Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-12
STATE HOUSE
N.xt meetino Of Governor
- Wednesday, Aug. 10

cent Sunday in a period of l. hours
over 400 automobiles passed on the
road between Biddeford and Port
land. Last year over 10000 autoists
stopped at the log cabin in Monu-
ment square at Portland to ask for
Information as regards roads.
! I'VE were charged last year by a
Bangor paper with trying to keep
automobiles from going east OF
Portland" said Mr.. Laughlin.
! Such a proposition is absurd
continued Mr.. Laughlin, for if they
| went east of Portland they would
naturally stop at Portland on their
way back home.
Two State highways, one from
Portland to the White Mountains
and the other from Portland to Po-
land Spring, are closed to travel this
year. We believe that a sum OF
money should be expended on de-
tours SO that people wont get lost
going from Lewiston to Portland or
| get stuck in the mud. One man be-
came lost and was three hours
going from Gray to Portland, while
another man said that he would not
come back to Maine for five years on
account of the poor roads. We want
small appropriation that the de-
tours may be repaired and properly
marked.
Hiram w. Kicker of Poland
Spring said that if the detours were
properly designed and properly re-
paired before they are opened, Is
per cent of the criticism of the high
way department and of the State
| would be eliminated.
Representative A. @. Miller of AL
burn said that he could see no rea-
son why there should not be a good
| road connecting the two most popu-
lous centers in the State, Portland and
Lewiston and Auburn. He wanted
the Governor and Council to furnish
the funds to keep the detours on this
line in condition for travel.
Louis E. Flanders, president of the
! Auburn Chamber of Commerce, said
that the people of Auburn have re-
ceived encouragement that the road
would be built this year, but the road
was not forthcoming. He also men
toned the fact that Auburn paid a
large State tax but did not get very
much in return for it,
DR.. Charles Z. Williams of Auburn
said that it seemed to him that
money should be spent on detour
roads and that these roads should be
carefully marked. The road between
Portland and Lewiston and Auburn
! Is the main artery of travel from
outside the State. More money
should be spent on detour roads and
they should be put in order for
heavy automobile travel.
Rev. Charles S Cummings of An
burn said that there was a commun-
ity of $4,000 people in Auburn and
Lewiston who were located on an is
land as far as roads were concerned.
Other speakers in favor of the
idea to construct the road and to fix
up the detours were Frank l.. Win
ter, Prof. l.. L. Moulton, Charles r.
Williamson and DIR. John Sturgis.
No one appeared in opposition to
the plan.
Hiram w. Kicker of South Poland
said that he hoped that the detours
on the road would be attended to as
soon as possible and that the Gov
ernor and Council would find some
way to turn money over to the high.
way department to give relief this
year.
Gov. Milliken explained to the
delegations the trying times that the
highway Commission has been
through during the past few years
and how it was impossible for more
roads to be built because of the fail.
ure of material to arrive and the
scarcity of labor.
The Highway Commission has
done all the work that is possible
under the existing conditions" said
Gov. Milliken. I'VE would be eIa d
to have the road between Portland
and Auburn built this year and if
any one can devise a plan to build
more OF this road this year, I am
pretty sure that the Highway Com
mission will adopt that plan"
I'VE feel that it is the duty of the
State to make reasonable provision
for detours and to take the money
out of the contingent fund of the
Governor and Council if necessary"
concluded Gov. Milliken.
Chief Engineer Sargent said that
the road between Auburn and Port
land was the first one to be put up
to the federal government for an.
prevail. A contract for part of this
road was let last Nav and the eou;,-
ment has not yet arrived. The
Highway Commission is anxious that
this road be built this year.