The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-02-10

Sargent, In his annual report, calls
attention to the law passed by the last
Legislature which, provides that after
the payment Of state aid the balance
of the fund may be expended In re-
building main thoroughfares Of
through travel In the state with the
object Of establishing q complete sys-
TEN of continuous highways.
From the 1908 appropriation there
$4331. is, frQm the. 1909 appropriation
$12,678.l1s aid from the appropriation
of 1910 over 5000. For this con-
struction section Of the R0ckland
& Bangor trunk line running up Pc
nobscot bay has been selected, and
the sum of $4,000 has been apportioned
to be expended on 1t. A survey and
plan Of i've miles Of this road has
been made, and 1t 10 expected that
contracts will be made early In 1910
for the building of q bituminous mac
adam road. Together with this $4,000
will be expended $40, 100 which was
raised through the solicitation of Da-
vid Talbot OF Rockland.
Two sections of the trunk line run
ming from Poland Spring to the
White mountains, one mile in Poland
and one mile In Casco, have been
selected and approved. and the sum
Of $3.50 will be expended with q like
amount to be furnished by subscrip-
tons.
During the last two months Of 1909
a party Of surveyors made survey
OF q portion of the trunk line from
Kittery to Portland and It Is planned
to construct several sections Of this
thoroughfare' In 1910.
There 10 q growing sentiment In
many sections Of the state that the
future development of the tourist and
summer resort business depends large
" upon the development OF q system
Of trunk line highways. New Hamp-
shire has already realized this ana
the Legislature at its last session au-
thorixed the expenditure by tho state
OF 81 OOO, 900 for the construction Of
the three trunk lines running from
the Massachusetts, state line into the
White mountains.
At no very distant time the state of
Maine will pass. similar legislation.
It would seem that the trunk OF
most importance to the state would
start at the New Hampshire line at
Kittery and extend TO Bangor. This
route is approximately 1856 miles in
length and includes all Of the larger
cities of the state. Another trunk
should start at Portland and run to
Bangor, q length Of about $50 miles,
Easterly from Bangor trunk
should extend to Ellsworth and. Bar
Harbor across the coast to Eastport
and Calais. This trunk would be about
It's miles In length. Other shorter
trunk lines, with branches extending
in all directions, are contemplated.
The proposed routes total . little
over 1850 miles In length, and It is
believed that they would fairly we'll
meet the needs Of the state.
At the annual banquet Of the Bath
Merchants Association last week
State Highway Commissioners Paul d.
Sargent was the principal guest OF
honor and speaker. In his address he
made some very interesting state
ments, excerpts from which follow:
III you had access to the complete
report Of the State Highway depart
ment now In the hands Of the printer,
you would find the statement that we
believe that at no distant date the
State Of Maine will declare by legisla-
ton for some system OF trunk high
ways. You would also md the state
ment that the question 10 referred to
by the department at the present time
in the hope that it may elicit discus
sion by the people Of the State to the
end that we. may learn just what the
sentiment OF the State OF Maine 10 IN
relation to this question. At this time
can only give you some Of the rea-
sons which incline me to the belief
that the State will eventually have
such q system of trunk lines.
I'm the state of Connecticut In 1907,
IL years after the passage Of the orig
inal state road law, the people were
20 th0rou&hly aroused 70 the value Of
COED reads that the country members
Of the legislature carried through .
bond issue for fcpr and half millions
for the rebuilding OF the leading thor
oughfareo Of trunk lines ~ highway
throughout the gtate. At the same
tina TIE oxpond1thro Of th6ee funds
was placed snftroiy IN the hAnde Of
the STATE couamieolOnAr, taking Away
from the towns their right TO. select
the uectiops Of r0ad for Improvement
A very fberal appropriation Was
made Tor tho expensei 1t tbs state
hfshWay department. and the cOmmio-
sionef uns f9rnioh9d With IN automo-'
bile md fpadA 1br MAINTAINING and
VI NV iis&tsliire III 1905 theiy
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