Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-21
STATE HOUSE.
CONNER Sargent Sending
Good Roads Instructions.
important Suggestion Which
Should Benefit Our Roads.
Another List Of Dates for Teachers Exanni-
nations...NeW Corporations.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next meeting Of Governor and Council,
Thursday, Sept. 7, at 4 p. M.

Al the Office Of the commissioner of
highways, Saturday. n circular letter
by Commissioner Paul Sargent was be-
,u, mailed to the local road commits
sioners of the State. The circular is en-
titled suggestions for Road Mantle
nance" and contains many helpful
IDEAS for the local road makers of the
State. that have especial significance at
this season. The letter follows:
The season for new road Construc-
ton should be we'll over now. but from
INV travels over the State 1 judge
considerable amount Of what Is proper
IL called maintenance work yet re-
remains TO be done. desire TO call your
attention to some small things In the
line OF maintenance work that are ap-
parently overlooked year after year in
some towns,-thingS which can all be
done AT small expense and which II
done. I am sure VIII materially i'm
prove our roads and must reflect cred
II on those responsible for the care of
the roads and the expenditure OF road
funds.
In the first place I have noticed a
great many loose stones that should be
raked off OF the roads. Section 6G Chap
ter 2SS. Revised Statutes 1908, provides
as follows:
Road commissioners shall go over
the roads III their towns or cause it to
be done, III April May. June. August.
September, October and November in
each wear remove the loose ObStruc-
lions to the public travel. and when
ever so directed by the SelectInen, re-
move all Shrubbery and bushes growing
within the limits of highways. not
planted or cultivated therein for the
purpose OF profit or ornamentation.
having care for the proper preservation
Of shade trees, and repair such defects
as may occur from time to time. de-
fects to the municipal officers, under a
penalty of 81 for neglect of such duty.
BY this statute you will see there yet
remains four months during which
loose distractions to the public traV-
tl'' must be removed. Do not forget
that loose rocks are covered by this
statute and that they are the principal
"loose obstruction" herein referred 10.
NV attention has been called by let
tcrs from several points of our state
+ to the apparent disregard Of this stat
ute and hope You will all see To 1t that
there. will be no further necessity for
comments along this line except they be:
those of Il Complementary nature.
Another very unpleasant feature in
| the riding Of our roads is the thank
ynu-nla ans" found on either side or
nearly every small wooden culvert, on
| country roads and through towns and
| cities at a great many cross walks. You
| all realize the reason for this of course
| it & defective foundation which al
| lows the frost to continually lift or
J "ncavc" up these culvertS and cross
| ingS. ! Will only say that the remedy
| for this is the great remedy which must
| h.. applied to al! our highway work be-
| fore any great and lasting improvement
| can be MISUNDERSTANDING. AS this
! Is properly a question of construction
| we will not discuss it here. but will
| simply say that as long as culverts and
| cross walks are built without founda-
| ton they are bound to come up and at
| tention should BE- given to maintaining
| a good smooth surfa," over them. This.
| Of course. can be done by grading on
| either side with clay or loan and top
| ping with good gravel. If the material
| is spread carefully and evenly and the
| approach made not too short this I'M
| pleasant feature of travel will be elm
| mated and the danger of broken wagon
| springs very much reduced. The treat
ment here outlined could well be used
| at each end of many bridges. These are
| hard places to keep i'll surface and can
be maintained only by frequent atten-
| ton.
Another place for Improvement is in
| filling the small "dish" holes or mud
| holes that are found in every road.
| When this is done all the mud should
| be cleaned out Of the hole and carried
| away. the water drained off. and If it
| comes from n spring. the spring drained
| into Il ditch and then the hole filled
| with good new material. preferably
| gravel. or loan topped with gravel. If
! as just suggested the water comes
| from spring beneath the road. a
ditch deep enough t. take the flow in
10 the side ditch should be dug and
filled with stones. putting the larger
| ones at the bottom and the small ones
| at the top. BY doing this you have gone
| 10 the seat of til" trouble and if your
| work has been Wen done, you have
/
| other case Of drainage
These dish holes" or mud holes are
| al course. many times not due to
| springs. but to poor or unfinished SUR
| face. 1t is impossible when surfacing a
! road with new material to spread il
| evenly ana these inequalities do not
| show until the travel indicates them. 7
| am speaking now Of roads surfaced
| without the aid of Il roller and I pre-
| sumo that % per cent Of our roads in
| Mime have never seen one a roller in
| iicates these places at once and they
| are filled and rolled until a true longi-
| tudinal grade is obtained on the %
| per cent. of our roads now under con-
| SderatiOn. rs / have said above. the
| travel which is another way of rolling
| the road. will indicate the low places.
| These should all be filled as fast as
| they appear and I want to say that the
| road machine if you have one should
be used to do this work. That is. use
! your machine to smooth or plane the
surface of the road by taking down
the punches and putting them in the