The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-10-16
HIGHWAY BONDS
Every County Will Get Its Equitable
Share. Some State Roads Laid Out
May Never Be Built.
(Bv John Clark Seatesl

(By John Clark Scates).
From reports received from differ
ent parts of the State, as we'll as some
articles that have appeared in the /
press. there appears to be feeling in
some sections that the proceeds of the
$4,000, 600 bonds that will be issued
in the next four years for highway
purposes. will be expended in certain
favored localities. This is wholly or
roneous for the constitutional amend
ment authorizing the bond issue spe-
cifically provides that the money shall
be expended equitably, not equally. in
, the several counties. This is not
statutory law but a provision of the
constitution itself and cannot be alb.
rogated by the Legislature or High
way Commission.
1t should also be borne in mind that
so far not dollar of the proceeds of
the bonds has been expended. The
work that has been done in York
County last year and this on the So
called Kittery road has been paid for
from the unexpended balances of the
regular annual State aid appropria-
ton. The last Legislature appropri
ated $250,000 to aid towns that COM
piled with the requirements of the
old law. Not all of the towns applied
tat al nd y.acli1t
some $4,000 left this year, and the
same has been true of previous years.
The Legislature of 1911 provided that
these uneXpended balances should be
expended on the road commencing
at kittery and running east. The new
law, however, of 1913 repealed the
law of 1917 and hereafter the uneX-
pended balances will go into a fund for
the maintenance of State roads. no
matter where they are. In due time
the Highway Commission will make
an equitable apportionment to each
county What will be adopted for a
basis of such apportionment is not
known. but one thing is certain it
must be an equitable one. 1t would
seem that population. valuation, mile
age. and possibly the cost of con-
struction of the roads in each county,
all equally combined would form as
equitable basis as could be devised.
There is. and will be considerable
contention of the people of the diff
ferent municipalities to have the State
roads 90 through their towns or eli
ties, and some even are suggesting
practically parallel routes between
cities. This is contrary to the spirit
OF the law, TO say the least, 1t must
be remembered, however. that even
if such routes are made State roads
they may never be built for only he
amount apportioned to each county
can be expended in that county. A
hundred miles of State road may be
laid out in county but if there is
only money enough tc construct twen-
/ ty-tiye miles of road, of what value is
it TO have the other seventy miles
designated as State road?
\ good gravel road, properly drain
ed Will cost approximately $4,000 a
mile; macadam, $1,000 to $4,000; bith-
ulithic or cement from $11, 900 to $15.-
o00. From the above figures one can
get some idea of the number of miles
OF road that can be built in the State
from the proceeds of $4,000 900 To
be sure, We shall have To confne our
selves to gravel road, and aside from
one or two places in the State, | am
not so sure but what ii is the best
road to build. However, what the peo-
pie now desire is to see the dirt fly,
not only in one place, but in nearly
every county in the State. They are
expecting a great deal, possibly too
much of the Commission and chief
engineer.