Daily Kennebec journal., 1912-02-21

inequalities and individuals during thar
year. The location of the work done
thai year may be subject to discus
sion, but il is a fact that can not be
disputed that every foot Of trnnk-line
work done in that YEAR was on ioca-
tions which must be Included in any
complete system OF trunk lines which
may bc worked out for the State.
The trunk-line law passed in 1871.
in my Judgment. was entirely uncali-
cd for. Il obiiges the state highway
commissioner to rebuild sections of
road that are already in fairly passa
bic condition while, just beyond, other
sections arc in the worst condition
imaginable, yet il the mandate OF the
, law is followed. the commissioner has
no alternative. and the bad sections
must romain bad untn much better
| sections have been reconstructed. |
think am correct in stating that no
subscriptions have been received for
trunk-linc work since this law was
passed and do not look for any sub
scriptions while this law remains in
force.
Personally, I feel that the time is
ripe for the State to undertake the con-
struction of some comprehensive system
of trunk lines or main highways, but as
indicated above. l believe We have all
the law that is necessary 10 bring this
result about and that the work would
actually progress much faster and much
more satisfactorily to the people Of the
State if the law of 1911. designating one
line through the state, should be re-
pealed Under Section 13 of the State
l. I.,,;V4
fast as sentiment develops and as funds
will permit ] have always had tho
feeling thar If too prominent a featurt
We're made of the trunk lines, we might
jeopardize the whole idea of road i'm
propement in Maine.
II we can not bring about necessary
legislation TO enable the State to issue
| bonds, it occurs to me that the follow
ing scheme, which, as nearly as l am
able TO learn, originated with citizen
| of North Carolina, might be worked our
| in Maine The scheme is to have bonds
issued by each town and guaranteed by
the State. You can readily understand
| that a town or city bond guaranteed b.
| the State would be more stable and con-
sequently would ind a better market at
an interest rate l or per cent. less
| than if IL were not so guaranteed. The
| city or town would raise the extra l or 2
per cent. which they would otherwise
have to pay for interest and put it in a
sinking fund for the retirement of the
| bonds In other words without raising
any more money than would be necessary
to pay the interest on its own bonds. anf
town or city would be able TO pay the
interest and retire the bonds at maturi-
ty. l am not sure that the State could
enter into & contract with any city or
town to guarantee its bonds without
some constitutional amendment. but the
suggestion is offered for what 1t IS
worth
Probably the largest waste of road
funds in the State is due to the fact that
by far the larger portion of the road
work is under the supervision of un-
trained men. II has been ascertalned
that the average annual expenditure for
road purposes in Maine is $i,ST,0o0 Sta
tlsties collected at the same time show
ed that the average length of term of
road commissioners then in office was
two years and eight months, notwith-
standing the fact that one man had held
office continuously for "a years and 9TH
ers had served for periods ranging from
eight to 20 years. In other words taken
on the average. our road commissioners
| had not even served an apprenticeship
| ut the trade of road building, and yet.
some 500 or 600 OF these men were di-
roctng the expenditure of over a MIL
lion and q third of dollars.
My recommendations put In concise
form are:
First: That we amend the State road
law by prohibiting the expenditure of
Joint funds in the tnickly settled por-
tions of any city or town having pop
ulation of over 20O0.
Second That we. provide for ade-
quate engineering force and for the adj
justment of salaries by the Governor and
Council from time to time.
Third: That we either repeal the trunk
line law Of 1911-which is bound to prove
troublesome as soon as any appreciable
amount Of funds are available for eX-
penditure-and let trunk-line work be
taken care of under Section Is of the
State road law, or else that the trunk
line law OF 1911 be supplemented so rs 10
include a sufficient system of roads to
provide further that trunk-line funds
may be expended on such portions of
the system as will best meet the needs
of the State.
Fourth That every possible effort be
| made 10 put all road work under trained
supervision
| Fifth: That we consider the advisable
| ity of the payment OF Il small amount OF
| State aid for maintenance work, in or
! der to accomplish the object set forth in
, my last recommendation.
| nave spoken quite plainly in this
paper but / believe that. in discussing
| questions OF this kind. we should say
| exactly what we think Unless we do.
| we can never arrive at 4 pfoper solu-
| tion Of any question.
|
CAMBRIDGE.
Joseph Chadhourne died Sunday
| forenoon. He was an aged resident
and fad been in poor health a long
| time. \ widow. two sons. Edward and
| Andrew, and two daughters. Mrs.
| Marion Thurston and Mrs. Josie Nor
| rill all OF this town. survive.
| Tie members of Masonic Lodge