Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-09-09
The ROAD HEARING.
Testimony For and Against the Pro-
posed Manchester Highway.


| ipuu SOoIuD NllIlS 10 n DOlnt Ill
Manchester, before three commission
ers appointed by the supreme court,
Chas. +. Johnson Of Waterville, Fred
eric Danforth of Gardiner, and ]. w.
Bassett of Winslow. was resumed in
day morning. and continued through
out the day.
| Councilman Chester A. Messer was ,he
| first witness called by City Solicitor Leigh
at the opening of the session. Friday
morning. He stated that he signed the
original petition in 1895 under the impress
| sion that the cost would be only a few
hundred dollars and that IL would benefit
the city and the country people. Since
| that time he has investigated the matter
and Is satisfied that the expense will be
large and the outlay will not bring a
good return for the money invested. lie,
| therefore, signed the remonstrance
On discrimination by Attorney
Whitehouse he stated that he had no per
sonal knowledge by going over the pro
posed road.
John Parsons testified that he signed
, the petition. IL being represented to him.
that the cost would be but e300 TO the
city. After an investigation he went TO
city Solicitor Leigh ana informed him
that he desired To change his mind.
on cross examination he stated that ne
did not expect any fee for his attendance,
but came as a taxpayer and a citizen OF
Augusta.
". II. Dudley. an East Nj. Vernon farm
er testified that he did considerable
trucking into Augusta. that he uses the
Bog road. 50 called. which Is in good re-
pair. He would not employ the proposed
new road TO reach the city and he was OF
the opinion that the people residing In hla
vicinity would not change from the reg
ular thoroughfare.
Mr.. Whitehouse; "Do you expect pay
for attendance here. today"
Mr.. Dudley: Yes. Sir. was sum
moned according to law"
Mayor Lane: ANY person summoned
to a court to testify receives fees
Mr Leigh: Were You anxious TO ap.
pear and testify"
Mr.. Dudley: No. not very anxious"
CITY Engineer Getchell testified that ne
measured the hill lust before the new
road was reached and found that FOR
distance Of lOJ feet there is a grade Of Y l
per cent while on Kines hill in Augusta q
one place there is a grade uf II per
cent. on the hin west ~ the Jewett
schpolhouse for a distance OF 1U feet
there Is a grade Of 9.95 per cent
Street Commissioner Alonzo l.. Welman
stated that ne had been over the proposed
route three times. Iie thought the road
10 ~, h,,gI
tain on account Of the character OF the
soil and hills.
on cross examination he stated that ne
had not had much experience in building
roads.
Charles E. Cummings, who formerly
run Cuombs' Mill. said that the fiowage
Of water every spring is five or six feet
on the flats. so called, and that large
cakes of ice had been seen floating on the
flats.
Wallace NJ Prescott. who travels be-
| tween Augusta and Manchester quite ex
| tensively, testified that he was opposed
| to the road as ne deemed the same un-
| necessary and travel did not warrant its
| construction.
Councilman S. c. Webster stated that he
signed the petition but has changed his
mind after thorough investigation. He
| had been over the road in company with
| the county commissioners.
| Herbert S. Roberts of Manchester, was
| opposed to the new line as it was not
| needed and would benefit but a few per
| sons.
| On cross examination he testified that
one reason why he was opposed to the
| road is that it would take the travel away
| from his house.
| Charles r. Philbrook. who owns land
through which the road would pass tes-
titled in opposition.
| At this iuncture Solicitor Leigh present
| ed letters written by p. Q. Nickery, J.
| Manchester Haynes and a. w. Brooks.
| who We're called from town on bus
| mess and could not appear. opposing the
| road Mr.. Leigh also presented a remon- J
| STRANGE signed by L. o. Nickery and 80
| others who signed the original petition.
Mayor Lane testified that no systematic
| canvass was carried on to get signers Of
the remonstrance. If he met a person On
/ the street who signed the original petition
he called his attention to the matter. He
| only met three persons who were in favor
| of the construction of the road. The city
| Of Augusta has always been liberal in
spending money for the highways. May
| or Lane gave as his reasons for opposi-
ton that the road was not demanded and
that but few people would be accommo-
| dated.
| At 1870 a recess was taken till p. NJ.
F. w. Whitehouse. Esq, stated the
petitioners side of the case and called
Byron Giles of Boothbay, as the first
witness He testified that he had been
engaged in road building for so years.
Had examined the proposed route,
starting from the western end. going
right through to Coomb's Mill The
soil is Of good character, one of the best
for a road. The knobs can be cut off
and the earth be used for filling in the
valleys. He was prepared TO build a
road. the bridges of wood. with oak pill
ing, for $4,000 and one with wooden
bridges and stone abutments for $35OO.
and furnish a satisfactory bond to the
county commissioners that the road
. will be suitable and serviceable. The