Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-08
ROAD HEARING.
The Proposed Manchester Coombs
Mills Highway Being Investigated.
Ciys Evidence Shows That Il Would Re- ~.
Petitioners Turn, TODAY.

| Inc nearing Oh 'he appeal from the
decision of the county commissioners
on the Manchester COMBS Mills road
case, before a board of commissioners
appointed by the supreme court and
composed of Hon. G. f. Johnson Of
Waterville. J. w. Bassett of winslow.
and Hon. Frederic Danforth of C,ardi-
ner. was begun at 10 o'clock. Thursday
| forenoon, in the aldermen's room at
the City building, and continued
throughout the day. Thomas Leigh.
Esq. appeared for the city, and f. w.
Whitehouse for the friends of the nro-
posed road, and there was a fair At
tendance at the hearing.
The morning session was opened py
Mr.. Leigh, who gave a general review
of the case and concluded nv saving
that the stand taken by the citv in tn =
matter was that public convenience and
necessity did not require that the road
should be laid out; that it would ac-
put q. wv, anu WOULD cost
a great deal 10 build ana maintain.
w. II. Getchell. the city engineer. Nss
called. and with the aid of map. ex-
planned the location of roads leading
from Augusta, ana also that of the
proposed new road.
Gen. w. s. ChOate was then called
and submitted the map Of the road as
surveyed by the county commissioners
and also the records OF the case as
entered in the books Of the commits
sioners. including petitions, etc
Mr.. Whitehouse questioned Gen.
Choatc to some length about the rela-
tive advantages of the two routes INTO
the city from what is called the
crank" one being south from that
point 10 Mt. Vernon junction and
thence by Western avenue to the post
office. and the other being to Mt. Var
non junction and thence over the pro
posed road to Coombs' Mills. Bond
bIoth lod'I anu ippliAl street, " NAi'
post office. and after some argument,
an adjournment was mad-
The afternoon session opened with
Mr. Getchell on the stand. He had
been taking measurements on the map.
and the first hour was devoted in Civ
ing distances from point TO point on the
different roads. Mr.. Getchell stated
that the proposed route was about
/ 3-5 miles in length.
w H. Mills of Norridgewock. was'
the next witness. He stated that he
had been engaged in building roads for
ed route in company with Street Com
missioner Wellman and City Engineer
Getchell, returning by way Of Western
avenue. He found the country very
rough and hilly. the character of the
soil very poor for a road, which if con-
structed, could only be maintained al a
large expense. The water in the spring
and snow in the winter would cause
the highway to be almost impossible
at those seasons Of the year. No
amount of money could build a road
like that on Western avenue as the soil
is of poor character.
Mr.. Mills stated that he made care
full estimate of the cost of constructing
Rnl xl4ln would he
the least amount. not taking into con-
sideration culverts and bridges. The
low land would require grading which
would be expensive.
Ira Getchell of Waterville. stated
that he had been a civil engineer con-
tinuously for over 20 years and during
that time has had much experience in
laying out country roads. Had twice
been over the route and found that it
is of soft. sticky, mud. He had made
an estimate of the cost of constructing
bridges and was of the opinion that the
series Of hills and the nature of the
soil the road would he expensive to
build and maintain.
Charles f. Morrill,, who resides on
Mt. Vernon avenue, and owns land and
property through the proposed route
testified that the flowage of water in
the spring is quite large, and. assum-
ing that the road was built. it would
be long and hard one. The road Of
fers no inducements for the people re-
siding in that locality.
Alonzo Chesley, milkman, who al
so owns land through which the pro-
posed road would run. said there was
no temptation in the new route, so far
as he could learn. Vienna, Mt. Yer
non and other people would not change
their route to reach Augusta.
Captain Charles f.. Nash stated that
no one had asked for the road, except
the Manchester people and a few Au-
gustans, who had signed the petition.
| The cost must be borne by the city of
Augusta there will be no ADEQUATE re-