Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-26
the 18TH LEGISLATURE
lcentinusd from Page Sikh

Continued from, Page SKI
are heavy. and retain other parts
which are more desirable"
Now at the time of this charter in
1esx 1t was admitted that the purpose
was to obtain water at cost. TO this
end, q great part Of its earnings were
used for the simple purpose OF keep
ing the rate low to the citizens OF
Boothbay Harbor. Nothing, to any
cxtsat. was laid by for depreciation
or replacement, and the plant was al
loved to dspreciate until it could not
easily perform its duties as required
Nv the laws Of this state as public
service corporation. Let me quote
70 you 4 statement by the attorney
Of tha Hoothbay Harbor people before
the publie service hearing In jan
uAry 1917. He said: Our accounts
have hoen mixed and we have had
some defalcations, and the books
have not been properly kept. and FOR
wears they had the same officers for
.Alectmen and water commissioners
ana they used whatever money they
had. II the money was In the treas
ury, It went for town purposes and
FOR water The accounts were so
mixed up Ne cannot separate them
now
Nov. Fenttemen. they did not al
law FOR depreciation at all. They
vent further than this: they we're so
nexl,eent-.-f do not know as ! want
Ia saw willful-that ia 1905 or 1907 or
reabouts. this pipe broke. think
\, anchor from passing vessel
"aught it and broke it. upon at
tempting TO repair the pipe. what did
,h,s company do" Instead OF repair
,rs it with the same three inch pipe
that was in IL, they put in loop.
commencing at one end OF the broken
nine. running up a few feet. crossing
above eight feet. dropping down again
and then connecting with the mann
ripe. and the pipe that they put IN
was a Two inch pipe. Was there any
reason why the pressure to the SPUR
rel Island people should not drop on .
Was there any reason that they d'o
not receive their water when the
supply pipe had been reduced one
third by the town that agreed by con-
tract TO furnish them this water But.
gentlemen. they went further than
that. The evidence showed that they
received from the Squirrel Island peo-
rIe, We will sa:'. from $4,000 to So
200 OF $4,000 in rentals for the use
81 water on Squirrel Island What
did they do with this money They
did not lay aside one particle of 1t
n0 rt -
il for replacements. but used it to re-
duce the general expenses Of the town
Of Hoothbay Harbor at home.
After the order OF the Public Ctl-
tiles COMMIT ssion to replace the pipe.
the town did SO to work and spend
nart OF this money i'll buying new
nine to add to the old one. but what
was done with that pipe" That pipe
today lays on the shores OF Booth
hay Harbor rustins and decayIng. ane
las not been used, TO my knowledge
unless il was used in increasing or
repairing the pipes Of Boothbay Ha--
hcr The real issue for US TO decide
Is this shall EOothbay Haroor be
compelled To perform its duties un-
dsr the law and by the contract which
il had entered into or shall il be al
lowed to repudiate them In oth-r
words. shall they be allowed 10 give
ZIP part of their system which does
not prove profitable 10 them This
Legislature held otherwise i'll the
oxford Electric Company case. Re-
member. that the oxford Electric
Company 10 asking 10 b. relieved
nom running its ears between Eoi .
way and south Paris. were operating
linz that did not pay: but y this
case. the line from Spruce Point.
HootkbAy Harbcr. to Squirrel Island
vas. in fact. profitable investment.
| simply submit ~ YOU these tscts
and I ask. is il wise and ist FOR this
Legislature to change It's policy now
should il not be consistent and tahe
the same course. even though II
against town instead OF against
private corporation"
MIR. PERKINS OF Boo,hbay Har-
hcr Mr. Speal;e. and gentlemen o.
the House. there IS but one PROPOSE
,ion in this case io- this House to de-
eide and that is whether the people
If the town of Bootntsy Halbor
shall tax themselves TO pay fe.. the
~aie. for somebody VINO resides out
of the town Of Boothbay HarboG.
Squirrel Island Village Corporation IS
not in the town OF Boothbay Harbor.
Il is part OF the town or Southport.
II does lie OF our shores abou: s.ess
feet. We do not wan, to furnish
squirrel Island Village Corporation
with water: We want them 10 have
water but We do say III all fairness
and justice 10 Us, that they should
be willing to come TO the end CT
spruce Point and set il. They now
own their own water system on the
leland. We simply connect with it at
the waters edge there. We DO not
c~n their plant. Ii this bin becomes
law il simply means that they eN-
tend their plant across to the end OF
Spruce Point and We say TO YOU
gentlemen, that the Squirrel Island
Village Corporation is much more
able to take care OF this large eX-
renditure of money than is the town
Of Eoothbay Harbor. There is tu,
one way that we can raise this
money. and that is by taxation. and
that means that over one-half OF the
people in my town. with mortgages on
their homes. must be taxed to con-
struct and maintain this pipe line.
This Legislature has full authority
II 1t sees fit. in its wisdom. to pass
this bill. There is no question as to
the law. The town of Boothbay Har-
ecr is town. 1t is a public NUM-
cipal corporation and this Legislature.
II II sees ut. can amend this charter