The Portland daily press., 1895-03-15
THE JOKE ON THE JokERs.
The Amusing Legislative Experience of
the Bull Rock Bridge.
Special to the PRESS.l

NNpec1al 10 Jne ThES0.l
Augusta, Me-, March 14.-It some
times happens, even in the legislature of
Maine, that the friends of a measure do
not feel called upon to tell those who are
likely to oppose it. just what it means.
Many meaures dealing with local inter
ests, if they relieve from burden the
people of one place, may put. additional
burdens on the people of another. Now,
down between Brunswick and the town
Of West Bath, crossing an arm of the sea,
is the Bull Rock bridge. 1t was built
away back in 1885, when Bath and the
the same. Then Bath wanted the trade
of the neigh boring town OF Brunswick,
and so proposition was made that if
the people of Brunswick would main
tain a road leading to it, the people Of
Bath would provide funds to build the
bridge. The bargain was made, and
since that time the city of Bath has kept
the bridge in repair. But things are
different now, ,and the travel which once
crossed Bull Rock bridge in the direc-
tion of Bath goes there no longer Nat
urally Bath is not SO anxious to keep up
that Lridge as formerly, especially as
since the creation of the town of West
Bath, bull Rock and its bridge are four
miles from the city. Once, Bath Off
Ger was sent out to discontinue travel
over the bridge by tearing up the plank
ing. The planking came up, and then
on an order of the court, went down
again. These things were told to the
committee ways and bridges several
days ago by MIR. Holbrook OF Brunswick.
Early in the session a bill appeared
providing that where bridges already
built and connecting towns in adjoin-
ing counties are not supported by the
towns they shalltb supported by the
Counties Mr.. Dickey offFort Kent put
in this bill, ,fbut it did not relate to some
bridges tup in Aroostook county. 1t
was aimed at Bull Rock, and came from
Bath. It was referred to the committee
on ways and bridges, and it's friends
smiled as they thought of the people
over in Cum berland wrapped in slum-
ber and awakening to find that the Bath
people had crossed Bull Rock bridge and
left it for Gum berland and oagadahoc
county. 1t would have been a rare leg
islative joke on Cum berland county.
1t is still good joke, but the laugh is
on the jokers.
The bill came up for a hearing early
this week, and County Attorney True
and Representative Holbrook were on
hand to show the committee that Cum
berland county was not so soundly
sic eping as the Bath people evidently
thought. Mr.. aolbrook gave the com
mittee the above interesting history of
the bridge, and Mr.. True, representing the
county commissioners, objected to the
passage of the bill. Mr. True pointed ont
that it not only hit the Bull Rock bridge,
but also that over Merrymeeting Bay,
which is now supported entirely by Sag
| adahoc county, having been built chiefly
to enable Sagadahoc peop g to get from
one part Of their county to another.
How many other bridges it would hit
Mr. True could not say Aa8
Representative Twitchell of Bath
frankly stated that it had been supposed
the bill would not be discovered, and he
was surprised that it had been. Mr..
Twitchell was also surprised to read a
statement of the meaning of the bill
printed several days before in the
PRESS. This was handed him by a
mem Der of the committee However,
Mr.. Twitchell thought he could amend
Bull Rock bridge He thought that
Bath should not be required to support
this bri 1ge, which was now four miles
out of town, and of no great value to
Bath.
Mr. True suggested that in that case
some arrangement might be made by
which the bridge might be discontinued,
avenue for trade the bill did not benefit
Bath, the people of that city did drive
over it for purposes of pleasure.
Mr.. True said he should still object to
the bill even ii amended, and told AR
Twitchell that Portland is still required
TO maintain Pride's bridge. six miles out
in the country.
Representative Adams of Bowdoin said
he had but recently discovered the bill.
but he knew that the people of Sagada-
hoe county, outside of Bath. would be
opposed to it. If the bill was to be fur
ther considered by the committee. he re-
quested another hearing.
The committee promptly settled the
matter ny voting legislation inexpedient,
and the Joke is on the jokers. The COM
mittee also voted adversely on the meas
ures relating to the Arrowsic and Merry
meeting bay bridges. 4e
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