Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-12-30
STATE HIGHwAN
Chairman of Highway Commission
Discusses Complaint of Changers.


State highway commission, in speech at
the annual meeting of the Maine sutomo-
bile association In Portland last week,
took up the discussion and dissension
which have arisen between the grangers
and the automobiles in regard to State
highway work. He said in part;
| II want both the grange and the auto
mobile association to know that the high
way commission rejoices in the interest
both organizations are taking in TINS
great problem. II you ask me what Is the
greatest need for the future OF Maine
roads, say it is that more interests, more
honest, intelligent, uuselfish interest be
taken in the matter by the people OF
| Maine. The highway problem - the
greatest single problem in Maine to-day
the one question vitality affecting more
people than any other. And yet compare
lively few realize this.
1.-THE economic development OF our
State, whether from the farmers stand
point or the tourists standpoint or the.
general business standpoint, depends
fundamentally upon better roads. And
the best minds among us should be bent
towards solution of the complex prob
lens presented.
~ have complete sympathy with the
grange and its demands for better roads
from the farm. Every farmer, living as
he does in more or less isolated place,
is dependent upon the road. The city
man has generally good street, good
sidewalk or a trolley line he can use, but
the farmer has none OF them.~ For the
hauling of bis farm products and supplies,
the schooling of his children, attendance
at church and social events, he requires
good road.
~ am glad the grange is discussing and
resolving upon this matter, but | would
like to have the grange get right down to
business and say what it wants in de-
tail. Its purpose is evident enough -
a road from every farm TO the village or
railroad station, but what detailed plan
has it for accomplishing this much
desired result? Twenty-Five thousand
miles OF road cannot be built all at once.
II the work is to go on at all it must be by
some compre hensive business-iike system
aud method. 1t is apparent to all that
the general attitude taken by the grange
and the automobilist Is quite opposite.
The grange wants farm roads; the auto
mobilist wants long, connected thorough
fares.
show are both to be provided
answer, not by class criticism and glitter
ing generalities, but by the active, intel
I
The legislature has made law which I'M
dertases to do both OF these things. A
fund is provided for through lines in the
bond issue; a fund is provided for coun-
try roads by special appropriation. But
the granger knows to his discomfort that
improvement under State aid is very slow
each town can improve but short sec
tion each year, and he looks ssksnce at
the large volume of money now being ex-
pended upon through lines. He calls
them scenic bouleyards and speedways.,
and is jealous of and antagonistic to this
work.
-~.'The law, however, requires the building
OF connected, inter-county through
lines, as well as State-aid or country
therefore, should he complain? / will tell
you why. 1t is because the trunk lines
are costing too much money and yielding
too little mileage. The road work on the
State highway system has been going on
in the past year in every county. The
granger has seen it and he knows it Is
costly work
at is doubtful il the first million dol
lars OF our bond issue will yield over i4O
miles out of a proposed system OF 800
miles. The roads built this year will
average to cost the State approximately
u 900 per mile. They are good roads,
thoroughly built, the very kind OF DIS
the automobilist wants, but they cost too
much, and the money, therefore, yields
too little mileage.
.Supposing this million dollars had
been spent in improving as best we could
$50 or 400 miles instead OF 140. not so well,
perhaps, not quite so thoroughly, but laid
out on the general principle OF first max
ing the roads safe, safe for two vehicles to
pass. the sharpest curves eliminated and
the roads generally widened- Don't you
see that three times as many people would
have been benefited and q good main
road tsus brought that much nearer the
great farming popalations
"And it is right along this line that the
automobilist and the granger can get to-
gether. II the former will yield some
| what of his demand for a costly road, he
will find that the grange opposition will
be greatly reduced, and in the long run
both interests will be the better served.
The trunk line will reach out farther and
master, so that the local farming COM
munity can join it sooner with a short
build, and the motor enthusiast will have
a 400 mile good, fair, safe ride rather than
100 miles of speedway.
''There Is one particular, practical way
in which the grange can prove of great