Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-09
STATE HOUSE.
No Doubt That Old Home
Weeks a Success.
Encouraging Reports From the
National Guards Rife Practice.
Great improvements That Are Beinq Made in
Maiae's Country Highways.

~
Everyone from the State House who
has returned from the places where they
| have been having the Old Home week eel
ebrations is more than satisfied with the
success of the events. II the truth must
be confessed there was Il decided lack of
enthusiasm in many parts OF the State.
Some of those VINO We're most confident
of the good that would be done by the OBJ
scrvance of the event were almost
laughed at Now those who were the
first to laugh at those enthusiastic over
the observance are the most eager that
the State shall next year hold another Old
Home week, and from the talk made, yes
everyone will be willing ana anxious to
help out in any manner in their power
Just how many have returned to the
State to take part in the Old Home week
observance il would he impossible to say
In some sections there seems to bc hut
comparatively few, while in others there
Is almost no ,nI 10 the new faces. Those
who are interested to know the number
who have returned have delegated Hon.
S. w. Matthews. secretary Of the Maine
Old Home Week association, to find out
how many have Responded to tho invita-
tons sent GU; by & y. Powers. Mr.. Mat
thews has taken great interest in the
movement from the very first and it is
partially due to him that the event has
been SO successful. No more tit person
to learn the number of people could be
found than he. tie will begin his work
by writing to the railroads and steamboat
companies ana from them he can gain a
partial idea OF the number who have been
brought into fh" State. When that part
of the work is done he will resort to other
means to gain additional statistics. In
speaking Of the success Of the week. Mr..
Matthews said: III is great triumph
The movement viii 90 Of itself, next year,
and there will be no necessity for our
doing SO much work in promoting the
scheme.
Hon. w w Stetson. State supcrintcnd
ent of schools, was at Merrymeeting. yes
terday. where. by invitation, he attended
the regimental reunion Of the Sd Maine.
At no place in the State House is there
more Of an evidence OF the Old Home
week than at the Office of the State super
intendent of schools Hardly day has
passed during the week when some one
has not come into the department to re-
new acquaintance with Maine school
methods. These people are former Maine
school teachers. and even though they are
now holding responsible places in Massa
chusetts and other states. they are sui
interested in the methods Of the State
where they first began their school work.
Some Of the teachers are from Massa-
chusetts. but yesterday, there was one
teacher from Colorado, who formerly
taught in Maine. and very many are from
other parts of the Union.
Secretary b. Walker Mckeen of the
State Board Of Agriculture, is max ng
preparations for the Good Roads meeting
that is to be held the latter part of the
month in the State House. He has not
vet decided where he will have it held,
but it is probable that the meeting will
be held in the Senate chamber. the
audience can be better accommodated
there than in his own office.
q II am convinced, said Mr.. Mckeen,
that the money which is being spent. to-
day on the Maine roads is accomplishing
better results than ever before. The peo-
pie are getting more for their money and
the result is the roads are in better con-
dition There is no question that the
farmers are awaking to the necessity
Of good roads
no more money is being appropriated.
perhaps, but that which is spent is used
in such Il manner that the roads are grow
ing better and better. 1t is strange
thing that in the localities where you
would expect that the roads would be
built in the most intelligent manner are
the places where the roads are the worst.
The trouble seems to be in some of the
localities that the commissioners use the
road machine too much That Is, they
scrape so deep that the road is smooth
at the sides and with the loose earth
r,i,ed in the middle the people refuse to
drive in the middle of the road but keep
10 the sides. Still, the people are getting
out of thai and it will he but a short
time before the Maine roads will be in
good condition.
Col f. c. Harrington, inspector of rihS
practice. is much pleased at the manner
IN WnlCh the Coiiipsihito etiS Sho"AHS w "a
their shooting: The war with Spain broke
up the companies so that the work OF
constructing new shooting teams was
long and laborious. 1t has progressed IN
such satisfactory manner. thanks to
the tir6less working of Col. Harrington.
that the companies are fast approaching
the standard of a few years ago WREN
there were some of the best ritiemen in