Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-10-02
THREE IMPORTANT MATTERS.
The Next Legislature May Take
Up Good Roads Question.
Perhaps the Bicycle Question and the Schsel
System Will BE- Discussed.

will be given more or less consideration.
More people have travelled over the roads
Of the State this year, by bicycle and
team, than ever before.
The Acts and Resolves Of Massachusetts,
fer 1894 have just been received At the
State library, and contain information
which may be Of interest ID the connection
with this subject. A JOURNAL man in
looking through the volume found
three acts that will be Of special interest to
Maine people at this time. The governor
of Massachusetts,, acting under legislative
authority has appointed three state highway
commissioners At salary Of $1,000 year
each. They may also have clerk and engi-
neer to assist them in their work. It's the du-
ty of the commissioners to compile statistics,
make plane, specifications, maps, investi-
gate claims Of highway officers, hold public
meetings regarding highways, and make an
nual reports, and in all possible ways pro-
mote the building Of first-class highways
throughout the commonwealth.
Chapter 497, section 1, of the Massachu-
sets Acts snd Resolves for the present year
provides that the county commissioners
or municipal officers may, If public
necessity requires it, petition the
state highway commissioners to lay
out q state road. Section 2 of the
same act, provides that the state highway
commission may lay out the road, draw up
plans, specifications etc. Section 3 pro-
vides that the damage is to be assessed the
same as if laid out by the county commits
sioners. Section provides that the road
may be constructed by the towns through
which it runs, but if they do not care to
build it, 1t may be let to the lowest bidder.
When constructed it must be apportioned
among the different counties within which it
lies and each county has to repay one-fourth
of the money laid out. Section 6. Cities
and towns are liable for injuries sustained
from defects in the highways in the first in
stance, and may recover the amount paid
out, from the state. Town officers may
make temporary repairs on state roads.
Section 7. The duty Of the state commits
sion shall bato clear brush from the road
sides and plant shade trees. Section 10.
Towns through which state road
passes may contract to make repairs.
Not more than 10 miles Of state road shall
be built in any one county in one year.
The bicycle question.is also likely to form
a subject of legislative consideration the
coming winter. Therehas been considerable
difference Of opinion, during the past year
or so in various parts of the State, as to
whether or not bicyclists should be per-
mitted to use public sidewalks. The Mas
sschusetts Acts and Resolves provide that:
bicycles shall be provided with bells in
every instance and riding shall not be
permitted upon the sidewalks of any
city or town in the commonwealth under
penalty not to exceed 500. The rate of
speed shall not be faster than 10 miles an
hour. The act in question designates side
walks as the portion of the street laid of
by law or custom for pedestrians, and up
on this the bicycle is not allowed.
Special permits may possibly be obtained
for riding faster than 10 miles an hour,
but no city council or selectmen shall
permit riding on public sidewalks. except in
the case Of small children with velocipedes.
The school system of Maine will possibly
be brought up for further consideration.
In the Massachusetts, Acts and Resolves OF
this year, chapter 49s, section l, tits pro-
vided that all children between the ages Of
and IA, shall attend school 80 weeks in the
year, either public or private, but only
such private schools a. are approved OF by
the local school committee and the teach
ing and studies are required by law to
be in the English language. No OBJ
jections shall be raised to religious
teachings. No child shall be excluded on
account of race, color or religious belief.
County truant schools may be established.
Three or more towns may combine and
have truant school. A penalty is pro-
vided for inducing children to play truant.
The Maine State library has also just re-
ceived from Washington several books con-
tanning valuable data in regard to good
roads. The states that have passed
laws in relation to this matter are
California, Indiana, Massachusetts
Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon
Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and Wis
consin. In New Jersey the new laws date
from 1883 and have proven so satisfactory
that no attempt to amend them has yet been
made. The articles in these new books are
relative to the making Of roads In the states
having laws covering this subject and are
both able and instructive.
Fred Hamlen, who has just returned
from trip to Moosehead Lake, says that
it was reported that 800 sportsmen were In
that vicinity ready to begin deer, moose