Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-12
WAYS AND BRIDGES
Only Committee Hearing Friday Has
Busy Afternoon

Ways and Bridges committee. the
only committee to hold hearings on
Friday afternoon, had its usual large
audience.
Rep. Wight of Newry spoke for the
resolve in favor Of the town of New
ry to aid in building piece of road,
the resolve asking for $4,000. He said
1t was stretch of about 1000 feet and
on a through road to Dixfield Notch.
one of the famous beauty spots of our
State and the road when completed
will bring a large amount of travel
into Maine, which under poor condi-
ltions now existing on this road would
probably go to New Hampshire. Some
200 to 800 autos pass over it q day in
the tourist season, with all the local
business, travel and trucking. Upton
and Grafton in the past have had spe-
cial resolves, but Newry has never re-
ceived anything. The road is very
narrow and ledgy and dangerous. 1t
neds repairs. Newry might be able
to give something toward the work,
but he said the town had been doing
about all it could stand on, the road,
putting all Its State-aid money on it.
County Commissioner G. w. Bowker
of Paris corroborated Mr.. Wight's
statements, and said the town de-
served assistance. The county was
taking care of nine miles of the same
road in Grafton, now an unincorpo-
rated township. -
The resolve to aid the town of
Dresden in repairing the three draw
bridges across the Eastern river. went
over to Thursday, Feb. II.
The esoIve to aid navigation ON Sc
bee lake will be reported with SUCCESS
ton that it go to the committee ON in
terror waters.
Chief Engineer Paul D. Sargent of
the Highway Commission explained
the situation az to the bridge over
tho east branch Of the Penobscot at
Midway. It was built In 1909. the
State paying $4,000 Of the total cost
of $22.946.S1 and the State has since
appropriated for the replanking and
repairs
Penobscot county. MilIinocket and
East Mfllinocket each paid $7s227 to-
ward the cost and Midway paid 5000.
The Legislature in 1915 appropriated
$1,000 for repairs and nothing has been
done since. He estimated that it would
cost SO per thousand for $4,000 feet
Of lumber for replanking or $3.50, the
balance to 60 for painting. and neces-
sary work on the floor beams and
stringers. Midway is unable to
stand any part Of the expense and the
State has always done it. The
bridge is 800 feet long, three steel
spans and is the only outlet for Milli-
nockets
A question ast the Highway Com.
mission being able to take care Of this
matter, brought the answer from Mr..
Sargent that the commission had no
fund for that purpose. He called at
tention to the fact that traffic had
doubled in the last few years, ana for
that reason the bridges and highways
are wearing out just twice as fast, in
addition to the fact that they are
costing much more on account OF the
increased cost Of labor and material.
He said the deficit in the commits
sion's maintenance fund last year was
nearly $500. 900, caused by the money
being taken away for other purposes.
such as bridges. He thought the en-
tire maintenance fund could be spent
on bridge upkeep, II permitted and
said that the c0mmission-like the
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