Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-01
Ask Continuance
Direct Electric Current

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Direct electric current is necessary
III the photographing OF the human
voice, an experiment that has recent
~ been successfully carried out in
Portland, so Fred Thompson, a pub
Usher and manufacturer of that city,
told the committee on judiciary
Wednesday afternoon.
MI. thompson appeared as the
only prepayment for the emergency
act introduced in the House by Rep
resentative Thomas A. Sanders Of
Portland prohibiting the Cumberland
County Power and Light Co. from
disseminating its service of direct
current to consumers without their
consent. and providing that when
consent was granted the company
should reimburse the users for all
costs. loss or damage occasioned by
the change.
by Fred r. Gordon, general manager
OF the company and Philip J. Deer
ing of Portland, representing a COM
mittee of users who had reached an
agreement with the lighting corpora
ton.
Portland Water District Act
Il make the statement unqualified
ly that the Portland Water District
is the outstanding example of sue
cessful public ownership in the Uni
ted States" said David i. Moulton.
attorney for the district. Wednesday
afternoon. when he appeared before
the committee on judiciary in oppo-
sitiOn to a bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Franklin ID. Cummings of
Portland providing that the mun-
cipal officers Of either of the two cit
les in the district may at any time,
but not oftener than once a year,
cause an investigation of the dis
trict's affairs by a competent public
accountant. 1t is further provided
that the cost of such investigation
and the publishing of the findings
shall be borne by the district.
Representative Cummings spoke in
behalf of the bill and he and Mr..
Moulton had the field to themselves,
the attorney being questioned at
some length by members of the COM
mittee and by Mr.. Cummings. The
questions covered Il wide range of
the districts activities. from salary
accounts to depreciation on old
trucks and repairs on the same.
Mr.. Cummings said that the vital
point at issue in his bill was simply
this: Shall the people of Portland
and South Portland, owners of the
Portland Water District, have the
privilege of investigating the affairs
of their own property which is man
aged by their own employees? 1t
didn't follow, they asserted that a
case of mismanagement would have
to be made out. but it was simply
should the people have the right to
investigate?
Ways and Bridges
The statement by Edward w.
James. assistant engineer of the Fed
eral Road Bureau, that the passage
OF The Nickerson Gravel Road bill
might result in tho withdrawal of
Federal highway aid from the State
Of Maine, and the admission by Rep
rescntative Leland of Sangerville. the
author of bill devoting the entire
mill tax to farm to market roads, that
he'd eemed the passage OF this legis-
lation so important that it should
not depend upon the passage of the
bond issue and other measures con-
nected with the general highway pro-
gram. were the high lights of the
hearing Wednesday afternoon before
the ways and bridges committee.
Agricultural Hearings
There was very large attendance
of persons interested before the
meeting of the Committee on Agri-
culture Wednesday afternoon. An
act to amend Section 10 of Chapter
~ of the Revised Statutes. relative
to the cleansing of ice cream con-
tanners, was discussed pro and con
although no read objection was voic-
cd which all deemed 10 be big aid
in building and maintaining one of
the great dairy industries of the
state.
Judge Benjamin r. Cleaves Of the
Associated Industries handled the
case for the proponents. The state
was made by Weston B. Haskell, who
said, the cans and containers should
be sold as soon as the contents had
been sold.
A resolve providing aid in the con-
troll and suppression of the European
corn borer. was supported by a
number of representatives of sever
al agricultural societies. Those who
spoke in favor of the resolve were:
Geo. E. Merrill, Cumberland County
Farm Bureau: r. O, Worthley of
Strong, Franklin County Sweet Corn
Growers Association: Il. B. Lord, of
Lebanon, York County farm Bureau
Daniel I. Foster, of Augusta, presf-
dent of the Kennebec County. Farm
Bureau; G. Il. Knowlton, of Vassal-
boro, Sweet Corn Growers Associa-
ton: c. f. Trip of Canton. repre-
senting the Oxford County Farm
Bureau; George B. Morrell Of the
firm of Durham and .rorrill. can
ners of Portland. Judge r. F. Cleaves
also smoke for the Associated Indus
tries.
b. c. Millett Of Houlton, secretary
Of the Houlton Fair appeared in
resolve providing aid in the payment
of premiums awarded by the Houl-
ton Agricultural Society. A per
capita tax of two cents Is used for
4 fund for these distribution of
Minds There are "a fairs in the
state each year of which 40 avail
themselves of the provisions of the
act. The attendance at the fair av-