Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-20

Miss Nora Plummer. Miss Laura Cald-
we'll, Miss Myra Cross and Miss Mead
err Chatting dish refreshments were
served and cards were played. Lieut..
Webster. who is stationed at Camp
jackson. n. c., is north on a furlough
and left here Tuesday morning for a
visit at his home in Pennington.
| With Judge Albert r. Spear presid-
| ing hearing upon a petition for a
writ of mandamus in the case Of Mar
tin B. Heseton of Skowhegan vs.. Ed
ward j. Butler. r. T. Patten and NJ q.
Eiles. members of the Skowhegan Fra
and Police Commission. and Clyde II.
Smith. Henry Demo and ]. W. Packard,
members of the board OF selectmen.
was in order during Tuesday at tho
County Commissioners room in the
| Court House. The two boards were
represented by George w. Cover and
Judge Fred L. Lawrence appeared for
| Mr. Heselton. The proceedings grew
| out of the decision Of both the fire
commissioners and the selectmEn not
to allow Mr.. Heselton to repair his par
| TALLY burned business block on Water
street within the So called fire limits
| of the village of Skowhegan according
| to plans he had submitted for repair
| ing the same. The main question at
issue was whether it was reasonable
! for the fire commissioners and select
men to insist on Mr.. Heselton building
| a brick or stone building instead of
repairing his wooden structure. The
opening of the case occupied nearly two
| hours, Judge Lawrence reading the re-
plies Of both boards to Mr.. Heselton's
plans and appeal while Mr.. Cover read
the return, relating therein the rights
Of the fire commissioners. defining tho
fire limits, specifications. etc. Mr..
Heselton was the first witness called.
Mr.. Heselton in his testimony related
the steps that he had taken in the
somewhat lengthy procedure of at
tempting to repair the structure, and
Archie Conant, Il local contractor, tes-
titled that the present foundation was
not sufficient to hold up brick walls,
and in order to comply with the fire
commissioners request it would be
necessary to build new walls. With re-
gard to the repairing of the building
The testified that there was destruction
of any material west of the g. foot
| line, brought out in the specifications.
on either story of the building. That
there was very little destruction on
the lower story, and that there was no
reason why damage OH both floors
could not be repaired by simply re-
placing the material.
AT the close of the petitioners evi-
dence, at the suggestion of Judge Spear
the parties agreed that two or more
expert carpenters from some locality
other than Skowhesan should be called
by Judge Spear himself should make
examination of the building for the
purpose of determining the value OF
the structure as il now stands and the
cost of restoring il to it's former con-
dition as bearing upon the reasonable
ness Of the fire commissioners re-
quirements of a brick building back at
least 81 feet. The experts to be select
ed are to make a written report and
also to testify in the case at later
date to be agreed upon and the hear
ing was adjourned to that purpose,
subject to the order Of the presiding
justice.
The following men were accepted for
military service by the Somerset
County Exemption Board on Tues
day; Earl Warren Berry. North An
son; Harold NJ. Leopold. Deering;
Fired l.. futile. Athens; Walter John
Drew, Ivan w. Dyer. Skowhegan; John
Langlin, Louis Obie, VIM. j. Calder,
Joseph Doucette.
Word was received here Tuesday
that J. Harvey White, who is visiting
friends in Boston, was suddenly taken
i'll while attending the Boston Opera
house. He was taken to the City hos
pital, and it is not believed that his
condition is serious, as no additional
word has been received here. He was
accompanied by Carl w. Malley, also
tof Skowhegan.