Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-14

NJ. DAVIES OF Cumberland: Nj
President. do not quite understand
the word barred" there. There is
nothing holy about the budget. and
do not understand the word
barred" in relation to this bill. II
may pursue i. little farther.
suppose. Mr. President that We have
. perfect right to pass here anything
that We care TO.
The PRESIDENT: You are quite
correct, Senator.
Mr.. DAVIES: I desire to con-
form TO the recommendations made
by the budget committee, but there
is no reason why l or any other
member Of the Senate should fee
that it is entirely holy. 1 only want
to make my position clear.
Mr.. THORNTON: Mr.. President
get appropriation or the allowance
that is made in the budget, because
that is different bill, as under
stand il, for the regular hospital al
Eagle Lake. the bill for which va.
introduced b. myself. There has beer
an allowance OF perhaps $500 over the
previous appropriation. and that Of
course l appreciate. That is the reg
uiar hospital that has been at Eagle
know. influenza is an emergency tina;
came to Us suddenly that year. anG
this seems TO be the result Of tina,
emergency which came to the PEG
pie of Eagle Lake and not along thei.
regular hospital lines.
Eagle Lake is a small town in the
northern par. Of Aroostook county
In 1900 il had only a little over 40(
inhabitants. After the coming Of the
railroad and the building OF the
mills. il has increased in the last Ii
years to about 1000 people. The prop.
erty has not increased excep. as the
property in a mill town increases
The burden OF that town by the in.
creasing popula ton is much create,
than the increase in valuation. the
building Of new school houses anG
the building OF new streets and new
roads. so that the TOW {. the pres
ent time is burdened by some $4,000
debt. and i; has but a small farming
population. l. is classed in the fo-es-
Try district Of our state.
Now last December the disease o:
influenza which passed over his
country came there. and came sc
rapidly that the local hospital could
not take care OF il and there was pu,
in operation an emergency hospital
and II nurses supplied a. the ex-
pense Of the town. There is in tina,
town 4 mill having 200 employees
more than half of which have nc
residence in the town. They come
from Boston or from other places and
have no part in the family affairs OF
the town. There are working in the
lumber woods adjoining that towr
some 400 men and those men are
transient men. SO that when they fall
into distress they come 70 Eagle Lake
as q center to be taken care Of. and
they were taken care Of by the select
men by this emergency hospital
Two-th!Tds. perhaps. OF the patients
who were taken care Of by this hos
p!tai. as understand il from the rep
resen:ative. were transient men Q.
transien. parties not belonging 20 the
town. and the town had no claim OF
them. Bnt Yet they we're taken care
OF. provided fer as hes. they could il
this emergency
The total expense which think
the statement Of facts here shows
was $1,000 or more. The committee CT
claims heard the statement and al
lowed this claim Of $500 TO REIN
bu-se the town fo.- expenses IN this
e7lergenc. fer taking care Q: men
who had 10 claim on them either b.
pauper residence or by settlement
And K does rot affect this in one Va:
CT another tina; tie regular hospi-
tai. which is d charitable institution
Is Included N the appropriation MADE
by Senator Grant. Now l think il bu;
proper that this bill should have its
passage 10 assist those men OF Eagle
Lake who so generously il this
emergency put the credit OF tie town
to the help ,eI anyone who vas in
that distress or sickness. They knew
not where they came from. They die
not stop TO inquire. II in distress in
the woods or In the mill or in sick
ness anywhere. .hev were taken &c
this emergency hospital and taken
care OF. And the town, burdened
as ii is with debt. with & tax rate OF
IS mills a small farming population
10 ASKING he state TO reimburse this
sn.a.. sum OF $40 u this ene-geac!
case. And / think il is but right Wt
co not want ID cas-. any reflection on
this bill because it comes into tbs
House instead OF into the Senate 0,
because Il IS outside OF what was q
regular appropriation bill. These me7
in later years might feel that in an.
other emergency ike This they coal
stand with stony hearts and not per.
haps open the treasury Of their towr
10 yocr unfortunate boz. ~ your friend
who IL tie woods is in distress and
soInes 20 them. They would say. no
tie State o. Maine says no. ve mus
only take care Of those living within
our town limits. Aad have you eyel
had sickness and emergency o. The in.
euenza? Have YOU ever been taken. as
i. were. and dragged through the dooI
oiHAoSs ~ eNei Az. s.'s.i wv SoA4N q
last grasp Il and hold on to TIE las.
minute until YOU found 3 friendly M.
man touch. and then feel the hand o:
brotherhood coming 10 you-shose avaY
from home. without friends. in an IN.
known land. to- the select.nen Of Eaels
Lake to say no. no nurse. TO doctor
you are not resiesnt OF or town
I say. gentlemen. j. is but fair 20 as.
sst these taxpayers bu.dened as thev
are now. 20 reimburse them for .h::
erifrfe,cY vhic,, has Coma 70 than, l.,