The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-08-07

OF our entire lnlltdEe. i''ts - zN' "a
passes through - cities and towns
wherein are found. accardius Ia the
last federal census. seyenfy-three per
cent of the population OF the state.
and according to state assessors re
ports seyenty-three per cent OF the
valuation of the State. Il appears 10
the Highway Commission that this Is
the most important five and one-half
per cent of mileage in the State be
cause they believe that where three
quarters Of the population are it is fair
To assume that three-quarters of the
traffic will be found. This estimate
takes no account OF tourist traffic,
so-called, which. generally speaking.
follows the system of state highways
During the lat six years 800 miles
of state highways have been rebuilt
at cost Of approximately three mil
j lion dollars There is also found on
i the system of state highways about
i 300 miles of road which has been re-
built as state aid road, so that today
approximately one-haf of the system
OF state highways is improved road.
During the last six years there has
been built as state aid road 796 miles
OF road, at a cost Of approximately
$3,250, 900. This mileage, added to
that built between 1908 and 1913,
shows a little over 1000 miles OF COM
pleted state aid road built at a gross
expenditure of over six million dol
lars. In this connection it should
be borne in mind that the system of
state aid roads as laid out and upon
which we are working consists of
about 5000 miles There are feed
ers to the state highway system and
will probably directly accommodate
fifteen to twenty per cent Of the popu-
lation in addition to the seventy-three
per cent found on the state highway
system.
In 1915 the Legislature provided
for a workable patrol maintenance
law. The state highway law as pass
ed in 1913 contained provision for
patrol maintenance, but only upon
improved road. AS the improved sec
tons were disconnected it was i'm
possible to establish patrol efficiently
and economically. We are now pa
trolling the entire mileage OF state
and state aid road. improved and un-
improved, and during 1918, 4250 miles
of road were under constant daily pa
troll from April until November, 480
patrolmen were employed in this work
and the total expenditure was approx
~ vi
and towns paid a little less than
$4,000 and the state paid the balance.
The states funds for this purpose are
derived from automobile registration
fees. During the last five years
$l.677 900 has been expended for main
tenance work.
In 1915 the LEGISLATURE submitted
for the vote of the people a general
law providing state and county aid for
bridges. which was designed to take
the place of special resolves for
bridges. This law was accepted by
a large majority of the voters. I'm
der this provision the municipal Of
ficers OF any city or town may apply
at any time to the county commission
ers of the county and the State High
way Commission for state and county
aid in the reconstruction of bridge
on any main thoroughfare, when the
cost of the bridge makes a certain
tax rate against the town This law
has worked well, and during the last
two years some fifty bridges have
been reconstructed in a permanent
manner. The Legislature of 1919
amended the law, upon the suggestion
of the Highway Commission, so as to
place a less financial burden upon
towns with expensive bridges to build.
The State appropriates 100000 per
year for this purpose, which during
the last two years furnished the pos
sibility of building $500, 900 worth of
permanent bridges each year. AS the
State is now paying a larger proper
ton of the cost and has only the same
appropriation it will probably mean
the construction of about 100000
worth of permanent bridges each year.
In 1917 the funds for state high
ways resulting from the bond issue
we're exhausted and the Legislature
provided for the work to be carried
on by the levying of a tax OF one mill
on every dollar OF taxable value in the
State. This resulted in fund or
S521 900 in 1917 and 1918, of which
5000, 900 was Immediately added to the
states appropriation for state aid
highways, thereby enabling the state
to make the amount Of state aid pay
able to any city or town on-third
larger than it had been before with
out requiring any additional oppropri-
alton by the city or town.
At the same time provision was
made for an equalization fund of $780,.
900 to be handled by the Highway
Commission largely as the bridge APP
preparation is handled, that is to say,
upon petition of municipal officers at
any time for the purpose of relieving
towns with excessive highway bur-
dens. This was designed to do away
with special resolves by the Legisla-
ture for road work but as this money
was to be taken from the fund for
state aid and the requirements for
state aid during 1918 were in excess
of the total appropriation, including
the $50. 900 no apportionments were
made from the equalization fund.
The Legislature of 1919 abolished
the equalization fund and returned
to the system of special resolves, and
in order not to increase the state tax
beyond a certain amount, decided II
was wise to take from the mill fund
for state highways about $4,000 for
the year 1919 and an equal amount
for tho year 1920 In consequence