Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-04-16
Highway commissioner's Meeting,

Highway Commissioner's Meeting
Il was . peculiar circumstance tina,
owing principally to the condition Of the
roads there was comparatively small
attendance at the good roads meeting
last Wednesday. However, the bad
roads were mainly due to snow ano sea
son conditions, which not even bltumi
nous macadam can ever entirely over
como. So the smallness of the assem-
bled group can not be laid solely to oul
lack OF enterprise or knowledge In the
matter of building roads.
State Highway Commissioner Parker
L. Hardison Of Caribou, who had charge
Of the meeting, had . number OF charts
displayed on the walls of tho grand jury
room at the court house, and began
troduced by Chairman Eastman of the
county commissioners. Mr.. Hardison
first went over the charts and explained
them. They were principally plans Of
the standard road adopted by the state
department, which have been frequent
ly exhibited, though there were In addi-
ton q number of charts of concrete
bridges and culverts which are new.
Some figures given by Commissioner
Hardisop, which were taken from the
annual report, now 10 the hands of the
printer, may be of interest.
Since the establishment of the state
road depar ment in 1905, there have
been built in the state 622 miles OF i'm
proved roads, with state aid.
In 1911 there were built no. S miles
g knta dc 6uo
miles of trunk line, at q. total cost OF
1857 900. In Oxford County the amount
built was S.11 miles, at total cost OF
S26, 12S
OF the roads built in 1911, there we're
2.2l miles of bituminous macadam, at q
cost OF 81 10 per square yard; 8 4S miles
of macadam, at an average cost OF H..
S07 per mile; 81 10 miles of gravel, at an
average cost Of 80. 1921 per mile; and 20
miles of earth road, at an average cost
Of 81, 152 per mile.
After giving these figures, Mr.. Hsrdi-
son took up the general matter of road
construction, and discussed the various
points to be considered, alignment,
grade, drainage, surfacing, culverts,
bitches, and so on, covering each point
thoroughly.
One point mentioned by Mr.. Hardison
is the fact that bureau Of the national
road department at Washington makes
analysis of both gravel and stone as to
their suitability for road building. This
analysis costs nothing, the department
even paying the express. The same work
is being done at the University Of Maine
in Orono, though in this case it is Heces-
sary for the towns to prepay express
ON their samples. Mr.. HardisOn said
that he hoped eventually to be able to
have maps showing the location of gravel
banks in the several towns, with the
record of the analysis of each, in his de-
partment, which would be . very valua-
BILE feature Of the department.
The necessity of maintenance, espe-
cially Of macadam roads, was emphasize
cd by Mr.. Hardison. Heretofore, he
said, We have been acting as II road,
once built, was going to last forever
without any more attention, consequent
" lot of good road has been built and
then allowed to 60 to pieces, and the
money put into 1t has been almost entire
ly wasted.
In the matter of care of ordinary
roads, Mr.. Hardison recommended the
split log drag as being an excellent i'm
plement II properly used-which means
not once in the spring, but a number OF
times, when the conditions are right for
it to do the most effective work. he
also advised earlier and more systematic
work in all kinds of road building and
care.
Following the commissioners talk,
there was general discussion Of road
matters by those present for q short
time, and another session in the after.
noon, at which many ideas were brought
out, and the whole meeting was profit
able one,