Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-16

obliged to issue bonds and reserve the
automobile money to pay the interest
and provide for their redemption.
Even in order to do this, our Consti-
tuition will have to be amended. The
special session of the Legislature
which will convene next week should
propose such an amendment and il il
does. the people at the election next
September will ratify it almost unan-
imously. If one can correctly judge the
sentiment of the public.
This however, Is only one side of the
problem, there is another equally as
important, viz. maintainenee. If one
class OF citizens will furnish the mon
cy to construct the roads. it certainly
is but fair and Just that the State and
the municipalities maintain them. 1t
would be the height Of folly, the un-
wisest thing the State ever did to build
the roads and then allow them to wear
out and go to pieces. The public
highway. no matter what its construe-
ton needs constant repairs the same
as the railroad. 1t is not so very cX-
pensiye if it is done in 4 systematic
way. The expensive part comes in
whom the road is allowed To wear out
and then has practically to be rebuilt.
This has been our one great sin and
or highway law is in a great meas
ure responsible for it, There have
been many sections of good road CON
strueteG under the supervision of the
STAFF highway department but they
have not been cared for. Hitherto not
q dollar of State money or joint fund
4. =.
The law must be changed. Again
the railroads have the right Of emf
nent domain if they cannot buy prop
cltY they actually need, they can OBJ
tain it under condemnation proceed
ings Not SO the State so far as roaG
material is concerned.
Tie finest gravel or stone may lay
close to the highway when II is alb
solutely needed for road purposes hui
the State cannot obtain it unless the
ov ncr is willing to sell at his own
price Think of the state dclcgating
powers to private corporations that it
does not reserve for itself This must
be changed if we are to do extensive
road building.
Again our present law discourages
municipalities from making large APP
preparations for roads 1t even penal
ICES them for doing it \ certain town
desired 10 improve its roads and in
tended Ia raise q large sum for this
purpose-the work 10 be done in one
year. They found. however. that If
they appropriated $500 they could get
Sa00 from the State II they raised
$50 hhh In one year fer State roads
how much could they obtain from tue
State only $500, no more.
Under such circumstances, what
will a town naturally do, why appre-
PIRATE Just the $l500 and no more for
by appropriating $500 next year. they
can get another $a0o from the State.
Many people have an erroneous idea
of what those who are advocating
good roads desire Some = lem
seem to think that all is desired is
great trunk line running through the
State from E1ittery To Bangor and
down to Aroost0ok county Such a
road. if that was all. would not be
worth the price. What is desired. i
a complete system laid out that will
accommodate the business agrieultuf-
al, manufacturing and tourist inter
ests of the State Instead of building
500 feet of macadam or onc-half q
mile of good read here and there. build
five continuous miles in different parts
of the State at one time according 10
a definite plan with the idea of con-
Meeting them in a short time into
great continuous highways. Build
from town to town and at the same
time radiate back into the country and
bring the products of the farm
into the town or principal highways
built for all. The tourist business last
year was between So 600 and $24,
99e Geo Good roads would cause this
business to double in few years and
a the same time our regular CONNER
cial and agricultural interests would
be wonderfully STIMULATED.