The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-06-06
Annual Road Meeting.

The annual county road meeting,
held at the court house in Skowhegan
Tuesday under the auspices Of Paul
ID. Sargent, state highway commits
sioner, and the Somerset board Of
county commissioner was most
interesting and profitable road con-
ference. No one can fully measure
the benefit Of such consultations
where the highway surveyors and
other municipal officers Of the various
Somerset county towns and planta-
tons get together, road experts,
every one of them, and compare
notes for a couple of hours. Cnder
such circumstances the problems they
have had to settle during the past
year and those which they know are
before them for the coming season
serve TO bring out the ideas OF every
one present as to the most practical
methods of road construction.
Hon. L. c. Williams, chairman Of
the board of county commissioners
acted as chairman of the meeting and
the principal address was delivered
by Mr.. Sargent. Many important
points were touched upon by the
speaker, the whole aim of his address
being to describe forms OF highway
that would serve as models to be
aimed at rather than to lay down fixed
III l.. 81 4
less of local conditions. Those pres
ent will remember Mr.. Sargent S oft
repeated statement that it is easier 10
build a road on paper than it it. to
perform the actual construction. An
other very apt illustration was his
comparison OF the highway 10 a sick
man, with the statement that the
physician diagnosed the case and then
prescribed the remedy. The Same
process should be followed i'll road
building Study the local conditions
in relation to the material at hand:
and then apply tbs treatment indicat-
ed for the particular piece of road I'M
der consideration.
The speaker answered some ques-
lions and brief discussion followed
after which V. w. Dow of ST. Adams
N
until recently connected with the
Agricultural Department at Washing
ton, D. C., division of highways, his
position being that of junior assistant
engineer Ii seems that the United
States, through the department just
mentioned, carries on a system of
road instruction and investigation the
benefits of which may be shared in by
any town. Municipalities wishing
samples of road material tested, pub
locations issued by this department or
even the construction of section of
road for "object lesson" purposes, 50
called, should apply TO Office Of
Public Roads, Washington, d. Z.
Blanks will be sent them with full in
structions as to how to proceed to St
cure the things already mentioned
and valuable assistance in other ways.
The discussion was continued in a
more informal way at the afternoon
session, one interesting thing talked
over being the split log drag. Sever
al gentlemen told of their experience
with this machine during the past
year and it would seem that ii is com
ing to be more and more appreciated.
The following were among those
presents l.. S. Lowe, W. c. Wade, J.
b. Smith, E. A. Lowe, Mercer: E. A
Piper, W. W Ellis, W. L. Tracey,
Smithfield; L. c. Williams, W. A
Foss, Robert Hayden, Athens; F. NJ.
Perkins, c. E. Smith, l.. A. Payne, j,
W. Amazeen, w. c. Hobart, Corn
vile; S. B. Millet; Palmyra; V. w.
Dow, St. Adams; B. F. Davis, Hart
land; Chas. a. Thompson, Starks;
Geo. 7. Tibbetts, Fairfield; L. A
Brown, Mayfeld; Leroy Parsons,
Dead River; Fred lMagoon,! Scion;
w. E. French, Madison; K. F. Parker,
S. H. Bradbury, L. W. Weston, Show
hogan.