The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-10-13
cASTORlA
For Infants and Children.
1he Kind You Have Always Bought
s' s::s: .: ., AN4ZzSZx
GOOD ROADS.
An Address by State Highway Commits
sioner Sargent.


An Address by State Highway Commits
sioner Sargent.
At the fifth annual session OF the
Maine State League of postmasters OF
the third and fourth class, held in Au-
gusta last week, State Highway Com
missioner, Paul D. Sargent delivered an
address on "The Good Roads Movement
in the State, He said, in part:
The real beginning of the good roads
movement in this country was In New
Jersey, back in 1892. Copying the older
European countries, which Tor years had
exercised State control over certain OF
their leading thoroughfares, New jersey
passed law granting State ald tor the
construction of certain OF ITS leading
thorouphfares which should be known as
State roads. Other States quickly fol-
lowed the lead of New Jersey and in 1901
the Legislature of this State passed our
first State aid law. The law was very
brief and rather crude, but l believe it
has ACCOMPLISHED all its trainers had in
mind, 1t provided that any town which
would appropriate and expend not less
than 500 nor more than 5000 in perma-
nent improvements of its main Travelled
thoroughfare. which should be designat-
ed by the county commissioners as State
road, would receive from the State one
half the amount so expended provided
the work met with the approval OF the
county commissioners.
This law was passed so late IN the ses-
sion that few towns were able to take
advantage of it that year. The number
which applied for and received State aid
the first wear was IL. The next year SO
towns took advantage of the law. The
succeeding year FOG towns received State
aid and the year following there were
244. In 1905, 27O towns built State
roads, and in 1906 the number was 322.
In 1907, 1923 towns took advantage of the
law; in 1908, 466 applications were re-
ceived and 400 pieces of State roads
were built in as many towns; in 1909, sol
applications were filed with the highway
department and ATT sections Of State
road were completed. This year the ap-
plications number 513.
Each session of the Legislature has
amended the law, by broadening and
Strengthening it. In 1903 the limit of
expenditure was raised from 5000. 90 to
$4,000 The next session it was raised
to 100000.
In 1905 the Legislature created the Of
flee of State commissioner of highways
and directed that official to make investi-
cations and compile statistics pertaining
to highway conditions in the State and to
report to the Governor needed legisla-
ton. AS a result of these Investigations
it was found that highway taxes bore
very unequally on the various cities and
towns of the State. 1t also provided for
State supervision over the construction
of all State aid roads. This supervision
is exercised through inspectors who ex-
anime and report to the State highway
department on the condition of each
piece of road to be improved, after
which specifications are prepared by the
department by which the work must be
done. The inspectors also visit the work
as often as local conditions require and
circumstances permit, and no State aid
is paid until the work is approved by the
department. This has naturally result
improvement, than was possible without
supervision.
In 1901 the Legislature appropriated
$40, 900 to meet the payment of State aid.
This amount was more than sufficient.
Each Legislature has increased the ap-
preparation and this year it amounts to
1921 900. Of this amount about 5000, 600
will be necessary to meet the payment of
State aid. Under the law the balance of
the appropriation may be expended upon
the construction of trunk line roads.
About $780, 200 has been apportioned for
this purpose, and eight separate pieces
of trunk line road, varying in length from
one-half mile to five and one-half miles
have been completed or are under con-
struction.
The expenditure for State roads up to
and including 1909 has been 81, 1853, 1885, SO,
of which the State has furnished 1884,
262.77. A total of about 524 miles of
road has been reconstructed. So much
for State roads.
Of our Is, 600 miles of road about 5000
miles or only about IL per cent, have
been designated as State roads. From
this point of view the maintenance of
our ordinary roads should be seven times
as important as the construction of State
roads. Our expenditure this year on
State roads which will be larger than
ever before will probably be $500, 900 or
only about one-quarter as much as our
regular annual maintenance expenditure.
From this point Of view the maintenance
of our ordinary roads should be four
times as important as the construction
of State roads.
At its session in Bangor last December
the State Grange, after discussion Of
the matter, the State master was author
lied to appoint committee to confer
with the State commissioner with the
object in view of ascertaining whether it
is possible to procure better results from
the expenditures Of our ordinary road
moneys. This committee has had several
meetings and each of the questions sug-
gested this morning has been thoroughly
impartially and honestly discussed. The