The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-19
Local Politics and Good Roads

After a sufficient number of millions
Of the peoples money has been squan-
dered by incompetent road-builders,
the public may wake up to the fact
hat scientific road building. carried
on according to an imnroved system,
and superintended by men trained to
the work. is better and cheaner than
the putterine work now being done
in so many towns, superintendent by
men whom politics and not proficiency
in the art of road building has landed
in the office of road commissioner-
Ellsworth American.
Well, haven't sufficient number of
millions been spent already? Up this
way at any rate, the public is waking
up to the situation very rapidly.
Practically every week some auto
party goes for run up in the planta-
tions, and then comes home to ride
| over humps and hollows in very
disconnected frame of mind. Nothing
has dropped just yet, but every day
brings nearer the time when it will.
Any man with half an eye can see
that the plantation roads are what
they are bee use politics do not enter
materially into their construction and
maintenance. The work is done by
experienced men year after year, and
at time when a dollars worth
of labor is the most effective That
abomination known as the road
scraper Is not much in evidence. They
do not allow the roads to go to pieces
enough to need it.
Somerset County roads as a whole
are much better than those in other
sections of the state, but even then
are not patch on what they might
be. Distribution of the road work is
altogether too big factor in town
politics. Instead of the cheap, eff
fective and lasting tr yatment with the
split log drag early in the spring, it
seems to be the custom to postpone
all but emergency repairs until after
several pairs of horses and big gang
of men, is started upon the job of
blowing the sods from the gutter into
the middle of the road. When the
highway has been converted into a
rounded pile of loose earth, the job Is
called finished. In short time the
10 tn Inv COL dtI-
ally, however, the wheels
pack down two tracks and then the
mains in that condition month, but
with every rain goes to the bad. The
wheel tracks carry water in volume,
all Of which either tears away the
loose earth, or renders easy the for
up in bad shape, and with the spring
thaws comes complete relapse to
the condition of the year before.
! Practically nothing remains to show
for the labor expended.
/ With the earth in proper condi-
ton, the split log drag leaves the
literally. 1t prevents the growth OF
grass on the shoulders, and so short
ems the time required for the frost to
come out in the spring, that much less
damage is done by vehicles at that
time. Then the road is in such condi-
ton that a few applications with the
drag make it still better than ever
before. These are not theoretical re-
suits, but those actually obtained
wherever the King drag has been
given a reasonable trial.
A man of extensive experience in
both road construction and town poll
tics informs us that the apathetic at
titude of the roadbuilders towards
the split log drag is due to the fact
that they cannot spend the appropria-
lions fast enough with it. They find
it more remuneralive to let the roads
go to pieces in order to have the Jobs
of reshaping them with the scraper.
The explanation Ats the facts all
right, and is the only one we have
ever heard. OF course the people
themselves are responsible, all of
which means that the remedy will be
forthcoming in due time. If home
rule persistently stands in the way of
better roads, then home rule will have
to go. The public highways have
ceased to be local institutions. Every
citizen has a direct financial interest
in having the best roads that the
money expended will buy. The remedy
does not call for larger appropria-
tons, but less petty politics and graft.
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Names new and frilled department
of hi OH u. VIC 11.nr Of h.