Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-31

of this opportunity and were thor
oughly interviewed.
Your commission has not been pref
udiced in favor of a Maine man, but
has considered this matter with an
entirely open mind and some of the
3apdidates examined We're from other
states. When we commenced upon
the process of elimination it was
unanimously agreed that while many
IF the candidates from out of the
state were undoubtedly able engin-
eers and undoubtedly would in time
cope with the situation here, our ex-
animation of such men showed that
their lack of exact knowledge of the
geography, topography and climatic
conditions of Maine would be Sc
rious handicap. We did not believe
that there was time to educate a man
Tor this position. We believed that
our people were eager for immediate
results and we therefore came to the
unanimous conclusion that We should,
if possible. select a Maine man.
While it is true that highway en-
gineers have in some eases been
transplanted, from one state to an
other, we believe that it is we'll rec
men much longer time to get a
grip on the situation that would have
been the case had the engineer chosen
been thoroughly familiar with the
ground. In other words, we believed
It was worth a great deal to the State
# Maine to obtain, if we could
Maine man for this position and
hat his knowledge of the State was
.apital in his favor of much signifi-
ance We therefore begun a second
Elimination from the four or five can
iidates who were Maine men and let
ne say at this point that Mr.. Hardi
on was not a candidate for this po-
;ition.
Your commission was also particu-
arly eager that this first important
tep in assuming its official duties
hould receive the unanimous sane
ion of it's own members and it is
therefore, with the greatest pleasure
hat we nominate for permanent chief
ngineer of the highway department
'aul D Sargent of Washington and
sincerely hope that this selection will
re approved by your Honorable Body.
| Not only has Mr.. Sargent heretofore
Jroyed his merits. in this State in
| highway matters, but it is fact that
| he now stands in the forefront among
the highway engineers of this coun-
| TRY: in fact, / believe that had all
| of the other candidates been residents
# Maine and with an equal knowledge
of the State with Mr.. Sargent we
should still have selected him. Mr..
| Sargent is at present Acting Director
| Of the Office of Public Roads. Wash
|ington He has been in that office
nearly three years. since leaving
Maine, and has acquired in addition
20 the qualifications which he former
lly had an unusually wide experience,
Iprobable second to no man in the
| United States, in the progress of
| modern highway engineering.
The general highway movement
throughout the United States has
been of such wide extent that the de-
| nand for engineers has far outgrown
the supply. The demand for good
roads has greatly exceeded the prod
uct of engineers from the schools and
colleges of our country and we are
Extremely fortunate in my judgment
Ito be able to secure the services of
Mr. Sargent again here in Maine
| III view ia l.ie dtN etfiit sup Nlittii
Maine has taken in arranging for her
bond issue and the general overhaul
| ing of her highway laws the present
department is inadequate and will re-
quire complete reorganization. In
stead of this department expending
| five or six hundred thousand dollars
per annum it will now have the pow
or to eXpend practically double this
amount and the chief engineer will
he more intimately connected with
The expenditure of this large amount
of money than even the commission
Itself 1t is trust of highest i'm
Iportance.
While the commission will devote
itself largely to the matters of gen
eral policy. such as the locating of
the state highways, with view of
the equitable expenditure of the bond
Tissue, among the counties, the actual
performance must be in the hands of
the chief engineer and he must be a
man of force. executive power and
able to develop system that will
produce the desired results in the
Quickest time consistent with efficient
work.
man To do this and your commission
recommend that his salary be fixed
at five thousand dollars per annum.
In conclusion let me say that the
selection of Mr.. Sargent and the fix
ing of his salary has received the
Unanimous approval of the state high
way commission