Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-05-05
STATE HIGHWAYS.
Governor and Council Have Hearing
ON Apportionment Of Money.

Governor and Council Have Hearing
on Apportionment Of Money.
Largely under the misrepresentation that
the governor and council at their meeting
last Wednesday to apportion the state
highway money among the different
counties, were slso to designate the sec
tions Of road upon which work was to Do
done this year, there was . large attend
snce from various sections interested.
Though the governor and council did not
assume this authority, those attending the
hearing were given opportunity to air
their particular views before the State
highway commissioners, who also at
tended the hearing.
The direct route from Bangor to Els
worth had many supporters, but through
some oversight, or perhaps because Of
fuller knowledge OF the purpose OF the
hearing, friends Of the western route
through Hancock county were not preeent.
Those from Hancock county who spoke
for the Bangor Ellsworth route were w.
II. Sherman and Rep. Morrison, OF Bar
Harbor, and H. F. Maddocks. OF Ellis
worth.
Hancock county's superintendent Of the
State highway money this year 10 only
$4,000, the large expenditures on State
amount available for this year small.
Chairman Nelson, of the State highway
commission, addressed the meeting at
some length. He admitted errors in the
first years work, attributing this largely
to the haphazard way in which the ap-
portionment for the different counties vas
made. He thought the entire amount
available from the bond issue should fret
have been apportioned among the differ-
emit counties, and then. treating each
county as Q unit, the commission could
have entered upon the work to better ad-
vantage. "But these things have been
done, be said, land cannot be undone.
The next best thing 10 to start right now
to hnd . basis for division among the
counties, to charge each county with the
amount already expended, and then to
plan work for the balances available dur
ing 1915, 1915 and 1917"
Mr.. Nelson said further that be believed
the expenditures, 90 far made, have been
1t too great an average rate per mile.
''What the State Of Maine needs most in
the development Of highway system 10
to improve US roads in Q moderate and
reasonable way, making them first safe
for travel, and in doing this in the most
economical manner consistent with sub
stantial work, and then keep this i'm
provement up by . constant system OF
patrol maintenance. The State cannot
afford, at the present time, to expend from
five to ten thousand dollars per mile upon
its roads. The average. expenditure
should be very much less than this. and /
firmly believe that less expenditure can
be rendered thoroughly practical, and dis
tribute the benefits of this bond money to
q much greater part OF the population Of
the State than will be done under the
present method OF construction, but this
part Of the problem cannot be properly
considered until the total amount sppli-
cable to one county is viewed as q unit.
When this is done, then / believe that
from the very nature of the case the aver
age expenditure will be reduced, because
the demands from each county will be
such as to make this imperative"