles Car
ter and Harvey Eaton. or 80 munich
palities MIR. Yates stated that the high
est charge In 1915 was IL 1-2 cents, the
lowest two point four cents. and the
average three point nine cents.
Mr. Eaton examining Mr.. Yates on
the power of seizing or expropriating
private companies received the answer
mat In taking over these properties the
commission exerted every means to pay
Tor all damage caused to the system.
The the owners are made reasonable
oy your powers" said Mr. Eaton, that
Is to say they yield upon demand?'
Yes, that is with a few protests"
replied Mr.. Yates.
Carter Opens on Yates
Mr.. Carter's cross examination Of
AIR Yates continued to increase in
sharpness as the hearing wore on The
point was brought out that the charge
OF three cents a killowat hour for the
hrst 80 hours was plus a fxed area
charge which was the same upon the
SIZE Of a building whether there was
one lamp or many in 1t.
Inc matter Of reports of the hydro
eiectric power commission to the Pro-
Nhcial government was taken up and
me question was asked by Mr.. Carter
~ TO whether the accounts of the COM
mission had ever been audited by any
one outside Of the hydro-electric COM
mission Mr.. Carter stated that up to
ms time there had been no audit by
eayole outside OF the. hydro-electric