Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-02
Pine Cone Union.

Union Grange was held with Albion
Grange, Wednesday,, Feb. -. The
day was a fine one but OH account of
the condition of most roads and the
low temperature of the early morning.
but few representatives from the
oranges interested were present; but
the II from Silver Lake. one from
Winslow, and one from outside of the
Union, with 80 members of Albion
Grange, made quite a satisfactory
showing as far as numbers We're coll
cerned.
After the usual routine work was
completed the question for the fore
noon, 1.-The Economics of Good Roads,
was introduced by the lecturer, and
was opened by Bro. 0. o. Crosby, who
expressed himself in sympathy with
the Good Roads" movement as far as
the desirtlbIlty and utility of perma-
nent roads was concerned, but doubt
ed their economy on account OF their
great expense; spoke of the work being
done in this direction, in Massachu-
sets, but thought Maine could not
pattern after Massachusetts. IF we
should the State would soon become
bankrupt" He thought under our
present system OF repairing ROADS IL
the road machine was used. and prop
erly handled, quite satisfactory roiius
would be the result, especially II lhc
road machine were used in the early
spring.
Otis Meader thought it was useless to
a ba tho ADVANTAGE
OF good roads. everybody knew that Il
good road WAS better than a poor one.
and would favor permanent roads If
convinced that the expense of building
such was within their reach, or would
not be embarrassing beyond endurance.
He EXPRESSED confidence that the time
is not far distant when Maine would
be ready to start i'll the same line OF
work in which Massachusetts had been
so successful for the last ten years,
notv outstanding her inferiority in point
of wealth, to that state. Mr.. Meader
then read extracts from "An Address
on the Economics of Good Roads de-
livered before the Maine State Board
of Trade. Sept. -, 1904, by Hon. w. E.
McClintock, chairman Massachusetts
highway commission, showing among
other things the amount of permanent
roads built in Massachusetts in the
last ten years to exceed 600 miles; total
expenditure for building and repairs
of same, s5,7SO,900. This money is OBJ
tanned by issuing bonds, running 30
years, which are cared for by sink
ing fund; on account of which So. 900
has been paid out annually. The
counties pay back to the state one
quarter of all amounts expended by the
state. amounting to $1,40O,0O0. This
apparently large outlay imposed tax
on the taxpayers of MiddleseX county,
which was taken as an example, OF
four and sixty-four hundredths cents
on each thousand dollars. Regarding
the statement that Maine could not
pattern after Massachusetts, which
had been made Mr.. Meader said that if
such q work could be done by Massa-
chusetts, at such an extremely low in
dividual cost, it would seem that
Maine was not far enough behind in
point of wealth to make such work
burdensome to the taxpayer here.
Brother Metcalf of Silver Lake
Grange expressed his aStOniShment at
the cost to the taxpayer of MaSsachu-
sets. as shown by the statement read,
and thought if it were a fact that
there was nothing in the way flnanclai-
ly to prevent having good roads.
"Why," said he, lit wont cost so much
as it does to keep dog"
Brother Wiggin of Albion GranS,
said: 1.-THE cost can be endured, ever
hA
we have paid out annually for the last
20 wears to have lot of dust. sods. ana
stones hauled into the road only to be
washed out again. in q short time, per-
haps by the first heavy rain, leaving
the read as bad, or worse. than before.
He thought Il short piece of permanent
road could be built each year, perhaps
a mile, without feeling any material
embarrassment. Believed i'll using
money freely if it could be used eco
nomically, as we cdnrot expect any
great Improvement without considera-
bic outlay.
Brother Bailey of China was asked IN
relation to the building of State road
in hi, town, in accordance with Il re-
cent provision of the State. He said
he had passed over it. but knew very
little about it further than the fact that
il was Il good road, and where former
ly it was very soft and muddy in places,
now it is good at all seasons of the
year, and referred the question to
Brother Colby of the same town who.
he said, had helped build it.
Brother Colby gave a brief statement.
explaining. in reply to questions, what
the law required at the start. and that
after the road was designated by the
county commissioners. the worst PIP 'es
were selected for repairinS first. which
was done by putting in plenty of wide
ana deep CulvertS for draining. also by
opening the road lengthWise in the cen
ter and filling with stones: covering
The whole with the best material AZ .il-
able and making wide. oval road,
with bitches not toe deep.
The question was further discussed
by Brothers Billings, Crummett. c. T..
Taylor and Il. j. Whitaker of Albion. in
Hearty the same line as those preceding
them. principally, however in the di-
lectiOn of the necessity of improve
ment in our present system of repair
ing roads, and claiming that the more
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