Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-09-19
Federal Government Holds
Back $4,000 TO State,
To Be Used in Building Road
From Portland to Bath.
Maine ApproprIates 100000 to
ldd..u. S. Action UnwarFanted.

Something has happened. The mate
rialization of federal aid amounting to
$4,000 to add to $4,000 appropriated
by the State of Maine for a post road
from Portland to Bath via Brunswick,
is in grave doubt.
Some information received in the in
ner sanctilm of Postmaster General
Burleson has led him to notify Cover
nor Haines that the GOO aid Will be
temporarily withheld From the infor-
nation received Il further investigation
will be ordered.
Chairman Nelson of the Highway
Commission is much perturbed over the
news, for he had set his heart on
first-class road from Portland to Bath,
and cannot quite understand the at
titude taken by the postmaster eener-
al
In conversation with a journal re-
porter, Thursday, Mr.. Nelson explain
ed the situation as he understood it
and while he asserted that he did not
know the definite reason, it was the
policy of the commission to attempt to
get at the bottom of the matter.
1t seems, that upon hearing of the
proposed federal aid for this road. the
Governor ard Council Immediately vot-
ea an appropriation of 100000 to ae-
company the former figure, as vas the
requirement.
Chairman Nelson Of the State High
way Commission and Governor Haines
both went To Washington On this mat
master generals office was seen and
the matter arranged.
definite contract was drawn
states MIR. Nelson, 10y which this state
was e obtain the $I9.a19 and. ia COM
pliance with this contract state Treas
urer Simpson has fled with the Unit
ed States commissioner Of agriculture
the States check fer the 100000, COM
Tleting both sides to the question.
Now this. in Mr.. Nelson's mind.
formed the contract and the word re-
ceivcd by Governor Haines. Inform
ing him Of the desire by the federal
government To repudiate the agreement
with the state of Maine, was a great
surprise and the Highway Commission
was entirely unprepared for this sort
of action.
MIR Nelson, when questioned, assert
ed he did not know just where the
trouble lay, but that he had "suspi-
cions' =
Someone evidently had filled the
minds of the authorities at Washing
ton with an idea that this road was
adequately traVersed by trolley. and
the country WAS fully accessible by
seaport towns
This is not so. as is common knowl-
edge. The matter of the trolley road
was taken up fully at the time of the
making OF the contract and was full
ly understood by both parties 10 have
no bearing on the matter.
Speaking of the seaport towns,
averred Mr.. Nelson, is an absurdity in
itself that needs no denial. Whoever
heard of reaching Brunswick by water
and are Freeport, Yarmouth and those
small towns seaports@" questioned Nil
Nelson.
There is absolutely no politics in this
matter" emphatically declared Mr.
Nelson. Mayor Oakley Curtis Of Port
land has written the Democratic con-
gressman in favor of the road. People
all along the way. regardless of polit
ical affiliations or belief, have writ
ten protests against delaying consuma
tfou of the contract.
The Maine Highway Commission will
not let this matter go by without max
ing some attempt to probe the develop
ments thoroughly and, il possible, to
learn the reason for the governments
action