Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-02-08
There was no opposition.


Representative Samuel G. Greeniaw
Of Presque Isle appeared before the
committee on salaries and fees this
afternoon. requesting that three Aroos-
took county bills assigned for hearing
at this date be tabled until a later
date in order that the Aroostook dele
cation might agree upon these mat
ters. He said that they had a meeting
this forenoon hut We're unable to
agree and woulG like the hearing con-
tinued until they could come to an
agreement. Continuance was granted
to Tuesday. Feb. 13, at 3 p. M.
The measures in question were the
act establishing the wages Of clerks
in the offices OF Aroostook register of
deeds. southern district and clerk of
courts in ArooStCok county with relm-
burscment for expenses at terms of
court at Caribou: act establishing the
salary of the register Of deeds for the
southern registry district of Aroos-
took county; act increasing the salary
of the register of deeds, southern reg
istry, AroostOox county
Representative George 4. Hutchins
of Mexico conducted the hearing upon
tIe tCl 10 lHIncdSt tIlc VI tIiC
register of probate of oxford county
from $1,000 10 $1,000 He said that the
register i'll spite of two raises OF salary
was getting less than when he took
the office IS years ago because fees
had been cut out Terms of court were
held in three different sections of the
county. Mr.. Hutchins read letter
from Judge of Probate Addison F..
Herrick of Bethel in favor of the pro-
posed raise.
Il am not getting the salary of
iourneyman blacksmith or painter yet
everybody who dies in Oxford county
leaves something to be administered
upon" said Register of Probate Albert
D. Park of South Paris, speaking in his
own behalf. He Also said that other
county officers we're receiving larger
salary and he was obliged to pay
portion of the clerk hire of his office
out of his owr pocket,
Mr. Park said that there were II
terms of probate in oxford county. two
at F'ryeburg. four at Rumford and II
at Paris and it was necessary TO travel
90 miles to get from Paris to Fryeburs
although the two places were only 80
miles apart. Rumford had grown 50
that where there was one lawyer there
25 years ago there were now ii, ana
the business was continually increasing
throughout the county.
County Attorney Lucian w. Blanchard
spoke in favor of the raise in salary
and said that it ought to be $1,000 rather
than $1,000 Senator Hastings of Andros-
coggin county Of the committee also
spoke in favor of the measure.
Representative Hutchins said that
later he should introduce bill for in
creasing the clerk hire in this office from
5000 to $500 50 that the register would
not be obliged to pay clerk hire out OF
his pocket
Representative Ralph G. Charles of
Lowell whose class included nine towns
and Representative C. w. Cummings of
the Hebron-Paris-W Woodstock class. also
spoke in favor of the bill.
Walter Z. Glidden of Bath and Sena>
tor Rupert II. Baxter of Bath appeared
in behalf of the increase in clerk hire
of the clerk in the register of deeds Of
Sagadahoc county.
Mr.. Gldden said that the bill was
in the interests of fair pay, that the
girl got but 1925 a year while other
clerks in the county Office doing the
same class of work were getting S4O0
year Six or seven dollars a week
was pretty inadequate for an experi-
enced stenographer.
Senator Baxter advocated an increase
in salaries all along the line from S4O0
to $500 a year but admitted that not all
of the delegation were in favor of that
increase
Representative Aaron 3. Cole of FL
lot and Councillor Edward F. GoweH or
Berwick appeared in behalf of act relat-
ing to clerk hire in York county
Mr.. Cole explained that Grace NJ.
Ridley a clerk of 80 years experience
in the registry of deeds Office at Al
fred, received but $11.50, Asenath Rid
ley, her sister. of 20 years experience,
received s1O50, while Mrs. Luther c.
Lander Of five years experience re-
ceived ST. The bill contemplated raise
to $13,S11.75 and s10.S0 a week. re-
spectively Clerks in the clerk of
courts office were receiving $14.42 and
in the probate Office $13.23 a. week.
There was a continually increasing
volume of business done in the deeds
office on account of the large amount
of shore property that was continual
lv changing hands. He introduced a
statement from the register of deeds
in favor of the raise and said that the
county commissioners were also in fa-
vor Of the raise. Mr.. Cole also told the
committee that the judge of probate
would ask for q raise later.
Councillor Gowell said that the deeds