Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-16

Maine Kennebec Bridge"
The Fight in Legislature
Mr.. Carleton argued that the
bridge project and the highway
bond issue should go together, de-
claring that he had talked with Rep
resentative Granville of Parsonsfeld
saying that the two should be sup
ported together. He declared that If
Mr.. Granville had agreed to the plan
the bridge would be under construc-
ton now.
II had to fight Senator Eaton of
Oxford all last winter to keep him
from getting over private owned
bridge. He's a pretty smart fell
| low" asserted Mr.. Carleton. Il want
to ask you, gentlemen. what do you
think of a man who will go in and
| try to prevent a public owned bridge
going through and then try to put
over a privately owned one? What
do you say, the Teapot Dome has got
on that"
While explaining the plans for
| financing the public-owned bridge.
! Mr.. Carleton questioned Chief En-
! gineer Paul d. Sargent regarding the
| number of men employed on the
! bridge between Kittery and Ports
| mouth, and expressed some surprise
at Mr.. Sargent's reply that seven
men are there employed (three cleo
| tricians and four deck hands,. that
| the cost to operate the bridge an
nually is $4,000. and the cost for
electricity is $1,000. Mr.. Carleton
said that he thought two men could
| operate the, bridge and the electricity
would cost $500 per year.
! Referring to the possibilities of the
nj
Mr.. Carleton asked if anyone had
! any reason for favoring the build
ing of a privately owned bridge.
Last winter if it had not been
for two or three senators like Sena-
tors Adams, Hinckley and Clyde
Smith. certain men would be walk
ing around with a million dollar
franchise i'll their pockets. They
lacked only a few votes of getting
it.
'It seems as il the banks and spec
ulators might find some different
place to speculate besides an import
ant link on our highways" contin-
ued Mr.. Carleton. IF a vote was
taken of the entire State it would
show two to one against the private
owned bridge. We must be careful
whom we send here to the Legisla- /,
ture.
Talk of the bridge at Richmond /,
is a most silly proposition" he de-
clared. "All that bridge would do /,
would be to help divert some travel
from the ferries and the State would /,
have to maintain the ferries just the !
same"
Reads Letter from Senator Buzzell |
Mr.. Carleton spoke of the CONVEX
sation he had with Senator II. G.
Buzzell of Belfast previous to the
converting of the last legislature. He
said that at a meeting held in Wal
do county he presented plans and
figures for the State-owned bridge
and everyone in attendance voted in
favor of the project on a rising vote.
MIR. Carleton said that Mr.. Buzzell
hac asked him If there was any rea-
son he could not support him for
president of the Senate. He had re-
piied that he saw no reason why he
could rot.
A letter from Senator Buzzell to
Mr.. Carleton referring to the Angus
ia bridge meeting was then read by
Senator Carleton. an extract being
as follows:
IN your letter you say that If
think it worth while, you would be
glad TO see me there. This meeting
would certainly be worth my time II
it did not come at Just this time
when l must be in court to look aft
err our business and our clients in
terests.
1T has been reported to me by
way Of rumor that you suspect me
of being in favor of a private fran
chise instead Of a public free bridge,
but l have not even given this rG-
NOR passing notice because am sat-
isfied that you know such is not the
case.
In the event that you have an
| other public hearing on this matter
at Augusta at some future date,
kindly let me know and l will be
only too glad to meet with you
Speaking of Mr.. Buzzel, Mr..
Carleton said that he is satisfied that
the Waldo county senator used ev-
cry means TO put over this private
bridge.
Mr.. Carleton criticized an editorial
| which appeared in Portland news
paper favoring the bridge being To-
, Gated at Richmond. Il never called
! it ridiculous to have a bridge built
at Richmond" said the senator. II
called it ridiculous that the Rich
| mond bridge would take the place
of ferries"
He commented upon the state
ment in the editorial that the low
! est estimate for the bridge at Bath
was $4,OO0.0O0. saying us there any
reason for putting out figures like
| these? Four million, We can as
sumo enc Of two things. Either
there was padding of a million
dollars or the fig.res are wrong"
He then spoke 81 the high standing
of the contracting firm that had es-
hnlated the cost CT the Bath bridge
at S3.0OO.0OO.
Senator Carleton declared that he
pied with Representative Granville
in tie legislature last winter to pur
the highway and bridge bond issues
together and told Mr.. Granville that
the highway bond issue would never
get to the people If he interfered
with that bridge. 1.-THE last day or
tive OF the legislature Represents
tive Granville fell away 10 pounds,
! think, trying to get the hignwsy
tord issue over. told him his bond
issue would never get TO the people;
it never did"
IF i: hadn't been for Senators
Adams. Smith and Hinckley. they
would have been going around with
= million dollar franchise in their
PNS.NSeS anu SOu WOuiu nave Deen
payiLg tribute in toll to those peo-
pie"
Letter from Governor Baxter
Senator Hinckley read the follow
ing letter from Gov. Baxter to Sen
ator Carleton:
April Is, 1924.
MY dear Senator:
Although / have received no inyi- /,
tation to attend the Kennebec Bridge |
meeting this afternoon, am willing |