Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-21
Automobile Men at
Portland for Their
Meeting and Dinner
Speeches by Engineer Sargent s. tary
Scates, DIR. Pratt A. G. Hyde, Prof. Files, Sec
rotary of State Bunke and Chairman Cleaves
Election of Directors

Portland. Me-, Dec. 2o.-Automoble
owners and dealers from all over Maine
were present at the annual meeting and
dinner of the Maine State Automobile
Association here this evening. The prin-
cipal problem considered a, the meeting
was the raising of funds to carry. on
highway construction in this State now
that the s. 900 bond issue made by the
State has been exhausted.
Paul D. Sargent engineer of the State
highway commission. reported that g.
$500 had been expended on State high
ways in the past two years and that
about $4,000 of the bond issue remained,
To carry the work along he said it woulu
require 100000 to be expended in SIX
years. The proposition was advanced by
Secretary John Clark Scates that the
Legislature be asked to impose State
tax of one mill for good roads. which
would give the required amount. This
was endorsed by other speakers.
DR.. Joseph H. Pratt of the North Caro-
lima state highway commission spoke o
trunk highways, and A. G. Bachelor
chairman of the executive committee of
the American Automobile Association
Washington, d. c., on federal aid. other
speakers We're: Prof. George T. Files
of Bowdoin college, Secretary of State
John E Bunker and Benjamin +.
Cleaves, chairman of public utilities COM
mission.
Directors Elected
Directors were elected as fellows John
W. Simpson, YORK: c. W. Fitz. Auburn;
c. c. Morrison, Ear Farbor. Charles W.
Hill, BELGRADE Lakes; c. Q. Smith, Pert
land; Stanley Bisbee, Rumford; Charles
s. j.: hNcrn. Augusta; l.. S. Black. Houl-
ton: avid Talbot, Rocl;land; Walter B.
Parker. Portland. and W. D. Pennell.
Lewiston.
Sec. Scates' Report
Tho Grnval report of Hon. John
Clark .,catcs. secretary Of the Maine
Auto.,te Mic association. delivered at
the .rr..ai nc2ting this evening. In
part i. . follows:
TIL r@sc year has been the most
succe. END il tic history of the asso-
citation from every point of view. Not
only is the association stronger finan-
ciauy. win larger membership, but
the wor, accomplished has been OF
the cro~t:st Importance to the motor
lists and tie State. SO much has to be
done uuio,!v and through others that
the public has but meager knowl-
edge of the work performed.
The Road Book and the Informal
ton Bureau have been the means of
bringing hundreds of thousands OF
dollars of business into the State.
The two great objects Of the Maine
Automobile Association are the i'm
provement of our highways and the
development of the tourist business,
and the work should not cease until
there is IL good road leading into every
town in the State.
In the early spring Your officers
took up with the Cumberland county
officers and the Highway Commission
the employment of the county prison
ers on the roads. AS a result. between
40 and so prisoners have been con-
stantly employed under right condi-
tions on the Bridgton road, with the
most gratifying results. This has been
TeIIldIhubIe SuCCeSS II 10 bcttCl Ia
the convicts and certainly it is better
for the roads. Not only should the
prisoners in the county jails of Cum
berland, AndroScoggin. Kennebec and
Penobscot counties be thus employed,
but the next Legislature should enact
law providing that the convicts of
the State penitentiary at Thomaston
be thus employed.
Our greatest work for the coming
year will be the matter of obtaining
additional money for the continuance
way system. After 1916 there will be
only 100000 of the bond money left.
1t will require about s3,000,000 more
to complete the work. The next Leg
iSlature should provide some means of
raising 100000 each year for six
years. The most equitable way this
can be done is by a mill tax similar to
that of the school mill tax. One mill
on the valuation Of the State would
provide the necessary amount. The
license fees will in great
measure reimburse the State for the
in addition to provid
ing for the interest on and the re-
demption of the highway bonds al
ready issued. providing that the ex-
pense of maintaining not only the
State, but State aid roads is not to
be borne by the motorists as at pres
ent.
Among other things of minor i'm
portance is that all vehicles should
carry lights. In the last two Legis-
this has been defeated by
very small majority. We should insist
in no uncertain tone that the next
enact such a law. for it
is for the protection of human life.
It is also necessary that some legis
lative action be obtained relative to
the binding glare Of automobile and
electric car head lights. The powerful
electric lights with their wide radia-
ton have become a menace not only
to the travelling public, but in many
instances to pedestrians as we'll. Hav-
ing always in mind the welfare of the
public and the State, it is the duty
Of the Maine Automobile Association
in these matters and many others to