Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-15
STATE HOUSE.
Gathering Data About the
Maine Highways.
Total Number Of Automobiles
Registered Is Now 556.
Five New Corporations File Certificates Of
Organization.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next meeting of Governor and Council,
Wednesday, August 9, at 10 A. M.

of highways, was at his Office in the
Capitol. yesterday, on matters of bust
ness. after having passed the time since
the Fourth at his home IN Machias, and
also in looking over the condition of the
roads in Washington county.
Since his appointment to the office Of
| commissioner of highways for the State
Of Maine, Mr.. Sargent has been steadily
at work with view to .amiliarizing
| himself with the duties of the office to
| which he was appoint ID, and to that
end he has visited several CT the New
England States, where highway COM
| missions had already been esta blishei,
and has consulted those III charge Of
| the work as to the methods employed
by them, and the way in which the
work was carried on.
In this way he has obtained general
insight into the business with which he
will have to deal, and which will no
doubt prove of value to him. He has
| also consulted the county commission
| ers of several counties of the State and
| has received from them further valu-
| able information.
| Having thus completed the prelimi-
| nary work. Mr.. Sargent has row com.
| menced the first actual work of the
| office, by sending out to the municipal
| officers of the cities ana th., selectmen
| and road commissioners Of the different
| towns of the State, the following letter,
| for the purpose of gaining 4 general
| fund of information regarding the high
way conditions throughout the Statea
| The letter is accompanied bv a set q |
four blanks containing questions to 'e
answered. and these blanks. when fted |
ont and returned to the Office. willcon-
stitute a valuable fund of infcrnation. |
and will to a certain extent. rla,e him
in touch with the entire stats as re-
CARDS its highways. The ted OF the
| letter is as follows: |
Gentlemen: In order to aIuaint our
selves with the general ,3rditions of
the highways of this safe. and the |
present equipment COR ioing highway
work. 1 am sending y6u herewith sew
eral questions which yol will oblige me
by answering and returning to TINS
office when you can snvenlently.
| After looking thee questions over
carefully. and considering that like
set has been forwrded to each town
and city in the Sfte. l think you will
see that only Though the answers TO
these questions an this Office learn the
status of the highways % the State;
and Furthermore, you will realize the
importance Of making careful, and as
nearly as possible, correct answers to
the same.
| The firstproblem that confronts a
| man at aH position in business is to
learn theyactual conditions that have
10 be mt and deal. with. Having
learned these conditions. he is in a
| posjtiouito formulate some definite line
of acton.
| feel that I shall have tho support
and encouragement Of each municipal
officer i'm the State in the present re-
u,es and in such others as we may
fpm time to time. make.
| We have before us 4 large PROPOSE
jtion and it is only by united action
that good results can be accomplished.
This office is ready and willing and
anxious to give any and all information
| in its power. that you may see fit to
call for We only ask the same con-
sideratIon at your hands, when we seek
information.
Yours for better roads.
PAUL T.. SARGENT.
| Commissioner.
OF the four blanks which accompany
| the letter. one is devoted t. questions
| regarding the roads, the number Of
miles of road in the township. in the
village or city streets. country roads
| width of roads. composition. cost Of
| construction. etc; the second is on tho
subject of the gravel eupply, many
questions pertaining thereto being
| asked: the third is on the subject of
| road machines and road rollers, and tn.
fourth, on stone crushers. Each sub
ject is accompanied by 4 series of ques
lions that ought to furnish thereon
large stock of information.
The registration Of automobiles is
| still going on at the office of the secre
tary Of State. and the 500 mark was
passed. some time ago. The number
which had been registered up to the
noon hour. yesterday. was $50 and the
number Of licenses which lad been is
sued to operators was 765 The regis
tration of motor cycles is also going on
slowly. and the number at present
Registered is 49,
1 he nave
passed upon petitions for proposed
highway crossings on the line of tn,
Northern Maine Seaport Railway. be-
tween Lagrange and Stockton Springs.
and on Il spur track to Gaze Jellison.
In the construction of the road. when
ever it is possible for the highway
crossings to pass under the railway,
they will be made to do 50.
| Among the travelling libraries which
have been sent out from the State
library. during the past week, were one
each to Fayette. Rangeiey and Lowell
Abel D. Russell. engrossmg clerk in
the office of the secretary of State is
enjoying a ten days -acatioE at his
summer home. at Weld.