The Republican journal., 1898-05-26
Waldo County for Good Roads.

|
County:
| MoNTvILLE. That there is need of i'm
provement in our roads is very evident.
Perhaps we already have all the legisla-
ton we can live up to. Don't think a
State highway commission would be for
the interests of the rural towns. Think
it better for the towns to manage their
own affairs, roads included Towns can
build roads with much less expense than
state commission, and less hardships to
its citizens. The one point to be taken
into consideration, should be that of max
ing the roads as permanent in their con-
struction as is possible with the material
from which they are built. All bushes
| should be cleared from the limits of the
roads, the travelled portion made wide,
good bitches made and kept clear, and
the same common sense and energy
applied to the business that a good,
thrifty business man would apply to his
| private affairs. Work should begin as
early in the spring as the nature of the
soil will allow. Should use road machine,
using the pillow first and removing all rocks
or distractions. Then the machine will
be doing the work intended for it to do.
Expect to see the roads improved under
our present system. [B. F. Foster.
MONROE. A State road commission
would be an expensive board that would
give no adequate service for their pay.
As for the best method of repairing roads,
can only say that no method can be given
! that will apply to all roads. One piece of
road may be best repaired by one method,
and another piece may need a good deal
of a different kind of work In brief,
roads can best be repaired by that article
C1ony l.,x,
is meeting with lots of opposition, and its
success depends wholly on the way it is
executed. Ii has possibilities, both good
and bad. Iu this respect it does not
differ from other laws. Isanything known
OF the apple called Princess Louise? What
is its season in Maine? is the tree hardy
here? E. c. Dow.
NoTE-We do not know of this apple hav-
ing been grown in Maine. Should want to
handle it only experimentally -Secretofy
BURNHAM | think the State should
maintain bridges OF certain length. We
should have our roads at least twenty
feet in width, with good bitches, and
keep the water drained off. l think two
rods Of road built in May or June are
worth more than three built later. Each
farmer should be obliged to keep the
hedges cleaned out. F. A. Bachelor
Commissioner.
BELMONT. Good roads make better
farmers in the long run, and the first
move to make is, to have competent men
to oversee the work of road building. We
can get more labor done on the road under
the State highway commission, for the
reason that the commissioner can hire
Just the men he wants to work, and II he
takes an interest, as he should, he will
hire crew Of men that will work instead
of leaning on their hoe handles. | think
the best time TO work on the road is the
month of June as the soil and other ma
terial for building roads are in better con-
dition to work. Have had no experience
with snow rollers. When We have the
team. the best method we can find is the
old fashioned triangle, which we think
makes nice, smooth hard road. | think
the best method to clear the hedges is to
take a good team and pull the stumps
and bushes out by the roots. ! think
towns would do well to purchase rock
crushers and crush some of the rocks and
stone walls by the side of the road, and
then you will have a building material
that will wear and make a good road.
Another thing, | think that one reason
why we have poor roads is that when we
work on the roads we do not clear out the
old bitches as we should, to give the water
a chance to drain off. ! think the legis-
lature would do well to make a law that
all wagons should have wide tires, allow
ing no carriage on the road with tires less
than two inches wide. and team wagons
four to six inches wide. L. F. Allen
wood.
SEARsPoRT. [ am very glad to see in
the issue of Bulletin No. ,, that our Sec
rotary is not only helping the good work
of looking after agriculture, but is looking
to the benefit of our roads; for we need
good, substantial roads to drive upon, as
well as to haul our produce, wood, etc.
1t also gives to the public the idea that we
are alive, progressive and neat. | do not
think that we need State highway com
mission as yet. But if our road commits
sioners of the several towns do not give
perfect satisfaction, then | deem it neces-
sary that we should have one, OF that our
town officers see to it that the roads are
properly cared for. The most effective
way to repair roads is to be sure in the fall
that the culverts are all clear and in good
repair for you are sure then that the fall
and spring rains, which are quite often
very heavy, will run off, and if the cul-
verts are clogged there is bound to be an
overflow, washing the roads to some ex
tent; then, too, the cutters or bitches
along each side of the road should be deep
enough to take the water from the centre.
Take the earth from bitches and place in
centre of the road, making the centre of
the road at least eighteen inches higher
than the outer sides. Sand or gravel
should not be put on roads which have
any down grade, for it costs money and
time to haul it and it will wash away in
the first heavy rain. Thos. r. Howe.
MONROE think State highway COM
mission is not desirable. Bushes should
be cut and rocks removed The rocks
should be hauled away, not dumped in
the bitches as commonly done. Plow the
bitches and scrape in with road machine.
The grade should be a true grade from
bottom of the ditch to the center of the
road. The advantage of this is, that a
wagon can be hauled into the ditch and
not upset. The best method of breaking
roads is with our only available tool, the
snow pillow. Ihave had no experience
with snow rollers. W. B. F. Twombly.
SEARsMoNT. The most important thing
to be looked after in road building or re-
pairing, is thorough drainage; and if the
present law does not give power to carry
drains where needed it should be given.
The second most important thing, relative
to its cost, is to take out and keep out all
bo Of dc