The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-04-03
Names Roads Improved.

The state OF Maine, lOuS ISCoS-
nized as the playground of the nation,
and now regarded as the best state
in the Union for the enjoyment OF
automobiling, is undergoing a meta
mSrphosis as far as the condltlon OF
it's highways is concerned. u
change for the better may n may
not be the direct result of the growth
of automobiling in the State, but 1t IS
thought that the increased numbe
of machines owned in Maine, and the
hundreds coming to the State IN the
summer time, have eXerted tnelr IN
fuence, and the inhabitants or the
towns and cities have at last awak-
ened to the fact that Maine ROADS,
which have long stood. as a synonym
for all that is bad in highways, must
be improved. Up to a few years ago,
except in a few sections, the high
ways Of Maine we're about the worst
in the country, and surely the worst
in New England. This is no longer
the case, for with the advent OF the
automobile a better condition OF al
fairs has come and thousands Of dol
lars are now being expended annually
by the State, towns and cities for the
betterment of their highways.
One of the greatest steps toward
the advancement of the good roads
movement in Maine was the recent
act of the Legislature which created
a commissioner of highways, an Office
heretofore unknown here. Paul D.
Sargent has held this position for a
little over a year, and during that
time he has stirred the inhabitants
of all sections to activity, with the
result that new and better roads are
being constructed all over the State.
In speaking OF the work being done
in the State, Commissioner Sargent
gives the following figures to The
Automobile:
During the past year 270 towns
in the State built State roads, expend-
ing s105,0 being reimbursed by
the State to the extent Of $4,000.
This year $40 towns are building
State roads, and have advised me that
appropriations amounting to $685.
600 have been made for the work.
1 expect the total expenditure will
amount to $4,000, necessitating an
outlay by the State of $4,000. These
figures will, 1 think, show the move
ment is a popular one"
One great cause OF the bad roads
in Maine is found in the almost gen.
eral use of narrow-tired wheels in
the country sections. These cut up
the highways into ruts, which make
them well-nigh' impossible in wet
weather, and especially in the spring,
when the frost is coming out Of the
ground. Many salectmen of country
towns have tried, and generally in
vain, to secure the adoption of broad
tires by the farmers. To prove to the
farmers that broad tires were bene-
fetal to the users as we'll as to the
roads, the selectmen Of the town of
Rockport, in Knox County, purchased
four. sets Of wide-tired wheels and in
uuCSu llS plOpl lCIOio VI q
that use four-horse teams to place
them IN their wagons as an expert
ment. The result was surprising to
the teamsters, who found they DO a
great deal more hauling with less
work, and the roads were smoothed
out to a degree that was highly salts
factory. The town sold the wheels
to the lime-burning company for
what they cost and saved practically
all the money that had heretofore
been expended yearly for the repair
on that particular stretch of road.
While the automobiles of Maine
are doing no united work in Maine to
further the good roads cause, they
are, individually, doing all in their
power. Maine has become such a
rendezvous for the tourist automobile
that the more done for the better
ment of the highways, the greater
will the evenue be that the State will
derive. Citizens and officials realize
this, and it is safe to predict that
when the hundreds Of New York and
Boston automobiles visit the State
of Maine in 1907 they will find better
roads than have ever before existed.
The Automobile.