Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-22
Aroostook and Washing
ton State Road Work.
|nspeclIon Shows That Work
Is Being Finely Done.
c.,a,t Fire Situation Still Serious
In Some Sections.
arATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
u.,. Meeting Of Governor and Council
Friday, Sept. Is, at 10 A. NJ.

Erom Information given out at the
.Hce Of Paul .. Sargent, State COM
missioner of highways it is learned
.hot with the closing on Monday of
contracts for State road construction
nth the cities of Bangor, Brewer,
oath Auburn and Rockland and the
,n,vo Of Mount Desert only six con-
.rocts remain to be let in this class Of
towns and within short time these
civ will DC closed up. w. B. Getchell,
,hp assistant highway commissioner,
made a tour of inspection last week
through Aroostook and Washington
oo,nties for the purpose of ascertain
inc how the State road work in those
oonnties was progressing and was
much pleased at the manner in which
,be work was being carried out.
The first place visited was HOulton,
| who're about 1900 feet of State road are
hsine constructed. The road has been
| Graded. drained and macadamiZed, and
is as fine a piece of macadamiZed road
q, has yet been built in Maine. The
mality of the rock used is excellent for
the purpose. and the town may wcll
fsal proud of its seasons work in the
way of road building.
From Houlton Mr. Getchell went to
Pressure Isle where stretch of 1900
foot of State road will constitute the
seasons work in that line. The work
IL being done on Maine street and the
| Rad is graded drained and surfaced
| with beach gravel and will be fine
| piece of road
In the town of Caribou the State
work DON. this season will cover about
10 feet. The works being done on
Sweden street and is a fine stretch of
macadan 45 feet in width. In build
Ink the road it was necessary TO raise
six buildings m order that they might
conform t. the new grade of the street,
and the interest in the highway I'M
provemcnt is shown by the fact that
the people who found it necessary to
raise their buildings on account OF the
change in the grade were glad to DO SO
at their own expense.
The last place visited in ArOOStoOk
county was Fort Fairfield, where 1900
feet has been built, on Main street and
Presque Isle street, the road being
graded, drained and macadamized. The
Rad was rolled with a heavy horse
roller and although not SO finely
ground together as it would have been
had a steam roller been used, Il very
satisfactory surface was secured.
In Calais Mr.. Get@hell found that the
work was in lis first stage, Opel ations
having been commenced last week.
The piece to be done will cover a
stretch OF 200 feet on North street and
will be Graded. dra med and macada-
mlzed. A large reinforced concrete cul-
vert is being con ,tructed at the eaSterly
END Of the road. and it will be neces-
sary to put in quite an extent of V
drain foundation The road will be
Completed by the use OF a steam roller
The last place visited on the trip was
i PASSPORT, where the State road work
VIII be commenced the first of next
Week. The city viii build 1855 fee. of
sravelltd road on Washington street
and the county road.
Forestry Commissioner Ring of
orono was at his office at the State
House yesterday. having returned
from trip to Jackman where he had
peen Investigating the forest fires in
'hat section, and in speaking of condi-
!lons said that although the situation
very serious and the greatest dan
ger is imminent, yet some of the re-
ports which have been sent out are
misleading and exaggerated.
The Attean fire in the vicinity Of
'ackman.' said Mr.. Ring. Sunday
morning had burned over an area Of
-FOUR miles in length by a mile in
breadth and was gradually working on
'he township south. A large number
VI men are at work on this fire but lit
lie can be done to check 1t during the
prevalence of the high winds. Another
large crew is at work on the fire on
he Enchanted stream in Somerset
ounty. and are holding it in check.
mere are no other fires in this section
no none along the line Of the SOmer-
et Railway OF any consequence.
The men at the lookout stations
long the Canadian boundary line re-
orr number Of large fires working In
If direction. the prevailing winds be-
from that point of the compass.
here are a few small fires in Wash
o>~'i anu i1diICOCk Souht'S' "''~A'
being successfully fought by the
irdens and their crews, but under
present weather conditions the
uation is rapidly growing worse, and
less rain comes very soon we looR
lots of trouble. Thus far no seri-
fires have been reported from
postook county.
When one takes into consideration
extreme dryness of the forests 1t Is
.arkable that there have been nc
serious fires, but the utmost pre-
ton should be taken by woodsmen
others until the dry period Is
ed"
following special orders were
d from the office of the adjutan'
raj Monday:
Augusta, September q, 1908.
al Orders No. Is.
Permission is hereby granted &c
ain Albert Greenlaw, commanding
any I. Second Regiment OF In