Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-05
JUDGE DEER|NG
OUTLINES POSITION

On the Water Power Question
Which He Says Is Involved
in the Campaign-Opposes
State Ownership or Con.
struction Of Storage Basins
In his address At saco. March 70.
Judge Deering outlined his position
on the water power question.
Judge Deering said in part:
I am not the writer Of water pow
er planks for party platforms. but
the principles which I would be will
Ing to advocate, and light for, II nee
essary. upon the floor Of the conven-
ton would be similar to the follow
ing:
Il hereby declare myself to be OPP
posed to state ownership Of water
powers and state construction Of wa
ter storage basins. I am opposed to
any amendment to the Constitution
Of the state which would furnish, or
assist in furnishing. financial aid to
the acquisition by the state OF water
powers or construction by the state
OF water storage basins. believe
that the effective work Of the Maine
Water Storage Commission, the in
telligent and far-reaching work OF
the Public Utilities Commission and
the present efficient work OF the
Maine Water Power Commission
have protected and are now ade-
auately protecting the interests Of
~ to
lieve that for the interests OF the
state all further agitation concern
ing the entrance by the state into any
phase Of the water power business
should be thoroughly discouraged.
Il hereby reafIirm my belief in the
law which prohibits the transmission
Of hydro clectric power beyond the
borders Of the state"
do not believe ii necessary, how
ever, TO have a water power plank in
the Republican platform, because the
principles involved in the plank
above suggested are going to be set
tied at the next primary election.
This clearly states the position which
/ have always held, and people who
vote for me in the next primary cleo
ton will vote for the establishment
OF the principles which it contains.
The easiest way to explain the wa
ter power question is to take as a
concrete example something that
happened In the legislature OF 1919.
In 1919 the corporation lawyers of
the Cumberland County Power and
Light Company drafted a bill called
An act for the development of water
storage upon the Saco river and for
other public purposes" (Senate doc
ument No. 22i) This bill was pre-
scented IN the legislature and was re-
forrcd IN the judiciary committee.
In due time it was assigned for a
hearing. Mr.. A. II. Ford. general
manager OF the Cumberland County
Power and Light Company. and his
engineers were the only witnesses in
favor OF the bill.
They testified in substance that
this was proposition to build a
water storage basin two miles above
Hiram village in Oxford county,
watch would hold fourteen billion
cubic feet OF water, four billion of
which would be ground storage
When the dam was built and the
basin was full Of water, it would have
ovcrflowed all the intervale land in
Brownfeld. Sweden. Fryeburg, Low
ell and stowe. II would have over
flowed approximately 10 square miles
or territory. II would have raised
Lowell pond % feet. Pleasant pond
~ feet. Lower Kezar pond six feet,
kozar lake four feet. II would have
destroyed certain farms which have
been IN the same families for gen.
erntions. IL would have caused the
relocation Of several miles of high
way and several miles of railroad
The cost OF this great proposition
vas not definitely stated, but it was
estimated that IL would be about
100000, about 1000, 900 OF which
would be for the payment Of dam
ages. Numerous people came from
mat part OF Oxford county and OBJ
1oeted to the construction of such a
project by the state of Maine.
IL this bill. with It's consequent
legislation. had been passed il would
have cost the state OF Maine $4,000
700, and as the state Of Maine has no
money OF its own. IL would have cost
the taxpayers of the state 81, 900. 600.
one man on the judiciary committee
alone advocated the establishment Of
this storage basin. and II his ideas
had prevailed. every dollars worth
OF property in the state would have
neen bearing three mills on the dol
lar additional taxation when this
storage basin was built. II the prin-
ciples OF this bill had been estab.
lshed II might have cost the taxpay-
ers OF the state $4,000, 900. This act
was for the benefit of the Cumber-
land County Power and Light Com
pany. One man stood alone for the
interests of that company. The rest
OF US on the Judiciary committee
stood for the interests of the tar.
PAYERS
Several other corporations vera
represented either by their Official.
or by counsel at that hearing. 7
heard some OF the most prominent
men connected with these corpor..
uons state since that time that thew
would have been pleased to have the
taxpayers OF the state construct .
storage basin on the Saco river for
their benent. Within a week On. ~
the most prominent oficials of a wat
er power company told mo that his
people could see no objection to tbe
construction OF storage basins bv the
taxpayers. provided the principle Of
II could be limited.
The passage OF this legislation
Wctfd haNa Aosx~1.>s