Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-07

for which you cannot with four-horse
team drug out words Of approval from
the Water Power Commission. but we
open the door at every session OF the
Leg stature for all kinds of water
power legislation"
Discussing how far the commits
sion could go, under the amendment
| and bill Mr.. SHELTON said that prl-
vate corporation which desired 70
make a water power development
must submit it's plaks and estimates
to the commission. IL these were
approved then the commission went
ahead and did the work. He wanted
the committee to consider that
feature when 1t took this bill under
advisement and expressed doubt
whether private capital would give
freely where it had no control of
how the money was being expended.
The provision that the board OF
directors Of this corporation should
contain two representatives of the
power interests was negative for the
property owners had nothing to say
about their selection; it was done by
tho commission. The lack Of par
value of the stock was another bug
bear. he said. He urged that I'M
der the amendment and act the
property owners had no recourse for
the adjustment of a grievance as
there would be no property, under
provisions of the law. upon which
court judgements could be exercised.
This doesn't stop at socialism,"
ton with nothing behind il can take
your property or my property and
give us the kind of securities pro-
vided for in this bill it goes away
beyond socialism"
ut seems to me that there would
never be a better time to determine
whether the state is going into the
water power business than now"
continued Col. SHELTON. This legis-
la.nre has splendid chance TO en-
courage private capital to make a
development of the water powers.
There has been n reasonable degree
of development by private enterprise
end will be more if You will estab-
fish reasonable, settled policy. The
main thing is to develop the water
powers OF the state"
"DO YOU know whether the work of
the water power commission could
be done by an engineer under the
public utilities commission" asked
Senator Hincklcy Of Cumberland. a
me'-lber of the committee.
tllIHk IL cOuiu, IcplIeu CoI.
Shelton, but there has been so
er power proposition that tho public
utilities commission has been bet
ter oft without the work of the water
power commission"
Asked by Senator Brewster If he
would submit to the committee the
estimates in the Dead river PROPOSE
ton Mr.. Shelton said the committee
+ could have anything in the posses
sion OF his people it desired. He
further agreed that all power users
below such a reservoir would be
benefited by the regulation of the
flow. Later answering further uucs-
tons he said that they We're willing
to pay whatever price was fixed Cor
the rights they sought in the public
lots.
on and I are not so very far
apart. s'enator Brewster, said Mr..
SHELTON. we get down 70 talking be-
tween ourselves and stop posing.
You said in your opening that the
state would not make a cent ont Of
this propositions: that is absurd. if,
as YOU say. it is s5.00o.ooo propo-
SitiOr.
Senator brewster suggested that
all was not harmonious on the Ken
nebec river between the water power
owners that the 81 per cent owned
in Massachusetts, was not in accord
with tn 40 per cent owned in Maine
which lead Rep. Maher of Augusta
to inquire whether or not the Mas
sachusetts interests did not contem-
plate coming to the legislature and
seeking rights to transmit electrici-
ty out of the state. and We're OBJ
posed by the Maine owners. The
Senator said such was his under
standing.
Edward +. Merrill of Skowhegan.
appearing for the Central Maine
Power Co. briefly closed the hear
ing by stating that his clients We're
opposed to the amendment and bill.
He said that there was misappre-
hension in this discussion of the
Dead River project. Because it was
costing 100000 for power this year
due to the shortage of water on the
kennebec and the necessity or uslng
coal for power purposes. it had
been decided that this project was
$4,000. 900. No one stopped to thlnN
how much less than the desired
power could be developed elsewhere.