The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1921-06-09
Our Water Powers

Speaker Barnes.
~.a statement of Hon. Charles P.
ss Speaker of the Maine House of
.ls.eBtatives respecting the present
,.. of Names water powers under our
', appeared as a! special dispatch to
R,sro0 Post from Houlton, under date
IN. 2lst INST;
aS,me men love to assert the people
n, axes of Maine, and her water
's, and taking this for granted, such
y, rraceed to discourse with freedom
fr9ncy upon the golden stream of
...-oe taar would flow into the treasu-
If Maine if they or men of their choice
IA be commissioned to develop the
.r.se rcseyoiTs and basins and the wa
oaUers within the confines of the
1,aT. what are the facts about own
.-s We can limit our discussion to
..-s above the ebb and flow of the
lar -u 10 the present time, there has
~ 10 -..stion for public development
zrsls au tidal streams, and from a
+. before Maine became a State,
u Lnts to the waters in Maine
7~r- -s-abIished.
Irs Colonial Ordinance
n- stration, the colonial ordi-
-s 1898, enacted by Massachusetts
ru44 that forever the right to fish
lqou the great ponds Cakes and
sss ,ee5ing 10 acres in area should
re. TN every citizen, and yet one
7.Ja ia passing that this
sa hight to the use of the great
|ra q title to them; the right of
.Auas. Nj XCeeding great Importance
-.-- N.aJtauts of State, is the right
and all for purposes of commerce
ras8sl-. tloat boats and merchan-
em.- and down the great ponds and
gable streams of the State, the right
s-s- le aTgosies of trade, or the cam
7Ncsa.s the casual camper.
a-- he laws of the mother COM
Massachusetts, great tracts
l. Of the province of Maine
81. private purchasers long be-
SEPARATION of Maine from Mas
, is nd to academies and institu'-
earning, whole townships were
'-.a. as iuJure source OF revenue.
Salem Academy as Example
..-I-stion half township LATER
ALE. ...rtgn was granted tn Salem
s- Vs. Massachusetts, and the only
W Salem Academy received any
l.. lateral aid to an institution
.- ms Nv convavina +be lana
-,lrobaserS and nndar the
r. .r ..a law hronobt with nc !, tba
..a.. md ohtainin1 70 tho nreSen4
NJ a-4anad thar a tract If iand
mn i+s surface a nond of Lose
...s ~ . rnnnina straan ~
..-. the Iand hald ;nS+ nc oood
NJ . ..a he'd of the small nonS or
rs- .. T.. the drv land within tho
-.... .... -rrcbase snh;ao+ bouIa1ra,,
IT, ST.. In az The rnnnina stream ii
--.. IL r,ac aa1ii ias 'tta' +hs
.... .nblic ~ nsa 10 sa, w % ~
''-' ~ use 'no '@"io AS a
... answer is called in the books
Pa. ."aer and if the stream were
Va I.' .ogS or boatable, any of the
D "0''e business would require the
/" stream IN its natural condition
.'- ogs or the passage of boats,
e. 2.- sIa. nave, the right of passage.
-4s Vie hanks, where tow horses or.
~ egaged in moving boats or
~'os N5er, required only to use the
'-aa rs little damage to the ripa-
-- "ae. s possible.
~" -4-r the law the riparian own
a'l.s .a- Tn the water flowing over
.l 1se for Domestic purposes and for
4. -'s VI bis stock, but he can use it
+- Jus low over his land as he
r ,..'a5s -@ may lead it where he will, he
,, d'sS through pipes to fountains or
sa yeostock to mill wheel, pro-
, -.- yh.} That he return to its natural
a.. .7- a The boundary of his holdings
~. portion Of the running stream as he
h.. i-moyed for domestic uses and
" VIE Use of lis animals.
DeveloD;no Water po,vor
aasar-- ~.
H-r ~ .ne present time 1T has been
.' *hose and runn,np stream tumhIes
r,... .saDade down hill to enjoy the fall
d. 1'sis where there is beautiful wat
sai !. II ~ondned within mill pond and
5r,f .gl Trough a mill for the genera
q NJ +. energy, it is the right of the own
VILE, ne and to enjoy the use of the
an .- Us mill And we say that if
AM .as been erected and mill pond
og.. 1' instructed that this riparian
lrs.. ~ .I- owner of a developed water
b ... .. 0saf here, once more, it should
d. r.' Understood that the owner of
gs,.. -.oped water power is not the
SOB 81. o. 'le falling water. 1t is still
ai,... The right of way of the public;
la a.. H.. 'tquIslte that the owner should
gi.., '. ,''ah the natural flow by his COD
og5s. vi, and as a matter of fact, tie
Dose, ol the land on which the water
e,s1e.4, situated himself owns but an
as .4, II the water, the usufruct of