Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-02-20

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mis- state OF things Is growing worse
ana worse from year 10 year, on account
OF the continually increasing changes
+ gong on along tn" limits OF our high
Ways mere ought TO he complete re-
survey OF our road lines within the next
decade, directly by the state or by
counties under special enactment. It
could be done cheaper, more satisfactorily
and with less waste OF time by the State
directly than by our present method
: IL would ssse a vast amount Of lltigat ion
III the not distant future, and settle
| rights and lines that have long been in
dispute.
Again our statutes ought TO define hat
constitutes Passable road, 50 that fair
~ observing aud intelligent person could
at once determine "heth road was
!ndictable. Now the statutes are so in
definite that they hardly leave peg to
hang your conclusions on; they simply
assert that our public ways shall be made
safe and convenient for travellers on foot
and IN teams, which admits OF II wide
range OF construction to satisfy the
whims, Judgments, prejudiees or finau-
cial interests OF parties interested.
This vague phraseoIogy has been the
prolific source OF litigations, and thous-
andS OF dollars have been spent in deter
mining local defects through the courts.
Our road laws should be so amended a. to
describe clearly and intelligentlS an
ordinary piece OF road that would pass III
any locality, specifying its minimum,
uniform width, and the defects from
which II should be free EVerytree bush
and shrub, unless r." be reserved for
ornamental trees along the road lines
should be removed, and also all cedar aud
board fences that divide the road aud ad-
Joining land, Fhey serve to catch thu
drifting -no@ IN winter. which often piles
up SIX feet high, often costing a. much
To keep the road pa--able during "a winter
season, As 1t did originally to build It.
SOM years one-third Of the annual APP
rreprmtion for roads i expend"d in re-
moving sno%. In some towns "lrr fences
along the road limits are built by the
town a wise Investment, on the ground
that an ounce OF prevention is worth 81
pound OF cure
Besides, this growth OF wood within
the limits OF the road prevents evapora-
ton in summer, often ohstructs the view
OF the travelled portion Of the road.
sometimes rendering crooked roads dam
gerous, ana in some wooded localities are
allowed 10 gro" until their branches, in
iermingl!ng form an arch above, often
dangerously lnconvenlent Tor covered
vehicles,
VIZ N'''"A N'Nf'
We remember OF winding our way on =
dark night through long stretch OF zig
gag road. rooted over with thick growth
were all the time hhout TO penetrate the
thick growth. a few teet OF misty open
ing ike the thick fog shutting i'll be-
neat h "A ClOud-iiuel sky-the dark forest