Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-02-03
From the Bridgton News.
The "Hdrrison Road" Case the
Oiher Side.

"Stllke, but hear me. / propose, by
your permission. through the medium oI
the NefCS to put in bIief answer to n
series OF unlounded allegations, which
from lime to lime have appeared in your
columns against the inhabitants OF the
town OF Oxford. 10 relation TO the ro.
building OF bridge. on what is called
the Harrison Road, in said town.
More than twenty years ago, The ques
ton ot better route from Western
Oxford and Northern Cumberland To- the
&. I. Railway was aglated. A petition
was presented and hearing had, before
the Joint Board OF Cumberland and Ok.
lord Counties. aud the prayer of the
petitioners denied. Subsequently, an.
other petition was presented, and "a
hearing had, aud location made from
John L. Jordan's to the q. i. r., near
the merrill Bridge"
In 1868. Oxford, Oiislield aud Norway
petitioned for the disconlinuance of this
highway, and the Joint Board after full
heaing discontinued it.
Subsequently, another petition was
presented, "a hearing had before the Joint
Board OF OxfoId and Cumberland Coun.
ties. and location made. from John Z.
Jordau's lo tho e.. I. X. and the road
near ). ). Smiths IN Oxford. This lOca
ton was procured by fraud. The great
OverShadOwing reason urged at this
hearing was the want OF "nearer. and
better route" between the West and
the G. T. Rtilroad. This involved the
question. whether the Railroad would
iuild Il station house at the crossing near
,. ;. Smiths. in case The road prayed Tor
should be OGilt. Ii not, then the location
sought would be failure, rs the petition
crs did not then ask Tor Il location TO
accommodate the public travel.
Such representations were made NJ this
heating as satisfied the Joint Board that
the Railroad r0Hid build station house
IN ease il should hc made. and solely on
Ae strength Of this Ihcy made the loca-
tirn The town ot Oxford, AT IN expense
q, ab,W lrurlccn hundred dollars, made
thr i'..'I aud lur ,iSht years kept the
s:n.t 200 D pair, opcn 10 public tiaycl.
NoN mI6 The result. Not = single
mlt,nrut was made. from ans quarter.
jr Irp.ul- thc erection - a station house
ou lie Grand rruuk Al freight coming
lrum The Wos, went Just a. u did before
,Lc road Was bu,t-lO So. Patis Station.
The Btidstou Stage Travelled the same
route 10 the same terminus. And there
MAS comparatively no travel over this
Harrison Road; aot enough TO Keep the
.ra.s from growing under The horses
icct That part OF the road which was
u Ou,Hcld and Norway vas more or
.r,s blocked up with suCw every winter
tor The whole eight yeals. ami so utterly
Indifferent were the travelling pubic with
regard to il. that 10 complaint was ever
made 10 any Grand Jury against these
towns. for their neglect to make ii pass.
able s. very small WAS the travel, that
nobody seemed lu care Whether the road
was opeu or not. At all the hearings
and before the Commissioners praying
Ton the di>coutiuuaucc Of that part oi the
road between The "Wcbber Road and )
) Smiths. it Was proved by the evidence
oi reliable wilncssrS, who lived on The
luc oi lhe road, (uud no slicmpt at con.
truiicliun on the part of the friends OF
the road) that during these eight years
H)i myyc hIH one team cdch ircct on ne
accrdge. during Gte Summer season. pass
cd orer this road, when il WAS open and
in repair. with the bridge up.
IN 1869, the bridge Oh this road, over
tue Little Androscoggin, went down by 4
Ircsho,; and the question presented Itself
To The inhabitants ol Oxford, whether, in
consideration OF the entire failure OF the
road ~ "a public thoroughiare, there was
any public necessity for that part Of
the Harrison Road which lies between
the ..W cober Road and the highway.
near ;. ) Smiths. They came 10 almost
"a unanimous conclusion that there was
no public necessity which should compel
them TO cXpend $1,000 TO rebuild the
bridge To this end. several hearings
have been had before Joint Boards Oi
at County Commissioners OF Oxford and
Cumberland on petitions Tor the diScOn'
tinuance oi this part OF the road. in each
OF which the Cumberland Commissioners
every time voted. solitary and alone,
agdijiSt diScoHiguaHcc
In the mean time, little clique. who
laucicd they carried the public welfare
iu their btceches pockets got the road
indicted, aud ever since. with no SelFSh
interest OF maiice to prompt their action,
dave been on rampage 10 lorce OAlord
to rebuild the bridge.
4 thorough examination Of the Stat
utes and Tho decisions Ui tho Courts IN
relation 10 the location, alteration and
repair OF highways" satisfied the town
authorities OF Oxford that on petition
tor the lisc0utuulncc Oi a small piece Ot
road-dH iR one toTH-cunuecting At
each end with county roads leading into
other towns and counties, the COmmis-
sioners of the County where such high
way was situated had ercluSire .jariSdlc.
ii0H
Acting uron this suggestion, Oxford
peli.ioued the Commissioners oi Oxford
County for the discontinuance ol this
piece OF road At their meeting. the
question oil jurisdiction was elaborately
argued by Two of the ablcst lawyers In
Cumberlnnd County. against their
authority To act; and by the undersigned
Tor the petitioners. They decided that
upon the law, rs presented by the coun'
sci Tor the TWO parties, they had jurIsdic
ton. Their report. under the Statutes,
cannot be- made until their next regular
term in May next; when, If in favor OF
the petitioners, will carry with 1t the
"Indictment,r Judge Appleton. agent.
and Geo. Piercc's "coilin hand bills" all
together IN the ground.
The sneers in your paper, that 1.-THE
Oxford Commissioners thought they
knew a little more than the Judges on
the Supreme Bench" comes with poor
grace from writer who shows his entire
ignorance Of law by alleging that the
Supreme Court had thought anu even
said thai such thing could not be done"
How this astute wii;er happened to know
what The Supreme Court had Thought
Il. I,nI ninlfPr Ii 0nltp "A