Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-28

| cent. About one hundred and fifty
bridges have been rebuilt in the last
five years. Substantially all OF this
| work has been reinforced concrete.
the view Of the Highway Commits
sion being that we should stop the
everlasting maintenance cost of
wooden bridges.
Attitude Of the People
1t seems to me the mere recital of
the various steps In the development
of this work ought to be an indica-
ton that the work has met with
general satisfaction. Otherwise what
would lead the legislature to provide
funds and to provide new laws from
time to time for further appropria-
ton and for giving the Highway
Commission more control over the
highways?
OF course there is criticism. HUI
man nature is no different in Maine
than it is In Vermont or any part OF
the country, or any other part Of the
world. All human beings are more
or less selfish. The Commission re-
ceives criticism from people who do
not live on the State highway sys-
tenn. or from people who do not live
on a State aid highway. These peo-
pie think the Commission have made
a mistake in the location OF one or
ways. Possibly the third class law
was passed in response to a demand
born more or less of these criti-
cisms. There is movement on foot
at the present time by the Farm
Bureau to secure more State funds
for the improvement Of third class
or town roads. This demand will be
laid before the legislature which
meets next January. These demands,
it seems to me, are the best evidence
possible that the work which the
Highway Commission has done is
satisfactory. In other words. the
Highway Commission have produced
real improvement and the general
demand now is that all sections of
the State want improved highways.
Certainly If the Highway Commits
sion had not produced good results
by way of substantial roads, there
for more work of the same kind.
l have pointed out that the State
highway system directly accommo-
dates seventy-thfee percent Of the
population of the State. 1t happens
that these routes are the ones nat
urally followed by tourists when
they come into the State and I be
lieve that our tourist business has
been very greatly promoted by the
road improvement that has been
carried on. We hear estimates from
hotel and transportation interests
that the tourist business brings So
OOO.0 q year into the State and
have never seen the figures contest
ed or doubted. If the States invest
ment ir highways contributes to the
extent of bringing at least half this
business into the State. it would
seem to me that the State has made
a worthwhile investment from a
money point of view.
1t is fact also that on many of
our older established and longest
built State highways there has been
! a very great increase in property
values.
1 If YOU ask me how the farming
Interests feel about road improve
ment. l can only reply that the ma
jor portion of our State, aside from
its wooded areas. is agricultural
land. and by far the major portion
of the members of our legislature
come from small towns. As far as
| the business men of the State are
concerned. believe they are a unit
in support of the States road i'm
provement program.
To summarize the feeling of our
| people. 7 would say that they are all
well satisfied with the progress that
has been made and are anxious to see
our system completed and ere will
| ing to pay for the same.