Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-27

ern district, which includes that part
OF the city lying on the west side OF
the Kennebec river, which summary
has been prepared for the Journal by
Street Commissioner w. d. Trask or
that district The summary of the
work done in the Eastern district, OF
which Daniel Hewins is the COM
missioner, will be forthcoming at
later date:
Highway General.
The work in the highway depart
ment of the Western district was be-
gun and has been completed nuch
earlier than common the past year.
The routine work of cleaning the city
streets was begun in April and COM
pleted early in May after which the
main thoroughfares designated by the
city council and such other streets as
were petitioned for, have been oiled.
While the oiling of streets has been
! a common practice the last few years
| in other places it is the first time
| that Augusta has attempted its use
and for the most part has proven
| very satisfactory. When first ap-
piled many complaints were received
| because of disagreeable features, but
these entirely disappeared within d
| few days, as soon as the oil was able
| to penetrate and cushion was
formed by the traffic. With this
exception nothing but words Of COM
mendation have been heard and the
| travelling public as well as abutting
| residents have appreciated the lack
of dust. Further than this from the
standpoint of permanence It has
| furnished a surface which Is i'm
| proved by automobile traffic, which
| is the exception and where the road
had proper crown and drainage has
She'd water more readily, shown less
| mud and dried more rapidly besides
retaining the finer material, which is
the road binder, and thus preserving
the road and preventing ravel.
| A second coat was applied during
the latter part of July which will
complete the season. 1t has been
found in practice that the first year
| is the most expensive because the
earth will absorb so much of the ma
| terial but as the practice is continued
it generally requires less oil each year
AS the oiling is showing so many
pleasing features it will undoubtedly
become permanent custom.
Early in the year patrol was in
augurated upon a portion of our
country road system. This method
of maintenance is an old one al
though never put into service in this
country except by few state de-
partments 1t is the prevailing Gus
tom among many European countries
| to whom we have to look for the best
examples of road construction and
| maintenance.
This patrol covers IL miles of road
consisting of Western avenue (Gan-
nett's to Manchester line); Written
road; High street. so-cailed, (Western
avenue to Hallowell line); Leighton
road: Brook road Gce house to
| Coombs Mills) and the Townsend
road. The patrol consists of one
man with one-horse team and helper.
1t has been the duty of the patrol
man to keep the roads dragged rocks
raked, bitches and cuiverts cleaned
bushes cut, depressions filled, guard
rails repaired and all minor repairs
such as were possible for him to
make. This has resulted in smoother
and better roads than are ordinarily
|
proven the value of constant road
care and maintenance over the oc-
casional method formerly pursued,
which was the fault of no individual
but rather the fault of the system.
The remainder of the country roads
have been handled in the usual way
and such routine repairs as have
been necessary made by the local
! foremen.
Within the city proper one team
has been employed a greater part OF
the time making minor repairs by fill
ing depressions with crushed rock
and covering with heavy asphaltic oil
and dust, which method has proven
very satisfactory and the riding sur
face of our streets greatly improved
There have been several pieces Of re-
surfacing more of the nature of con-
struction. The hill on lower State street
opposite the Glenwood spring works was
resurfaced with crushed gravel as was
also the hill on upper State street, from
the Catholic church to Laurel street
Commercial street and the approaches
to the M. C. R. r. track on winthrop
and Bridge streets were resurfaced with
water bound macadam. State street
from Winthrop to Bridge, which had
long been avoided by automobilists be-
cause of it's roughness was rebuilt with
water-bound macadam. The L. A. e. w
tracks which were on the East side OF
the street were moved to its center and a
much larger travel surface given to the
public by SO doing besides greatly bene-
fitting the street for purposes Of drain
age and in its appearance. Court street
from Sewall street westward and Weston
street from Chapel to State streets have
been graveled The approach to Kendall
street on Northern avenue was graveled
and otherwise improved. The end
of Gage street and drive around the
new park development at the top OF
Rines hill has been graveled besides set
ting a concrete curb In front of the Hart.
ford House and adjoining property 10
correspond to the park development. Up
per Water street from Swift & Co.'S
block to Bond brook was also treated ia
a coat of gravel which is recognized al
only a temporary type of construction
under such heavy traffic as this street Is
subjected to but which will improve the
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