Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-15

House 279. An Act to supply the
town of Bucksport with water.
House 290. An Act to authorize OK
ford Electric Company to extend
electric lines to and within the
town of Hebron and to. purchase the
electrical equipment and franchises Of
Trustees of Hebron Academy.
Mr.. BAXTER Of Portland: I have an
amendment to offer to House Bill No.
go. and / move it's adoption.
The SPEAKER The Chair will read
the amendment.
amendment A. Amend House Bill
900. entitled An Act to authorize Ok
ford Electric Company to extend its
electrical lines to and within the town
Hebron and to purchase the electrical
equipment and franchises of Trustees
Of Hebron Academy by adding there
to the following words to be known as
Section Five:
1T shall be unlawful for said corpor-
alton to transmit electric current for
sale for use beyond the limits of this
State, and to &C rtract with any person.
sion or sale Of any electrical current
beyond the limits of this State; and
said corporation shall not be permitted
to acquire in any manner the fran
chises Of, or consolidate with or trans
fer or lease its property, rights and
franchises to any other corporation,
firm or person now transmitting or
having the right to transmit electric
Fpower beyond the confines of the State,
without express authority of the Legis-
lature'
Mr. EATON Of Rumford: Mr. Speak
er, move you that this amendment be
tabled.
Mr.. BARNES of Houlton: Mr.
Speaker. may l inquire of the gentle
mar from Portland (Mr Baxter)
through the Chair, what is the source
of power Of this oxford Electric Com
pany?
Mr.. BANTER: Mr.. Speaker, am
not familiar with the charter OF the
oxford Electric Company. My only OBJ
ject in offering that amendment was,
as ! stated some time ago, that | be-
leved that when these various electric
companies now doing business in the
state came to this Legislature fer pow
ers and for amendments to their chart
ers, it would be for the interest of the
State to attach this amendment, which
Goes not interfere with their rights in
any way so long as they do business
within the State of Maine. 1t simply
says that they shall not contract with
*ny company which has the right to
take power out of the State Of Maine.
I do not want the members Of this
House to feel that I am in any way OBJ
struCting the rights of any electric
company, out if we are going to insist
upon the established principle that
electric companies must confine their
operations TO the State of Maine, it
| seems perfectly reasonable. that. no
matter how small an amendment may
be asked for We should attach this
clause to each charter. There is a bill
before this House. introduced by the
gentleman from Eliot, Mr.. Cole which
| entirely changes the law in regard to
! taking current outside the State of
Maine. If this House in its wisdom
I should see st tC adopt this proposed
law, 1t would be only just for us to give
| to these individual corporations the
! right to take electric current out of the
State of Maine: but until we do change
aur policy think we should insist upon
! this amendment being put on these var
ious charters. If this proposed law
| passes, ! will be the. first one to rise
here and propose law which gives to
every corporation in the State the
right to take electric power out of the
State. so that there shall be no dis
a ~ hnu .tx,{ To,
state my position on this proposed law
/ shall oppose it. shall oppose any
change in the present policy of the
State of Maine in regard to transmit
| ting electric current beyond the con-.
fines of this State Until such time.
however. as the State policy is changed,
| ] want to do all I can to maintain that
| policy. and want TO assure you again
| that I am not asking for anything I'M
reasonable. and that ! simply believe it
is consistent for us to attach this
amendment to each charter as it comes
before lis.
| The SPEAKER: The Chair would
call the attention. of the House to Rule
! 3S. which the Chair will read: "No
motion or proposition on a subject diff
ferent than that under consideration
! shall he admitted under color OF an
amendment" The bill before us pro-
vides that the oxford Electric Com
! pany may purchase the rights and fran
Chises and poles of a company now do
| ing business within the town of He
bron. To the Chair. the amendment
seems not germane to the bill, and the
Chair rules it out Of order
| Mr.. BANTER: Mr.. Speaker. should
like to INQUIRE Of the gentleman from
| Houlton. Mr.. Barnes. if he would en-
| tighten rs in regard to this question
because II I am In error. shall be only
too glad to correst myself
! The SPEAKER The only question
before the House is on the ruling of the
| Speaker. If an appeal is to be taken.
the discussion will have to be on that
| Mr.. BAXTER: Mr.. Speaker. I hes
itate very much to take an appeal from
the ruling Of the Chair, because I had