Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-10

Eighty-four resolves received favorable
consideration and were passed. In each
instance the execution Of the work was
placed under the state highway com.
mission. In July a canvass Of all the
towns and counties to which the legis-
lature had granted special assistance
was made with the object Of getting
the work under way at as early date as
| possible. As g. result Of this canvass
it was learned that Is towns and coun-
ties were not reported to furnish the CO.
| operation required by the legislature
and proceed with the work. Conse-
quently, the appropriation in each Of
these cases has reverted to the treasury.
THE commission Is unable to deter
mine whether the refusal Of any town
| to accept a special resolve indicates
that there was no organized demand
and real need back of the resolve or
whether the resolve was allowed to
lapse for some real reason. 1t seems
certain that the passage Of the general
| bridge bill will do away with the bien-
NAL demand on the treasury and that
| each case founded on real merit can
be carefully determined and provided
| for.
Amendments to State Highway Law
AT the suggestion Of the highway
commission the 18th legislature elm
mated from Section eight Of the state
| highway law the provision requiring
! the commission to construct seven miles
| of continuous highways in any one
| location where work was once begun.
| By this change the commission is en-
abled to Immediately extend the bene-
fits Of state highway construction TO
| larger number Of communities than
was possible under the original law.
THE 18th legislature also changed
Section IA Of the. law which required
the highway commission to hold a hear
ing whenever alterations, widening, or
change of grade were contemplated in
any state or state aid highway. The
law now provides that whenever the
commission shall alter, widen or change
the grade of any state or state aid high
way as herein provided, to the injury
of an owner of adjoining land he may
within six months apply in writing to
the commission setting forth the injury
complained of and the damages COM
planned therefor, and they shall view
such way and assess the damages, If
any. that have been occasioned thereby,
to be apportioned by the commission as
law and justice may require and shall
be paid accordingly, and any person
aggrieved by said assessment may have
the damages determined on complaint
to the Supreme Judicial Court
Engineering Charges.
In our last report statement was
made under the above heading of the
views of the commission with respect
to this matter. During the past year
this question was submitted to the at
torney general and his opinion on the
subject is giver herewith:
State Highway Commission, Augusta,
Maine.
Gentlemen
Replying to your inquiry Of today
relative to matters discussed in cores
pondence with Franklin r. Chesley,
Esq, city solicitor Of the city Of Saco,
it seems very plain to me indeed that
the practice of your department with
regard to charging for engineering and
inspection expenses has been the proper
one, namely, that engineering and in
spectlon expenses incurred in connec-
ton with the building of state high
ways is of course a matter for the
state alone to pay. the appropriation ,
for each particular job being made large
enough to include such expense. Also
Your practice in charging engineering
and inspection expenses to the joint
fu I'd or >atcd by the state anc tows
combined in the case of state aid high |
ways is undoubtedly warranted by the |
law. Section five of the highway act
does not in my opinion contemplate the |
state bearing the expense Of inspection !
and engineering in connection with the |
state aid highways. That section is |
evidently intended to apply to the pure
ly administrative expenses of your de- !
partment and not to work done in con-
junction with the various towns
Yours Very Truly,
(Sgned) w. r. PATTANGALL,
Attorney General |
Financial Statement.
The amount of funds under the super
vision of the department for the past |
year was 1,41S,901.62 and this was ex-
pended as follows: Administration,
s3s.545.79; engineering. $39,45s7S; in
spection, s16,9o793; advertising, $751;
50: general expenses and right of way,
s1.17s.21; labor and material, $780,
45939.
The supervision charges were divided |
as follows: Administration. s3s,545.79;
engineering. $39.45s.7s; inspection, s16.-
92793; general expenses and right Of
way, $1,17S.21. The construction !
charges were as follows: Maintenance,
$165,716.20; state aid construction, $544,-
221.60; state highways. 1881 1884; reg
istration Of automobiles, $10,259.34: /
special appropriations. s7o5s241; total,
1892, 459.39.
National Guard
The following important and hereto
fore unpublished matters will be of inter-
est to every enlisted and commissioned
man in the Maine National Guard, being
decisions as to certain provisions of Cir
cular No Is. Division of Militia Affairs,
1915. the questions having been submitted
to the chief of the division:
81. The following questions have been
National Guar
Approximate strength of End Infantr
Corps, n. 6. S. NJ. and Battalion. n. NJ. s