The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-05-03
County Road Conference.


the average of the whole bank as nearly
AZ possible, into vessel OF water anu
studying the different sizes OF rock
fragments as they would settle 10 the
bottom after stirring. a stlll better
plan was to select sample OF ABOUT 81
bs and ship 1t, charges prepaid, 10 the
Agricultural Department at ashlhgton,
u c.. Department Of Tests, aud Sc
cure the exhaustive report which thelI
experts are prepared 10 furnish Tree OF
charge This will show how the
! road material in question may be oest
employed and what materials to use
in combination with it to secure the
best results.
The Commissioner spoke of many
other things, among them the question
of foundation aud subdrainage, and ex-
planned at some length the map OF
model road section which he had caused
| To be- placed on the wall of the courtroom.
At the close of his address he asked
each one present to relate what point
they had learned. in actual experience
with roads, that they believed would be
the most valuable for other road oulld
ers to know
Alopzo base of Lexington, formerly
of the board of county commissioners.
asked If plantations were entitled to aid
for state roads on the same conditions
as towns, and was advised that they
were. Mr. Chase believed the spring
examination of roads mentioned by
Mr.. Sargent was of the utmost import
ance.
The subject of the king" of Split
Log" drag was taken up by l.. w Yves
ton of skowhegan and his experiences
with this road implement were listened
to with much interest. Mr.. weston
told of work done on the Russell
road, over which be passes to his
farm, and stated that, notwithstand-
ing his experimenting had been done
chiefly at his own expense, he was GER
tain that, to say nothing OF the oeneht
the improvements had been TO the gem
eral public, his own use of the road had
repaid him in full for his outlay. Mr.
Weston also took occasion TO empha"
size the necessity of getting rid OF the
water and also cutting out the oushes
at the side of the road so that the sun
would have a chance to dry up the mud.
He had found by repeated experience
that bushes cut in November or 10 the
late fall were slower to sprout and re-
quire cutting again.
A l. Healey, road agent in Pleasant
Ridge Plantation for many years, re
lated his experience with the roads of
that plantation. From the time he first
took charge of the roads he had pro
ceeded, first to cut out the bushes, then
take out the rocks and he now tries to
get the bitches a little farther apart
each year,
Fl. l.. Colby of Jackman, who has
charge of the county highway from
West Forks Plantation TO the canada
line, told of his experience in cutting
out bushes In that district. de said 10
that region it could not be done earlier
in the season than August, the oiacK
flies being 80 troublesome in the earlier
months that a man could not work. he
b ad let out the work by contract at So
per mile. the specification being that
the bushes must be Cnl and removed
from strip one rod wide on each SIDE
of the road.
A very interesting account was given
by II. L. Hale of Norridgewock OF
particular piece of road improvement
which he had occasion to make as high
way mmisssoner of that town The
piece In question he had built Il feet
wide from ditch to ditch, with rock
foundation II feet wide in the center,
and carefully surfso, d. Mr.. Hale spoke
of the necessity OF a Wide Tire Law,
recommending q minimum OF six inches
for heavily loaded vehicles. 1t may De
said here that this subject was touched
upon by other speakers and finally the
sentiment of those present was put on
record as follows
Voted that it is the sense OF the
meeting that Broad Tire Law would
be a great aid In preserving and main
tanning our high ways and that the state
Highway Commissioner, Mr.. Paul ID
Sargent, be instructed to frame such
law as would meet with his approval
and present same to the 7Sd Legislature
of Maine "
NIL Merrill, fol- the county commits
sioners, then took the opportunity to
explain some important points with 70
gard TO the sums refunded to the towns
for the construction of state roads.
There had been some changes from the
original statute and at present 1t was TO
the effect that a town would DO reim-
bursed for one half of the amount ex-
pended, not exceeding $500 In any one
year, providing, of course, that the work
was done In the manner prescribed oy
law and was thus certified to by the
county commissioners. Mr.. Merrill
then asked Mr.. Sargent, the state com
missioner, to tell what should be the
general policy as to the great proportion
of the highways, probably 30 per cent,
that could not be included in the state
road or subject to very much perma
nent Improvement and yet must be kept
in fair condition from year to year
This brought up the question OF the
"Split Log Drag" again as Mr.. sargent
thought no recent invention or plan of
action, which could be followed at a
moderate expense, was 80 productive OF
immediate results BY the use OF this
split log drag, the ordinary earth road
can be kept in excellent condition and
the cost IS only about 40 cents per mile
for each time the drag is used, The
proper time to use the split log drag ia
after a rain storm, while the surface ia
plastic and readily moulded into shape.
Geo. II Webb, for many years Show
hegan's highway commissioner, told OF
excellent results obtained on clay roads
with the admixture of sand. MI. Webb
told very carefully his experience With
clay and sand under varying ciroum-
stances and those not already familiar
with the use of these two road materials
must have found bis suggestions very
| valuable.
l. C. Williams of Athens, one OF Som
erset county's board of commissioners,
reported that small rocks in the road
was perhaps the most vexatious problem
in this town and, as he had observed the