Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-22
THE NEW ROAD TO HALL0wELL
AND FARMINGDALE.
Shall Augusta G Back on Itse'f!

|
We understand that the County Comm issioners
at their meeting this week, will have before them
a petition for the dscontinuascs of the proposed
roal from Algu IA through Hallowel. TO Farm
ingdale, aud the City Solicitor has been instruct
ell by the City Council to appear in aid of the pc
tition. A remembrance against the prayer Of tn,
petitioners will also be presented, numerously
| signed, containing the names Of many of ou
prominent citizens and large tax. payers, who are
interested only in opening another avenue of bust
ness to the city, and maintaining our municipa
integrity.
This road was laid out in 1873. on the petition o.
d. T. Pike and others. The County Commission
ers viewed the premises and promptly laid out tn'
road. Farmingdale opposed the project
and fought the road after it was laid out
| The people of that town claimed an appeal from
the decision of the County Commissioners. and
duly entered their appeal in the Supreme Judicia
Court. w. p. Whitehouse. Esq, the County At
| torney, appeared before the court in favor oil
| the road. His arguments for building Il
were able and unanswerable, and may be repeate ID
with added force, that the most of the road i.
built. A commit ee of competent civil engineers
headed by Chas. j. Noyes Of Brunswick. was ap.
pointed by the court, to view the route, hear the
parties, and report on the case. This competent
and trustworthy committee entered upon the dis
charge of their duties on the Sd day of August,
1874, and after hearing and examination, report
ed unanimously that the road ought to be built.
| This did not end the fight. Last year a petition
| came from Farmingdale and Halowell, praying
the Commissioners to discontinue the road from
Loudon Hill in Halowell, to North street in Far
| mingdsle. The board of commissioners examined
the route and resffirmed the decision of their pre-
decessors, that the read ought 10 be built. So that
| two distinct boards of commissioners and a com
| mittee appointed by the Supreme Court, composed
| of men of judgment have, with an intelligent un.
| destsnding of the matter, decided at different
times that the road ought TO be built. Undoubted
| ly the present board of commissioners will hest
/ tate before reversing the decision Of these three
distinct boards. Farmingdale has Blu lit its part Of
| the road, at large expenses Halowell has taken
| the job where it was laid down by Farm ngdae,
| and has built to the Augusta line; Augusta ha:
built from Western avenue to point opposite the
State House, leaving only three-quarters of mile
Of the entire line 10 be const ucted. This in bitf
| is the history of the project.
Augusta. being tine protector of the road, i.
estopped now from coming up and asking to be
| let off from her part of the contract. Farming
| dale and Hallowel having expended their money
10 the enterprise, it is not with good grace, OIL
| with even the show of honor, that Augusta car
| come up now and ask to be let of. But the peopk
| of Augusta do not ask that the road should bt
| discontinued. Outside of the few opponent. o.
the road, it was not known that such proposition
was to be presented to the cty council at the las
| meeting; and the order Of instructions to the CITY
Solicitor was slipped through without any psrtic.
ulsr attention being directed to it. Had the mem
bers known its purport, it would have been buried
The people of the city cannot be committed
against this enterprise by any such snap judgment
| Three quarters of a mile of road, which car
be built at expense OF less than three Thousand
dollars ought not to stand in the way of our city
| keeping its plighted faith with its neighbors
The new route provides an avenue to Gardiner
| away from the railway track forty rods, wherea,
| at the present time life and limb are in constant
jeopardy by the close proximity of the highway tc
| the railway. We shall hear Of less number of brok
en- bones aud SIN ash ups if the new road is built
opens up large number of excellent building
lots and farms that would not otherwise be access
bic. If Augusta has future before it, and is tC
grow, it will expand in that direction. Already
| three house lots are engaged in the event Of the
road being built Its opening will increase the tax
able property of the city extent that the exr,
| taxation will pay the expenses OF building the
| road in very few years.
We do not see how the Commissioners, at thi.
stage of proceedings can reverse their repe aed de
| cisons concerning the building of the road. IL
say the least i. would certainly place Augusta in
most Illuminating position toward, her sister
municipalities.