Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-22
Consider Matters Of In.
portanes 10 the City,
Mayor PIalste1d Advocates $@,'
0Og Outlay for Good Roads.
lllhesv ubnD Asks for $500 AppTepria.
tioa-..Rsfened 10 Committee.


7.30 until 1130 o'clock last evening and
was the passage of an order. which it
il designed, will go great way to-
ward improving the condition of the
roads hereabouts.
After the usual sessions Of the two
branches of the city council, the two
met in joint convention and listened
to an address regarding the good roaus
proposition by Mayor Plaisted.
The mayors address was as folio"e'
Gentlemen of the City Council:
It is hardly necessary for me 10 %
forth the advantages of improved roaos
for our farmers, our merchants anu Jul
city jewellers. All classes OF citlzenS
ara bonef1tted The value of real estate
il enhanced. The farmer finds II pos
sible to haul larger loads thereoy
ducing the cost of transporting pro-
duce to market. He can reach tie cry
any day in the year and mus take au
vantage of high markets his iai''i,'
ran fhe more easily attend church'
lectures or entertainments ana MS ciiii
dren be better able TO atteIio so''o'
regularly. than before.
Tba country trade of the city mer-
chant is increased in volume anu oe
comes more regular City dwellers
find the markets better Supplleu Win
country produce and at prices rover
than formerly on account Oh decreased
cost of transportation. Hotel men hiiu
their houses filled with summer tour
lists who come seeking health ana
recreation and leave money with our
people Abandoned farms nave
ready sale-some for permanent homes
others for summer use. Their Value
is increased, thereby adding to the tax
able property of the city.
In the year ending April ]. 1902 the
city of Augusta expended over s2','oo upon
Temporary summer repairs To her hlsh-
ways.
The Manchester road from the town
line TO the Gannett residence Is ABOUT
two miles in length. For a series OF
wears over three hundred dollars per year
has been expended on this road for tenn
porary summer repairs. 1t Is IN "orce
condition today than 1t was % years ago
To permanently macadamize and drar
It would cost from 1920 to 5000 per mli'
according to the width of mac2dam-
The experience of years in Massachu
sets shows that the annual care of mac
ner mile. It should be less here but as
Stunning cost of $50 per mile for main
tenance as compared with $40 per mile
there would be an annual saving on this
particular road of $500. The interest or
its cost at 31z per cent. would be from
81 to $40 per year, a saving of from Sd
to size per year.
Rines hill is a striking illustration o.
,A,,f 10,
wears the hill was surfaced with grave
after every rain storm. The Maine Cen
trail embapkment where the storehouse
are located is bult largely of dirt an6
gravel that had been hauled by the cit!
and washed down the hill. The annua
cost to the city was several hundred dol
lars. Since dts permanent repair the an
nual cost has not averaged so per yea
and the embankment has ceased to grow
These are not exceptional instances
What Is truc of them is true in a create
or less degree of every street and roa'
in the city not yet ma ca anized. Thous
ands of dollars have been expended il
moving sand and dirt from the ditche
onto our country roads only to have
washIor blow back before tle next veal
There are in Augusta 90.35 miles Q
2sO1 miles of city streets. OF thes
country roads about rs miles are prinC
pal thoroughfares leading from the ad
joining towns. In 190i-5 the average cos
per mile of summer repairs to all on
streets and roads was s2s3i. The cost pc
mile to these thoroughfares was not ia
from $50 per mile
A strip of macadam eight feet wild
could be laid on these thoroughfares. an
they could be properly drained. at a
expense of s1500 per mile less. In m
Judgment. considering the excellent facil
ties which exist in all parts OF the cit
for obtaining material. work could h
done on larger scale for less than thi
sum per mile. III
believe It would be better to macadar
2s miles eight feet wide than to mac
adam 13 miles 16 feet wide. Eight fee
is enough for one heavy team, and it
not likely that any serious Inconvenience
would result from teams turning out ,
the macadam when they meet.
Augusta is not a steam railroad cente
Large vessels cannot come to its dock
1t is dependent largely upon its count,
trade. and that comes to it over 1
country roads. 1 believe that an expend
ture Of $4,000 in matchmaking al
draining our main country thoroughfar
would he wise. and / recommend tn
&c the be raised by am issue of bon
sn4 theNurk begin the present season
me saving in temporary repairs on
9aes OF road so treated over the cost
sM rious years will be at least $500 T
interest on $4,000 will be s14OO. If 25 We
oonds be issued, the amount of saving
repairs during that period will be sui
cient to pay both principal and intere
without any additional burden in Z
way OF taxation.
For half a century we have n,ss,v.
seen the trade which by our natura,
cation belongs to us directed IN o,t
cities. Sixty years ago the trade fr,
Pennington and the fertile Sandy ri,
valley. from Buckfield. Paris and the ,
per Androscoggin, today nearer us tn
any other city, naturally found its out
at tide water DIN Augusta. Pennington
but 80 miles away, but the generation