Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-08
Editors Letter Box
Mr.. Nelson's Policy
Thinks Misunderstood
Ideas of Surfacirg
Portland. Me, Sept. ,, 1924.

kenneUec journal,
Augusta, Maine.
Dear Mr. Editor:
Referring to your editorial in the
issue of Wednesday, Aug. 31st, con-
corning ne and my argument favor
ing the proposed amendment to the
constitution in regard to bond money.
I am sorry to note that your opinion
is based upon such a complete mis-
conception of my policy in highway
matters. | have never for moment
argued against building permanent
foundations or properly grading and
Strengthening our roads. On the con-
trary | have worked vigilantly that
/ this very thing might be done. and it
is these very features into which and
into which only / would advocate the
putting of bond money.
! Instead of letting this enormous
business in which we are engaged
run on in a haphazard and incon-
sstent way. | am trying to put in
upon sound basis. We have big
/ job on our hands, and our laws con-
corning the raising of money for this
proposition and expending it have be-
come greatly complicated and almost
incomprehensible, by so many amend
ments and changes of policy i'm the
last few years. I want. eventually, TO
see this net work of statutes cleared
away and the whole thing made per-
fectly plain to everyone, and in my
judgment the first thing to do is to
establish a definite principle as to
what it is proper to use bond money
for, and what is an improper use of
it, If we can make this one point
clear and agree upon it, it will go
long way towards relieving the
minds of those who may be worried
over the present hit or miss methods
of expenditure.
! With this in mind the first portion
of my article, which you have so
kindly reviewed, is devoted to the ex-
PLANTATION of this principle. Most
people think of a road as being moth
ing more than the surface over which
their automobile runs. and they Judge
a road entirely by whether it is
smooth and dustless or rough and
dusty. They are mot concerned be-
road building can be divided roughly
into two great departments which
may be briefly stated thus First,
getting ready for the surface; sec
ond, the surface itself. 1t is this get
ting ready that I want just as thor
ough, just as permanent as you or
any one else has ever advocated, and
1t is that part of the road and that
part of the road only into which L
think long term bonds should go.
The surface is temporary whether it
be gravel or macadam or concrete.
and the temporary things in road
building just as much as the painting
and shingling of your house, should
be paid for from income or taxes, and
not with borrowed money. AS mat
ter of fact we have come pretty near
adopting this principle on our trunk
lines. I want to see it applied
equally as well to the secondary or
State aid lines. These latter are now
being paid for entirely, foundation,
surface and all, by direct taxation.
This is not consistent and is unfair
to the rural districts not directly on
that when say the construction of
State-a roads. am not referring
to the simple but beneficial process
OF merely surfacing some roads with
o coating of gravel and keeping that
in shape by means of the patrol sys-
TEN. That whole process is nothing
more or less than maintenance and
should be paid for and is paid for at
the present time FROM maintenance
funds.
Some years ago the city OF Augusta
issued bonds for the resurfacing of
some of your avenues. That surface
ing has gone to pieces under the
weight of increased traffic. the bonds
have not been paid. and the roads
must be again resurfaced. This was
not the proper use of bond money and
is an apt illustration of the very
principle | am trying to establish
namely: that bond money. under no
, circumstances, should be used for the
temporary surfacing of a road. but
only for the enduring foundation Of
that road and other long-lived i'm
provements. AS stated above State
=
money raised by the present genera
ton in taxes. If the proposed
amendment is adopted. practically
50ct of the cost of these State aid
roads will he spread over a reasons
able term of years. Probably in
stances can be found where State-aid
work is not 50e6 permanent. but there
are many other cases where it can be
clearly shown that it is 75GS or 500
permanent depending upon the cuts,
changes in alignment condemna ton
Of land to widen the right of way,
etc. Taking the whole subject of
State-aid roads. by and large, / be-
lieve the percentage of 500 perma-
nent and 50qe temporary is reliable
Just a word more as to your idea
of my idea of roads in general. You
don't get it at all. have for years
argued and worked in the interest of
the entire State of Ma ne, not for any
one section. | want to see this trunk
line system. spread out over this en-