Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-20

he installed and whether the State
should contribute. Judge Cleaves said
he certainly thought the automatic
. signals were good things but made no
recommendation as to whether or not
the State should contribute.
The Governor then said that he had
discussed the matter of automatic sig
nails with Judge Cleaves and that both
thought they should be installed but
that it seemed Just to consider also the
fact that the railroads We're being
asked TO eliminate many grade cross
in2S.
! MIR. Davies asked if the commission
! had power to compel Installation of au-
tomato signals ana Judge Cieaves
said there vas some discussion but he
thought :he commission did have that
power.
: senator Davies said he had III mind
scne particular grade crossings where
automatic Signals were needed, and
/ then said he thought the expenditure
of $500 should make a showing
towards the safety of citizens
Judge Cleaves pointed out that SS8.-
500 was the amount asked for III the
ne<t two years, not that expended al
ready. and that il included $4,000
for the elimination of grade crossings
and $500 for the Typographical survey
'of Maine In answer to a question by
the Governor he said about 500 cross
ingS needed automatic signals, at
cost of about $3.50 each. or a total Of
: about $37500O.
watar Stor.oe Con,,,;ce;on p.nor+
Governor Milliken inquired of Paul
L.. Bean, chief engineer in the Public
Utilities department, about the topo-
graphical survey being made by that
department in cooperation with the
f, United States Government bureau, and
/ how much more work would he neces-
sary for survey of water powers and
water storage.
MIR. Bean said the survey covered
about $50 square miles a year, or
about 10 towns, and that it included
the water powers and water storage
! The Governor inquired about the
work of the Maine Water Storage
! Commission, which started an investi-
CATION of the water powers in 1909
ana whose work the Baxter resolve
would follow up. Mr.. Bean said that
his department has the statistics of
the Water Storage Commission, which
includes census of the water powers
or Maine and their location and also IL
reasonably complete survey of arti-
hciai water storage now made use of
and Of possible water storage, based on
the best maps available
Sea and Shore Fisheries.
/ Commissioner Oscar II. Dunbar. COM
missioner of seas and shore fisheries cut
down the needs of his department from
$4,000 a year, asked by his predecessor
t" Si22m. There were many interesting
points brought out at this hearing
Gov. Miliken asked if it would be wise
to use less wardens in the enforcement
Of the law and have the work done by
the attorney generals office and Com
missioner Dunbar said that this might
be possible.
Asked by Sen. Grant of Cumberland if
, the license law has accomplished any
! thing in the last year toward the lessen
ing of the traffic in short Holsters. Com
! missioner Dunbar said it had not and
that he was opposed to it on the grounds
of a general hardship to the fishermen
| and he believed they had hardships
! enough to endure as 1t is.
There was some exchange OF words be-
tween T. F. Callahan who is at work on
budget statistics and the commissioner
while the latter was cross-examining
The matter was in relation to the two
boats operated by the commissioner
department and which had been operat-
ed at a loss. Commissioner Dunbar said
the boats were too large in the first
I place, had been built for pleasure rather
than speed and that speedy boats were
required in this line of detection. 1t was
suggested that the boats might be sold
to someone who didn't know boats and
the proceeds turned into one real speedy
boat.
/ 1t developed in the hearing that q
wardens are employed along the coast
Mr.. Dunbar believed that too many and
. that more effective work could be done
by 70 good men. but he said when you
hire 80 man you get $3.50 man.
! The commissioner also believed that
the office of the commission should be
located in the State House and save rent
| that prior to this it had been located
wherever the commissioner lived and he
was allowed so much for rent, and sue>
! gested that following the adjournment or
| the Legislature an Office be made Tor MIN
in the state House.
| II was further brought out that last
YEAR $500 came into the State treasurer
| for licenses.
Tho nronaratton of shell fish spoken OF