Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-18
Editorial Comment
Speeding Must Stop.
cortland Evening Exnress

tfortland Evening Expressly
Do the people of Portland realize the
seriousness of the speed problem on our
two splendid State highways We refer
to the stretches from Kittery to Portland
and from Portland to Brunswick AL
ready several accidents due wholly to
speeding have occurred. There will be
many more if something is not done to
end the speeding of the reckless, incon-
siderate drivers who daily imperil the
life, limb and property of the great mass
of safe and sane motorists 1t has been
suggested that constables of different
towns through which the roads run be
given the power to arrest these speed
maniacs. In the first place constables
have no jurisdiction outside of their own
town limits and the offending speedster
would be safely away before they could
even plan action against him. Other
methods have been suggested but they
do not work out in practice as well as
they do in theory. They cannot be made
adequate for the territory involved.
The motor patrol seems to be the only
answer to this problem. 1t is the an
swer other states have decided upon
and it is absolutely effective. A delega-
ton of officers from the Maine Automo-
bile Association, the Portland Automobile
Dealers Association, and citizens of
Cumberland County have recently had a
conference with the Cumberland county
commissioners in an endeavor to have
the county maintain this necessary mo-
tor patrol. The commissioners will have
hearing on the subject tomorrow morn
ing and it is sincerely to be hoped that
they will agree to furnish the patrol 1t
is believed that one man made a deputy
sheriff, mounted on a modern motor cycle
and given all the powers for chasing UP
offenders and bringing them to court, is
all that is needed. 1t is matter of
paying him perhaps 500 month for
three or four months out of the year. or
losing thousands of dollars worth of bust
| ness to say nothing of the accidents
| which are sure to occur this summer If
some such step is not taken.
This is the situation that makes us ask
| If it's seriousness is realized. Here we
have two as fine, delightful stretches Of
highway as the most eXacting motorist
| could ask. Already they have fallen in
maniacs that hundreds Of people avoid
them on Sundays and evenings because
they fear the recklessness of the Offend
ers It Is an actual fact that these sto-
ries are spreading abroad and the Maine
| Automobile Association has already re-
ceived letters asking if the stories OF
reckless driving on the road between Bid
deford and Portland were true. and in
curing IL there is any other good road
| by which the tourists can get into PORT
land. This is fine state of affairs when
these roads were built largely for the
! comfort of our summer tourist travel as
well as for our own. AS a business prop
osition this reckless driving is going to
hurt us UNNECESSARILY. 1t will have its
effect on the travel to Old Orchard. Sun
days especially. 1t will prevent many
from taking those delightful Sunday trips
out past the beautiful York county
beaches and into New Hampshire. More
over it will have its effect on those week
end trips from Massachusetts and New
Hampshire to Portland that mean so
much to US from a financial standpoint.
In addition to the danger to life, limb
and property which speeding involves, It
should be remembered that these reck-
less motorists are the ones who are de-
stroying the fine roads we have worked
20 hard 20 get. They are the ones who