Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-02

SD6GQ, II ytdIS VI 0i'eAi sAAS 49, ~~-'
complete the trunk lines system alone 10
say nothing of the thousands OF mics
Of country roads that are crying TOT
immediate improvement. 90 not pc
Iieve that the great counties OF Aroos-
took and Franklin and northern SOM
erset and Washington want TO wait aS
long as that to get a trunk hne oul-
let if. by some other plan, tney may
obtain this much desired result III less
time. This relates to the trunk me
alone, but how about our market roaos,
or, as we call them here, State-alo
roads? While the development OF the
trunk line system yields direct returns
in many ways, I believe the improve
ment of a large mileage or market
roads, leading from the farm TO the
railway station and to the trunk line,
would be of even greater beneht ana
advantage to our State.
II seems to me that Of all the bene-
fetal results derived from improved
HIGHWAYS. not one of them is of great
err importance than the reduction OF
hauling cost. and it is on the market
road to which this principle best ap-
niles. It is true we have been making
some effort to develop these market
roads under our State-aid plan, but
this work is proceeding so slowly as TO
be almost hopeless. Many towns I'M
der this act improve only a few hum
dred feet Of road each year, which
tmakes almost no impression upon the
total mileage of the town
/ Furthermore. the development of
the Maine farm has been a subject of
much discussion during recent years
and no one can fail to see that the
| first thing needed by the farm is
good thoroughfare over which It's sup
plies may be Cheaply hauled In and
its products as cheaply hauled OUT.
In my Judgment, then, it is high time
that the market roads should be viewed
collectively in a large way, and that
any new legislation should consider
them of equal if not greater import
ance than trunk line development.
While the bill which has been recent
" introduced by the mill tax advocates
is now proposing to increase by 100000
each year the States help for market
roads and is certainly commendable
so far as it goes, it seems to me that
this is by no means enough, and that
we should, if possible, increase this as
sistance is much greater measure. If
read improvement is not a good thing
for the State we do not want it at all,
and if it is a good thing, why should
we hesitate to proceed with it with the
utmost rapidly consistent with sound
| finance? r
What Road Building Means.
Before, however, laying out any pro-
gram as to raising money for future
highway work, whether mill tax OF
bond issue, let us first try to get lit
tie closer view of what road expendi-
lures mean.
There are some states in the Union
where road building means nothing
more nor less than the laying of a rid
ing surface. In Florida, in Southern
California, even in New Jersey and in
Delaware, the question of drainage is
really a minor one, because all these
localities are generally fiat, and ir
some of them frost is rarely, If ever
known, but in the Northern states, anG
in Maine In particular, road building
is a much more complicated matter
We not only have a severe winter witt
which to contend, but we have q rough
country full of rivers, water courses
and heavy grades. Now the point
wish to make is that while in some
states practically all of the money eX.
pended in road building is for q con
struction of riding surface, in Maine I
very substantial percentage of The
money has gone into things below the
surface, which are in large measure
permanent improvements, and it is II
the expense incurred in really prepar-
ing our roadways for the surfacins
that I believe the future generation
should join.
When we come to analyze road ex-
penditures closely, we find then
roughly divided into four classes:
First. Permanent or long enduring
work.
Second. Temporary improvements.
Third. Maintenance.
Fourth. Administration.
Classification of Expenditures.
By permanent work is meant the
cost of making heavy cuts and fills
the removal of ledge the placing o
heavy stone foundation, the drainage
system, change of alignment change o
location Gncluding purchase of re
CURED land), widening, concrete Of
masonry work in connection with sub
stantial culverts and bridges.
BY temporary or short lived i'm
provements is meant the wearing sur
face of whatever nature.
Maintenance includes all such ex
penditures as are needed to keep thu
road up to it's original condition.
1t is now coming to be generally
accepted principle that the first O
these, the permanent improvements Of
the enduring" features of road
may properly be paid for by bond is
sue of reasonable maturity, and tina
all the matters represented by the
other divisions, namely, temporary i'm
provements, maintenance and admin
istration. should be paid for by direc
taxation. In other words, it is equit
able to distribute the cost of the per.
manent work or the cost of the zen
during" features, over a reasonable
length of time. and that posterit1
share in the payment of such cost
whereas the perishable features, rep
resenting those things used and worr
out by the present population. should
be paid for by the present population.
l believe, then, that any new legisla-
ton for road building in Maine should
recognize this principle and act upor
it, and should combine reasonable ant
proper issues of bonds with direc
taxation.