Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-25
coIJNTY ROAD MEETING.
,,,rrpEsrrNd SESSION IN Ellis
WORTH LAST THURSDAY.
..cr OF STATE COMMISSIONERS
saResNr's ADDRESS = DISCUSSION
nv ROAD. BUILDING POINTS.


VIZ, s.,re Gathering OF road builders OF
uanoock county. The jury room ct the
In,v oour, house where the meeting
saId was filed, about seventy five
- IN attendance. Twenty towns
- ,spresented by sclectmen or road
commissioners.
Among these present were County
commissioners Hinckiey, Eldridge, and
-. street Commissioner Newman,
r,.wortb; z. L. Wilbur, Franklin; r. J.
urekley, Bluehiil; II. c. Smith, Trenton;
x.,.op stuart, Hancock; George l..
s,.~.rt. Hancock; Sherman w. Davis,
Racksport; e. c. Hammond, Winter
u.,hor. Frank P. Greene, Bluehill; w. ..
u;rcslev. Bluehill; b. b. Reed, fremont;
rp Allen, Sedgwick; Irving G. Smith,
s.rv: Il. d. Ball, Hancock; Joseph j..
po.erts. Winter Hsrbor; J. NJ. Hutchins,
psnob.cot; Charles r. Jones, Rockville;
" n. Ball, Hancock; J. Henry Wharf,
n.sham; Jesse W. Brown, Hancock; NJ.
= Allen. Mt. Desert; Newell G. Trip,
I.moine; Z. II. Higgins, Eden; J. N.
s,n,ton, Hancock; J. w. Herrick, Mt.
n,er,; A. w. Marshall, Trenton; Charles
= Paine. Eden; c. Z. johnson, Dcdham;
HILLS Il. Austin, Lamoinei George T..
snoxfnsn. Deer Isle; James 3. Fernaid,
s,uthWes, Harbor; Ralph 4. Young,
Iamoine; Nathan d. King, Lsmoine;
Francis w. Bunker. Cranberry Isles;
George E. King, Lamuine; Elisha T..
Hamor, Eden; c. T, Powers. Deer Isle;
Charles II. Powers, Hancock; ii. A. Butter,
Hancock
Nahum Hinckicy, chairman OF the board
Of county commissioners, presided at the
use,ing. and County Commissioner Foss
acted as secretary. State Highway Conn
missioner Paul ID, Sargent was introduced,
and addressed the meeting at some length.
he said in part:
40 begin with, I will tell ron what.t would
dol wcrc elected highway commissioner Of
s.own. would remember, first Of all, that
hsd been elected by the people OF tina, town
ofll a scry important ONCE. and that ! was
responsible to the whole people. would re-
member that / had been elected To an Office
which. ~ mind, is next Ia importance 10 that
Of caring for the schools. II Is important In
two ways; iFss, because the office carries with
Is the responsibility OF experimenting the
expenditure Of large percentage OF the
money raised by the Taxpayers; second, be-
cause the results of this expenditure arc felt
BY practically every inhabitAnt Of tho town.
Starting ont, then. wish the idea Of respcn-
sibiity 70 the taxpayer, l would next re-
member that was under the authority Of the
seleeimen. ! would endeavor 20 have a gem
snl understanding with them rs TO wherr my
Jurisdiction over the roads should begin and
end. sad uPon what matters was 70 consult
them would have an appreciation myself
Q, the salae Of working with the seiectmen
and not against them and would try TO i'm
press upon their minds the necessity of
united effort between us In order TO produce
best results. These points settled. aud know
ing hew mach money Is available plans can
now be made for the seasons work. These
plaas- Of course, viii vary greatly with con
diliens found In the several towns. l shall
Indicate briefly some Of the things it would
be desirable 10 do, leaving to the good judy
meHt Of each commissioner TO say how far
thess suggestions shall be carried out.
YOu should study the roads OF your town as
system 10 learn which are the most i'm
poTiAhi from the amount OF traffic they carry,
and NAich are Of secondary consideration.
Having determined this you should again
siady the roads as TO their particular needs,
taking into account the means at hand for
meeting these particular needs.
Give consideration 20 the following points
Of administration.
Organi4Ation OF forces.
Proper time for prosecuting work, and
Keeping records Of work done.
New let as see what a study OF the roads as
70 their needs will develop. The chances are
Ten TO one that, wherever the road commits
1oner looks. the eyer-present need of drain
age viii be hrst observed and I want each one
you 70 bear In mind that proper drainage
work will probably do more towards giving Us
good roads than any other one thing. The
water must be taken care Of before you think
OF doing suriacing work. Good roads are
seldom the work OF nature; they are, like
other construction work, the results OF the
ingenuity of man in controlling and eombin-
Tag the elements Of nature for his own use
And benefit
surface drainage is the most apparent and
we most easily taken care of. Remember that
,he oeee, is TO carry all the surface water fall
ing on the road away from I, and into some
natural water-conrse by the shortest eco
homieai route and in the quickest possible
ame' Remember also that great damage may
result, particularly TO roads located around
sae Sides OF hills or on sioping ground, from
'ae drainage of adjacent land flowing into the
.o@a' This water should be turned into sur
iaee bitches before IT reaches the road.
rae best time TO study your drainage
problem IL when good rain storm Is in
progress and plenty OF water Is flowing. Go
over your roads at such times and you viii see
p'enIy OF work ahead OF you for pleasant
Weather. Make notes OF what you see,
" set stake wherever work needs to be
uoae. Then apply the following rule,
Nhich believe holds good in every de-
pA'ment OF road work: Fix the worst
p'aoe-the most dangerous place--the place
sna' is apt to cause washout, with its con-
se9aent liability Of damage suit against the
~~h-hx that place first and the others in the
order OF their importance.
an inspection Of the roads during rain
'ihs also affords the best opportunity to
y II the cuiyerts are large enough and doing
Their work properly,