Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-11-20
Grange Favors Larger Ia,
On Automobiles.
Convinced That They Are Doing
Heavy Damage 10 Roads.
And Sees No Reason Why They
Should Not Share Expense.


Wednesday evening in the hall on
Pleasant street by Skowhegan Grange.
The topic for discussion was opened
by l.. G. stevens and it's subject was
''should Motor Vehicles Pay Larger
Special Tax Than Is Now Collected
Upon Them?" The following memorial
was unanimously adopted after a full
discussion by many members:
1--WE, the members of Skowhegan
Grange, No. 20S, having at our meet
ing on Nov. is. 1905. considered the
subject of a special tax or license on
motor vehicles and regulations regard
ing the use thereof, do formulate to
propose the following memorial to AL
bort =. Donfgan and Allison P. Howes.
senator's elect from Somerset county,
ana Frank Thompson, representatives
elect from the town of SkOwhegan, and
tO the citizens of this State:
ut Is our belief that vehicles pro-
PEELED by mechanical means for use
upon the highways Of this State are
destined to be of great and constantly
increasing use for the purpose OF pleas
ure and business and that their inven-
ton and use are like the invention
Of everything which economies time
or makes human effort more effective,
a blessing to humanity, and as such
should be welcomed and encouraged In
all ways and under all conditnons
which are just to the general public,
We believe. however. that the use of
motor vehicles upon the roads of Maine
constitutes such radical departure
from the previous use Of the highways
and that it wears and destroys the
road surfaces to such an extent and
interferes with the use of the roads
for ordinary purposes so largely that
a special tax or license and special
regulations OF all mechanically driven
vehicles are demanded.
"Ary motor vehicle travels at d
speed much greater than those drawn
by animal power and is usually OF
much greater weight. A touring car
weighing from one to two tons. travel
ing from 10 to 20 miles per hour will
stir UP and blow out of the road bee
in tie form OF dust as much road ma
terial In ar hours run as three mer
and pair of horses could replace ir
the same time. In wet weather wher
the Wheels are plowing through the
road bed to the axles the damage done
Is of different character. but obviously
great 1t is not unreasonable to state
that the average touring car damage:
the highway over which it passes from
to Is cents for each mile Travelled
or from 50 cents to SO for every houl
that 1t is in use. AS the total mileage
for many cars is from 5000 to 5000 mile!
in a season 1t will be seen that an esti
Sc ln To h1 road
in summers use by an automobile
must deal in figures of 5000 and up
wards. The above makes no accoun
Of the damage and Inconvenience sus
taincd by other people be reason o
their exclusion from the highway b,
automobile traffic. This consideration
though an important one. is not readl
ly rcduceable to dollars and cents.
"Whi1e 1t may not be practice to eX
pect the assessing of license fee up
OIL the owners and users of motor We
hicles of sufficient amount to com
pensnte for the full damage actuall!
resulting from their use, it is not un
reasonable to urge the imposition o
such license in a schedule that viii
yield considerable portion of it. W.
therefore in view of the above men'
toned consideration propose that {
special license fec of 81 per horsepower
be assessed upon all motor vehicle!
used upon the highways of Maine fol
each and every year so used and thai
the funds thus derived be devoted
through the Maine commissioners OF
highways to the improvement of road
construction in this state"
The entertainment program consist,
ed Of piano selection by Mi ssLena
Packard. a song by Miss Hazell Leav-
tit and II reading by Miss Alice
0etchell 1t was in charge Of Miss
Inez Bailey. There was also work ir
the First and Second degrees. The
meeting WIS largely attended and was
one OF the most important ever held
by the local Grange.