Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-26

water and the method Of collecting
money, as has been carried on here
tofore by our town. win be satiefac-
make satisfactory arrangements as to
that. 1t is immaterial to us how we
do it.
Mr.. MURCHIE: Mr.. Speaker. / d.
not understand that that gives this
Legislature the Information as ia
whether or not they now sell one way
or the other. have no doubt ar
engagements could be made on any
basis: but what is the present ar.
rangement between. the town and the
Village Corpora ton:
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
from Boothbay Harbor. Mr.. Perkins
may reply through the Chair.
MIR. PERKINS: The present ar
rangement. l will ssN-we Indersta nd
we sell water to the people on
Squirrel Island We made the
original contract with the Squirrel
Island Village Corporation. and We
distributed the water at Squirrel
Island and we collected the money
from the individuals, but our contract
was always with the Squirrel Island
Village Corporation.
Mr.. MCRCHIE: MI Speaker.
think that answers the question.
have just one point hat | want to
make before the House. | will say
frankly THAT | am very sorry 10 make
IT, At The time this matter was I'M
der discussion the other day. II
seemed TO me that there was one ob-
vious. outstanding flaw in The arsu-
ment made br the gentleman from
Boothbay Harbor lMr Perkins,.
contenied myself that day with vot-
ing against il. Ii seems TO ME now.
however. Injustice may be done. and
for that reason. | want every mem
Der of the House TO know my reason
for voting against the gentleman.
The town of Eoothbay Harbor in 1908
or 1904 entered into contract wit,
the Village Corporation to supply
water. AL the end of the term Of that
contract. it seems to me the town
might very we'll have withdrawn
from the service in that Village Cor
poration limit, because there had been
no public provision Of service 10 he
Individual takers. At TIE time of
the expiration Of that contract. how
ever. the town thought it advisabla
to engage in public service. regard
less of contract. and acting on tina
proposition. they continued the ser
vice. not to the Village Corporation
but to the residents. if may call
them that of Squirrel Island as in
diviGuals: and from 1915, if that :
the date OF the expiration of the con-
trap,. to the present time. they have
been q public service corporation en-
gagged in the supplying OF water Il,
Squirrel Island exactly as they have
been d public corporation engaged in
the supplying of Boothbay Harbor. ~
AS any other company in any town
is a public service company.
Now as Il public service company.
the Legislature Of six wears aga
placed them under the i'll isdiction III
the Public Utilities Commission. and
it is the duty OF that commission. as
l understand il. to sec that every
public service corporation receives Il
fair return for the service il renders.
based upon the value Of the plant
represented in the inv estment The
town OF Boothbay Harbor. as publ c
scrNi>e company. is entitled from the
residents of Squirrel Island TO a fat
return on the property emplo. ed in IL.
inre stment, with a p.oler Gepre ciat or
Charge. and il seems 10 NE that the
thing TO- the town OF Booihbay arbor
10 90 i not 10 come to this lie siSla ;ure
and ask Us TO esta olis,, 4 precedent tina,
III future Years may be used by a pri.
Nate corporation 10 Set out OF publ. c
service that Is not pro:i,a bye. but to 20
directly before The Pu5lic Utilities Com.
miss sion and Set rate whilh will pay
them for the servi,e thev render and
against such poo educ the villa &c
corporation ! as 10 lie our e EXCEPT "a
pay the p:oper rate.
Now | know We are all incl'nei "a
s,rpathze with the gentleman from
hoothbar Ha:bor CMr. Perkins, in hi.
action. lie has given Us the choice DO.
tween voting for II Il 90 o-atior q.
: roor town In q case Ike that the 4
% no question but tAar We all want
ts with the ro"" town: but I want the
ttou e 10 consider just this enc thing.
That in voting on anv proposition y,
60 not want 10 do actual Injustice =
anvhof ~. eve" ri-h corp ration.
Mr.. PERKINS: M. Sp aker snd gen.
tieEen O. tire House I asa your indul.
senee 70: JUS, a moment When tina:
contra I exri"ed June lst ,e!.. il has
bean nv eonlen;!on-snd I am clad q
see that I am agreed with by the gen.
tleman from Calais tAr. Murcais,-
that the town OF Roothbay Harbo- In ,
the absolute right TO withdraw fro,
squirrel Island. Now what did trs
town Of Booihbay Harbcr do Did W.
Withdraw from Squirrel Island vhe,
our contract expired. cut the pine and
let 'hem so without water: They came
~ US al that TIME and wanted to male
"a new contract. and wanted US to Law
an additional pipe We said To them w,
Want To furnish YOU tas water. and w.
want YOU to come 10 the end OF Spruce
PciHt and get i. Had We stood sora-e.
~ on our legal rights at that tim. and
WITHDRAWN they would have teen en-.
tireiE withou; q water supply. and '
Aho" or no place where thew might
nave ooiainel one. We simply let the
matter slide. We furnished them with
water We want to furnish them with
wate- now. but because We used ,he,,
Fight when that contract expired in 1915
We co not want now TO be fined and
TAXED because We did SO. hope VOL
VIII vote no on the pending question.
The SPEAKER: The question bsfo,.