Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-16
COMMERCE BOARD

/ Officials Speakers =
! Park Plan Explained
The Chamber of Commerce held
meeting at the city council rooms FRI
day evening. beginning at O'Clock,
when buffet lunch was served con-
! sisting of sandwiches, coffee and dough-
nuts. The meeting was presided over
by President Harry S. Brown Of the
Chamber of Commerce and the speak
ers were Paul d. Sargent Of Augusta,
chief engineer of the State Highway
Commission and Col. W. NJ. Aver. a
member of the commission.
As soon as the lunch was cleared
away and cigars handed around Pres
ident Brown read a letter from the
State department of agriculture asking
the hearty cooperation of the Cham
her of Commerce in an effort to find
out how much the towns and cities con-
sumo, with a view toward increasing
the consumption of Maine grown prod
ucts, especially potatoes, apples and
milk.
Sherman l.. Berry was askec hy
President Brown to explain the park
proposition between Lockwood, Bridge
and water streets and the widening of
Lockwood street. Mr. Berry said The
plan was not a personal one but that
a petition had been signed by a ma
jOrity of the heaviest tax payers for
the requirement of the title to the lant
50 that at the proper time a park could
be constructed. He said the endorse
ment Of the project by the Chamber of
Commerce would be welcome and OF
the motion of DR.. J. f. Hill the bove-
ment was endorsed by a unanimous
1 vote.
Hon. w NJ. Aver of Oakland, a mem
her Of the state Highway Commission,
was then introduced and gave talk on
good roads He said to make his sub
ject well understood he must go back to
1913 when the movement for the State
highways was commenced. He stated
that the economical proposition Of good
roads is so well known that it was not at
all necessary to go over that part of it.
There was made three classihcations Of
roads. They were known as State high
way, State aid and common roads MI
Aver went into the financial methods by
which funds for the roads were raised
very thoroughly. There are to be 1850
miles of State highway built and Mr.
Aver stated that seven-twelfths of this
road has been completed. He said that
the commission had been criticized by
rural citizens, but he did not feel the
criticism was Just. The State highway
SO far has cost S. 100000. He went over
the whole route of the federal roads and
said it is the intention of extending this
road through from Richmond to Water
vile this year.
The matter of selecting the State aid
roads, he said. was entirely left with the
towns and it has worked out well in all
cases. The State aid roads will cost
about 100000
At the close of 1914 the commission
found that they had Is seven-mile sec
tons of road which wer. not connected
and the policy was adopted of connecting
these as soon as possible and there are
now $50 consecutive miles of State aid
roads.
lie told Of the effort to keep the
reads question out of politics. He dis
CusSed the principal points of deciding
the locations, the economy of building,
and other matters of interest in road
construction. He said that the road be-
tween Waterville and Oakland would
be completed before long and also from
here to Bangor.
He spoke of how the towns had been
favored by the bridge act and told
the methods followed to undertake.
bridge construction.
Paul ID. Sargent of Augusta. engi-
neer of the State Highway Commits
sion. was then introduced by Presi
dent Brown.
he said that the real father of the
good roads movement in Maine was a
resident of this city, Hon. William T.
Haines. The first organized effort look
ing 10 good roads was in 1906 when
Mr.. Haines was member of the Leg
islature.
Mr.. Sargent referred to the early
days Of the commission and the inef
ficiency OF some of the road commits
soners, which had a potential effect
on the poor condition of the roads.
Also the bad effects of politics being
carried into the affairs Of the commits
sion.
In 1908 was established State super
NlSiuIi VI ioduS sargent went INTO
this phase of the question and the
: growth of the movement. In 1913 the
State Highway Commission was Gre
ated and the work they have accom- :
plished was told. They inspect every
mile of the State roads every year.
During the trip they make notes on
the worst pieces of road fond and
later in october they get together and
decide where the next State road will
be built.
Mr.. Sargent said that the maintenance
question was one of the most important,
and the roads built since 1908 have been
taken under maintenance by the highway
commission. In 1917 they had 300 miles
under patrol with AIT men, covering prac-
tically all the network of roads in the
State.
In speaking Of traffic Mr. Sargent said
that count had been made in a certain
locality during the first week in Septem-
Der and 1t was found that from $500 to
: 300 automobiles would pass in Il hours
1t is planned that the plain gravel road
will stand 400 vehicles day, when the
traffic gets heavier than that a bitum,-
nous surface is put on the road