Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-15


, , by the Governor which will be known
| as Tho Saco Conservation Board.
The board is given power under this
! act to acquire lands and fiowage rights
| for the creation of a water storage
dam on the Hiram Reservoir site de-
scribed and recommended by the special
/ water power investigation report Of
| the Public Utilities Commission.
The usual provisions are made in the
act for condemnng land and for the
, payment for it by the State and fol-
appeals to the courts by those persons
| whose land or property may be taken
| by the board for this purpose. The
directors Of this board are authorized
| to charge all corporations and lndivId-
uais using the water furnished by tn.
storage development, the sum so col
| lected to be used to pay the interest
| on the money expended in the develop
! ment and to create sinking fund to re-
| tire the bonds. To make this develop
ment a bond issue Of not more thar
| s., 10000 is authorized by a special re.
solve which will be in the form OF
Constitutional amendment to be submit
| ted to the people.
Senator Gurney's Statement
! Senator Quincy in discussing the BIZ
| said that it had seemed to him for q
long time that some tangible and con-
structive legislation relative to the
water policy Of the State was needed
There has been great deal of talk
! and discussion along this line said
Senator Quincy, but no real start t.
estab ish a constructive policy has been
made
| LAS everyone knows. the Saco river
which on its course TO the sea turns
many wheels and provides a large
amount of power for various purposes
has no storage development whatever
At certain seasons of the year the
| Saco runs at freshet height and a
other seasons it dwindles away SO thai
the power users along its course tin1
| themselves crippled for the necessar!
| power to run their great mills or e
provide the electric energy which the!
require. In other words. here is typi
cal Maine river over half of whose pc.
I tential strength is wasted for lack 81
proper conservation.
/ THE people of Maine feel that the'
ought to exercise some control of tn,
water powers They hope to see all o
; the water power utilized and some plar
devised by which there shall eventual,
accrue to the State a substantial hnar
: cial return for the water powers. 5.
the enactment of this bill l have pre-
scented two things which will be accom-
llished: First, the power possibilities
of the Saco river will be uailized to tn
full extent; and second, a system wi,
I've inaugurated On this river. and pos
sibly by other similar measures on 9th
err rivers. SO that there shall be create
for the benefit Of the state a large rev
enue to be used in any way the peopi
see tit.
The control of the water powers d
the Saco river will rest entirely with TIL
state if this storage basin at Hiram i
built. The power users on this rive
including the Pepperell and York Man
ufacturnS Cos. with their enormou
plants at Biddeford and Saco. the Cum
berland County Power l. Light Co
which furnishes light and power 70
| Portland and all the surrounding terri
! tory as we'll as street railroad tran
sportation, will be assessed enough eaci
(, year to pay for this development o:
the Saco, and when the development il
! paid for they will continue to be as
scssed to give to the State substantial
/ return.
J ~ understand that the Pepperell an,
! York Manufacturing Cos. and the Cum
herland County Power & Light Co.. ART
| agreeable to this plan. and will, wheI
a hearing is held on the bill. appeal
! before the COMMITTEES and declare them
, selves ready to do anything which the,
! may be called upon to do to make thi:
! project a financial success
. Baxter Favors Bill
| Representative Pe.cival 2. Baxter o.
| Portland Friday made the following
, statement on the Quincy bill:
THE bill authorizing the State O.
! Maine to establish storage reservoir
! on the headwaters Of the Saco rive'
marks the beginning Of policy which
ought to prove of great benefit to OH:
State. Whoever controls the lakes ans
, storage reservoirs of Maine control'
the water powers. If the Saco rive!
can be controlled by the State so car
the Androscoggin. kennebec and Pc
nobscot rivers"