Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-23
state Highway Commission were in

Lewiston Monday evening in attend
ance on an enthusiastic Good Roads
meeting endorsed by the Lewiston
Chamber of Commerce. The piece Of
State road between Augusta and
Lewiston was under discussion and all
the several speakers were united in the
belief that it should be completed this
year. Chairman Deering said in part:
Mr.. Deering told Of the enthusiasm
for good roads which he noted at the
meetings Of commercial organizations
in Maine and at the Good Roads meet
ing in Bangor.
I'VE find tendency to know it all
said Mr.. Deering, respectfully in Maine.
NV idea of good road is continu-
Gus road, built with a definite object
in view.
Someone has said that Maine can
not afford anything except gravel
roads. I wish to state that Maine can
not afford to put down anything ex-
cept the grade of road required.
The traffic is heaviest from klttery
to Portland. From Portland it branch
es out like a fan. The road from Dan
Vile to Auburn was poorly construct
ed. We are trying to do the best we
can to keep it up.
I'VE have been scattering our money
all over the State with the excuse oh
helping the poor towns. we nave tnus
been irving to accomplish something
that is impossible and we are not get
ting anywhere. At.
.The greater part of the money IN TINS
section of the State has gone into OK
ford. because oxford is spending hei
money. When we get through there We
| u.;,, tackle the main problem in your
county But ! don't want to attempt IT,
esnecially toward Portland, until we are
sure we are going to get enough money
| to do 1t right.
"S,nce 1907 about % per cent. or the
! road money has gone into the country
districts. To my mind they have thelr
share and urge you to go to the next
LEGISLATURE and work for trunk roads
! And l believe that if We can get the mon
ey. the greater part will be spent 1oi
| trunk roads.
!.we hope to come to the Lewiston line
from, Greene this year. The thing to &c
is to apply for five times State aid and
! connect this city with the trunk high
way. You wait six or seven years when
YOU can get it this year when the main
highway will be completed?'
Paul D. Sargent
| Chief Engineer Sargent of the hlGh"a!
! commission outlined the work OF TINS
board. "In the first place they have laio
out a splendid system of State nigh
WAYS. / believe" he said, lit will mee'
! conditions as we'll as they can be met
1t takes in only per cent. of the tota
road mileage of the State, yet accommo'
dates 23s cities out of the $40, accommo'
dates 70 per cent of the population and
an equal percentage Of the valuation.
! .I believe maintenance more important
than construction. In the last two years
we had GAO and 76o miles respectively un
der patrol. Our average for maintenance
last wear was 500 per mile. ONCE ad
ministration cost $4,000, or about pei
cent. of the investment.
"By the use of the patrol system au
| thorized by the last Legislature there
will be more work for maintenance II
1916. We will have 1900 miles under pa
troll by May /. There is one request
would like to make and that is that Il
at any time you have a question to ask
come to us and we will tell you the truth
about it,
The Lewiston Board Of Public Work:
at its annual meeting on Tuesday nigh
took up the same matter. Mayor Branr
and Commissioner Cronin calling w
the proposition made by Chairman
Deering the previous evening in which
he stated that Lewiston should apply
for five times" State aid a process ne
cessary to secure 2 per cent. bonus
and that Lewiston should then. in com
pliance with the law, furnish Ave time'
her appropriation-about $11,O00-and
apply it to the continuation of Mali
street
The State, said Mr.. Deering, woul'
take up the work and continue from
the point at which Lewiston discon
tinued it when the appropriation wa
exhausted. Ordinarily the State con
tracts only a. far a. the city line. bu