Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-16
BICYCLE PATHS
To Receive Undivided Atten-
ton of Maine |. A. W.
The Division Will Drop Its Fight fol-
Good Roads in Maine,
And Seek Only Tor Good Paths Tor Use Of Its
Own Members.

The Maine Division of the L. A. w
is to aba temporarily the fight for
good roads. and instead will turn its
attention to building bicycle paths
This is the latest talk among the l.. A.
w. members and n plan that. in all
probability, will be carried out.
1t has been the endeavor of 0he di-
vision for some time to secure suitable
legislation for the establishment of a
State road commission. This move has
received vigorous opposition from the
very start. mostly from the farmers.
who would be the most benefited by the
good roads movement if carried out
on the lines as proposed by the divis-
ion. The fight in the Legislature has
gone on for some time but without
success, and now the division proposes
to drop it.
A movement will soon be started to
build bicycle paths from one end of the
State to the other. over which the
wheemen may ride. The scheme in
outline is to build paths from Portland
to Bangor. and then extend from the
main line thorOughfares to other
points. The members do not propose
to ask the aid of the State in any way
in paying for these paths. but the in
dividual members of the l.. A. W. will
pay all bills.
The plan is first to have the clubs
build a piece of road in their own To-
which it is proposed to build will be
from Portland to BiddefOrd. The bal
ance of power in the division has for
% - n
State both regarding numbers and in
t,uence. For that reason it is thought
there will be little difficulty in building
the path in that section. When that
is once built it is felt that other locah-
ties. seeing the advantage, will be en-
thusiastic in having the paths built IN
their section. Later it is proposed to
extend the roads toward the eastern
part of the State.
AS has been said. the plan is to have
the individual members pay for the
paths. This will be by means of IL
cense tax. as in New York state.
There every member who so desires IS
charged 81 for the use of the path. In
return he is given a license and license
tag permitting him to use the paths.
Each member displays his tag in
conspicuous place on his wheel. so that
it is known whether or not he has the
right to use the paths.
There is not the slightest question in
the minds of the promoters of the
promoters of the scheme that great
many who do not buy licenses will use
the paths. The division will make no
attempt to stop those who have not
contributed to the building from using
the paths. but will simply rely on the
moral question as to whether or not
man will have the cold nerve to use
the paths for the building of which he
has not contributed anything. Those
who contribute to building them Will
have that right shown on the license
tag. Those who do not have the moral
right will not have the tag. 1t Is be
lieyed that no one will have nerve to
openly advertise the fact that he is
using something he has not helped
build, and, perhaps. which he has even
refused to help build.
1t is anticipated that there will be
some trouble through the farmers
driving over the roads. especially in
the spring of the year. To prevent
that it is proposed to secure suitable
legislation.
The movement has already been
started In Auburn there are already
bicycle paths, but they We're built
through the efforts of the local clubs
and not through the concerted action
of the L. A. w. 1t is planned to begin
work on the paths at once. so that
within a year the wheelmen will not
be troubled by sand or mud. but VIII
have such paths as the nature of their
vehicle demands.