The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-11-30
MAYH|ELO POLITICIANS
ON THE WAR PATH
West End Faction Petition Authorities
To Appoint A New Road Commits
siOner.

The wave of insurgency now sweep
ing over the land has penetrated May
field plantation. 1t comes in the form
of an organized attempt to Dust the
present road commissioner A L.
Flanders is the name of that dgni-
tary, and he has been holding down
the job for five years His opponents
claim that is long enough for one man
to feed at the public crib, and that he
hasn't made good on the job. John
Cook, the stage driver who is after
Flanders official scalp, alleges that
for three weeks last spring the main
highway was absolutely impossible
for a team, and that he had to walk
and haul the United States Mail on
hand sled
1t appears that working the roads
is the leading industry of Mayfield
So much of the property is held by
nonresident owners, that the natives
only have to put up about S42 of the
1925 annually expended. AS there
are 30 polls, that makes working the
roads" something akin TO finding
money. There are only s IL miles of
public highway in the whole planta
ton, and with an appropriation of
nearly 500 per mile, ii would not be
unreasonable to look for some pretty
choice pike, but the autoists who have
been there during the season, fail to
enthuse Probably the natives are
less concerned over the quality OF
their roads than they are over the
way that 1925 gets divided up.
The dove of peace hasn't perched
around Mayfeld much, since Fland-
ers got the road eommissionership
away from Ben Adams five years ago.
Adams had held the job for years, and
the sad feeling that came over him
when he was rudely separated from
the pay roll, has remained in good
working order ever since. Good
guessers in that vicinity hint that
Adams is the power behind the throne
in this move of Cooks. Color to this
story is lent by the fact that Adams
is mentioned more frequently as The
Mayor of West Mayfield" than he is
by his given name.
Cook has filed a petition with the
bounty Commissioners bearing six
signatures. AS Mayfield only polls
about a dozen votes, this is sufficient
backing to be decidedly formidable
The shrewdness of Mayfield politi-
clans is something of a tradition run
ming clear back to Governor Coburns
days, and future developments will be
awaited with interest. In the olden
times the Mayfieldtes fell short of
work one summer, and to ease the
situation decided to build some new
roads They held a town meeting
and blithely voted to borrow what
funds were necessary. Governor
Coburn cheerfully advanced the cash
and took note duly executed by the
selectmen.
For two or three years the interest
was paid with the utmost regularity,
then it occurred TO the town fathers
that il would be good financing to
raise the money and pay off the note
The electors also favored the idea, sc
the first selectman went down to
Skowhegan TO consult Mr.. Coburn
The Governor discouraged the notion
and said il would be too much of a
hardship to make the town dig up all
that money in a bunch, but the select
man couldn't see it that way. He
pointed out 10 the governor that he
would be caught for about 90 per cent
of the face of the note, and that the
resident taxpayers were more than
ready to put up the rest. To save
needless formalities, Governor Coburn
hunted up the note and put it in the
fire Mayfield is now plantation in
stead of Il town, but the boys have
not forgotten how to play the politi
cal game at that, and they keep right
at il, except for what little time they
spend working the roads"