Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-19
Maine HIGHWAYS.
Commissioner Sargent
Makes Report
Before the State Grange at
waterviIe.
Tells Many Interesting Facts Con.
cerning the Work.

Worthy Master and Patrons of Maine
State Grange:
Having been invited by your worthy
master to give a report on the work
oi the office which l represent l will
try to outline to you briefly just what
has been accomplished since May, 1905
the date it was opened The law Great
Ing tae office directed the commission
er to make Investigations and compile
statistics pertaining to highway con-
ditions throughout the State: to give
counsel and advice to municipal and
county officers having the care of
highways and bridges; to hold meet
ing N each county each year for the
discussion of questions pertaining to
highway construction and mainte-
nance. and to report the operations of
the office to the Governor each year
making recommendations for such leg
islation as seemed to be needed
AS there seemed to be nobody who
really knew or comprehended what the
highway problem of Maine was. early
in the life of the office, Investigations
We're taken up with each board of
municipal officers for the purpose of
ascertaining this problem. AS result
of this investigation work It was
learned that the State of Maine con-
tains 25.530 miles of road of all class
os and that only per cent. of this vast
mileage had been improved as to sur
face and that 80 per cent. or over 23OG0
miles was surfaced with the material
over which the road was built.
1t was further learned that the aver
age annual expenditure upon these
roads for the five-year period. 1901
1908, was $1.377,000 OF this amount So
per cent was raised and expended in
our 20 ciries in taking care OF less than
& per cent of the total road mileage Of
the state while but IS per cent. of this
amount was raised and expended out
side of the cities in caring for about
% per cent. Of the roads.
The reports from the towns indicat-
ed almost an entire lack of accounting
for these funds. In most towns an ac-
count was handed to the selectmen by
the man in charge of road work show
ing the amount of money due each
man who had worked on the road, but
the time made. the rate paid per day
and the particular work performed
were never shown on these account.
Again it was learned that the aver
age length Of term of Office of all road
commissioners in the State in 1905 was
, years and months In the same year
1874 towns had commissioners serving
their first term and this is probably
about the number of towns which elect
new commissioners each year. How
MANY of us would think of changing
the management of any business in
volving an annual expenditure of 81
377 900 ever years and months!
That is what we are dong IN Maine
and I think that is q sufficient answer
TO the question so often asked. "Why
don't we get results?'
All of these points and many others
have been fully discussed In the re
purts issued by the office
The second year We made study o1
the various state aid laws in operation
with a view of recommending to the
l., gislature law which would more
Nc; rly meet the needs of our state ther
ne one then in operation, If such a la"
could be found or framed. We were
aided in this work by Il committee 81
ronnty commissioners and IL majority
of that committee happened to be lead
ing members of this great organlza-
tion.
,fter considerable study along this
line it appeared that the New Hamp-
shire law more nearly met our re-
uuirements than any other and bil
WAS drafted following the general idea
of that law which is the payment of ;
larger proportion of aid to the finan-
cialIv weak towns than to the wealth
jer ones. This provision seemed t.
meet the needs of Maine as it was
found from preliminary investigation
above referred to that highway taxes
in our 20 cities averaged only about
thee mills while in the balance of tho
Sttte they averaged about four ant
un"-half mills and in many cases, es-
| pecially in the smaller and poorer
| towns. they We're actually over one
| cent.
The bill became law and this State
rod work has been carried out unde1
/ il The provisions Of the law are brief
| " that the main travelled thorough
! fac of each town which applies TO
| state aid shall be designated as III
| State road that the municipal officer
of each town shall select the section
/ the State road for Improvement; ina
4 thy shall file with the State hishwa.
Il department written description Q
this location. name its objectionabl
II features and describe the method o
H Improvement which they believe WI
II arDlv: that the State highway depart
| m mt must approve of the method @
II Improvement before anything may D
II done: that the work shall be done ac
Il ccrding to specifications issued by tis
H de0artment: that it shall be subJec
/ to inspection or supervision durin
u construction.
The amount of aid paid to towns {
valuation less than 100000 is 81 TO
ea ch dollar appropriated by the tow
To towns between 100000 and $3.50
0Oa. $780, between $250,000 and $500,
0Oo, s125; between 100000 and 81,
O0o. 900, 81: and over $1.000,000 of vaIu