Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-23
Highway Matters

Paul D. Sargents chief engineer OF the
Maine Highway Commission. has re-
turned from a trip TO Washington. Mr..
Sargent. who is vice president OF the
American Association Of State High
way Officials, with members OF the ex-
ecutive committee on Monday last had a
long conference with Secretary OF
Agriculture Houston relative TO ma ta7-s
Of mutual interest to The State highway
departments and TO the Federal govern
ment in connection with Federal work.
4 conference was also held with Dr..
Marvin, chief Of the weather bureau
upon the question OF establishing
through that bureau dali" bulletin
service showing the condition Of high
ways a. such seasons of the year as
there might be a question as TO the use
ability OF the highways. This IS a ,la-
velopment OF wartime service which
was carried on in cooperation with tn
State highway departments o. several
states, through which were located gov
ernm-nt truck 70 ,.os TO the coast. II IS
thought this service would De valuable
in Maine during the fall until snow pro-
hihits the use Of motor vehicles and
again in the spring, when the frost IS
leaving the roads and until cond.t ions
are settled. The safe Highway OFF,
Gals voted to endorse this work and to
cooperate with local weather bureaus
in the collection of information
The question of the return Of the en-.
gineers now in overseas service was
taken up with Colonel .lcCready o. the
War department ard Otto T. Mallory Of
the Department of Labor. These gen.
tlemen promised TO lend assistance in
this matter, as well as in Fastening TIE
distribution of roadbuildng equipmen,
which the War department has been or
d.red TO by Congress 10 turn over 10 tine
Stat, highway departments The las,
matter is uppermost in the minds Of
the State Highway officials at this par.
ticular time. when work is opening LID
all over the country.
II was learned definitely that the first
distribution Of motor trucks will prob.
ably he made next week Five ,hous-
and. five hundred trucks will be dis
yosed OF and Names share in s. trucks.
This lot will include 81 two-ton and Is
tnree-ton trucks, practically all new.
Nh Sargent on Tuesday forenoon.
with the members Of the executive rom.
rnI'tee Of the Federal Highways Council
mad a conference with Senator Town
send o. Michigan. chairman of ,ne
senate committee on post Offices AMI
post roads. who will soon introduce .
bill for the establishment ot a connected
system Of Fedora. highways TO ne built
and maintained b. the Federal govern
ment- All interests in the United States
concerned with the building and Use Of
highways were present at this confer
ehce. including three officers o. tho
National Grange
Senator Townsend in the closing DAYS
OF the s5th Congress introduced A meas.
ure for a national highways sys,em
WIKI a view 70 re-introduction Of the
measure at the succeeding session Of
congress. taking advantage in the
meantime o. ali constructive thought. an
mat the bill might az nearly as ,,ossib,e
1uiIy meet national needs Constructfve
srggestion5 have been broush. out To
ouch an extent as TO assure a compre
hensive and well balanced measure
which If enacted into law will resul, in
nauona. system of highways. built
and maintained BY the Federal govern
ment under the supervision of a COM
mission dealing exclusively with this
one phase Of nr'ional activity.
Predominaung sentiment was *.
pressed ~ TO the neceSsity for a COM