Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-12

railroad tracks on Commercial street,
known as the "gridiron of DEATH" and
where in spite of fiagmen and other
precautions, several fatal accidents had
occurred.
Chairman ]. H. Mcdonald Of the
county commissioners of Cumberland
county said that the county commits
sioners of Cumberland and the resi-
dents. particularly those In the north
ern part of the county, had not had
time to understand thoroughly the pro-
visions of the pill and he desired thai
he he airing BE- postponed until they
had time to do so. He stated that the
matter was a big one and its magni-
tude could be understood from the fact
| that the cost of restoring the Drldgc
would be 100000 or more.
| Representative Rounds retorted that
| he knew it was big matter. 1t meant
| a great deal to the citizens OF Port
| land and South Portland, who did not
care to have relatives lose an arm or
| a leg as the result of accidents that
| were daily occurring on Commercial
street He asked County Commission
| err Mcdonald if he knew that in 1875
the railroad companies running over
Commercial street had been indicted
and since that time the county COM
missioners had not found time to COM
pei the railroad companies TO take
up their tracks or restore Portland
| bridge. He declared that the reason
| the county commissioners wanted the
matter postponed was in order that
action should not be taken by this
| Legislature. County Commissioner Nc
Donald replied that he had not seen d
printed copy of the bill ana that very
few people in the county knew what
| it was. Representative Rounds re-
piled that it would have been printed
| if he or any other of the county com
missioners or citizens of the county
| had asked for it to be printed. County
Commissioners f. H. Trickey OF Cum
berland and Carroll w. Mead of
| Bridgton united with Commissioner
Mcdonald in asking for a reassign-
ment of the hearing The committee
at first reassigned it to Feb. Is. but
after learning that Attorney Wilson
could not be present at that time re-
assigne, Il it to Feb. %.
Hon. George w. Stearns of Milinocket
appeared before the committee on high
ways Thursday afternoon in favor of
resolve for aid to the amount of $4,000
in building a highway bridge across the
east branch of the Penobscot river in the
town of Midway. The resolve called for
aid to the amount of $4,000 for the bridge
the remainder of the cost to be borne by
the town, county otherwise. Mr.
Stearns explained that there was only a
small ferry across the river and that the
bridge was necessary to give the farmers
Il better opportunity for Il market and
would be great convenience to the res
idents of Millinocket and East Milinocket
as well as Midway.
Hardy S. Ferguson. civil engineer of the
Great Northern Paper Co. at East Mlli-
nocket. presented to the committee plans
for a bridge 1913 feet over all, the cost of
which would he about $4,000 with APP
proacheS and abutments c8ulplete.
After lengthy discussion new draft
of the bill was suggested in which the
towns of Milinocllet and East Milinock-
ct and Midway should be mentioned IN
the resolve as the towns which should
assist in raising the balance of the mon
cy. and if the resolve is reported favol-
ably upon it will probably be in this new
draft.
DR.. A. Gilmore Weld of Old Town APP
peared in favor of a resolve of $500 for
road in the town of Greenbush, which
he explained was the direct road between
Bangor and Houlton. Representative
Boyden ,Bearce of Eddington and F. G.
Kinsman of Augusta member of the Ex-
ecutive Council, also spoke in favor of
the measure. This and the resolve in
favor of the Midway bridge were tabled
for executive session.
Hon John F. Sprague Of Monsoon APP
peared in favor of resolve of $4,000
for an extension of the Kineo road be-
tween the Smith farm and Northeast
Carry at the head of Moosehead Lake
in Piscataquis county. So much inter-
est was manifested by the committee
in the Portland hearing, which was
scheduled for later in the afternoon that |
the committee at first paid but little |
attention to Mr.. Sprague for which he |
demonstrated with them, and asked |
that he be listened to. He then ex-
planned the need for this extension and |
said that the Kineo Co., had built seven
miles of road in this section at a cost
of $500. c. A. Judkins Of Kineo. mana
ger of the Kineo Co.. stated that there
was great need for the road and alluded
particularly to the necessity for for it |
during the time of year when one could
neither cross the lake by boat or on ice.
Mr.. Sprague also appeared asking for
an appropriation of $4,000 for repair
ing and building road from GreenvilIe
to Lily Bay. The need Of this road and
the reason for asking for so large an ap-