Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-10-25
SCENIC AUTO ROAD
Government Building One to Top of
Cadillac Mountain.

Government Building One to Top of
Cadillac Mountain.
Construction has been started by
the government on motor road to
the summit of Cadillac mountain
formerly Green mountain) in
Lafayette National Park, the highest
point upon our Atlantic coast, with a
magnificent sea view. The construc-
tion now contemplated will cover
over 1000 feet in length, bringing
the road to an elevation of 519 feet
above sea level. Funds for the con-
struction of the remainder of the
road, approximately four miles in
length, have been asked for by the
secretary of the interior in his esti-
mates for the fiscal year of 1924,
submitted to the bureau of the budg-
ct, the construction to be completed
in three years.
The road as planned by the secre-
tary of the interior and the national
park service calls for the best and
most permanent construction and for
road of easy ascending grade and
liberal width No such road as this
from the scenic point of view exists
in eastern North America and great
credit should be given to Secretary
Albert B. Fall, of the interior, and to
the director of the national park
service for this project.
The road takes it's rise from the
summit of Great Pond hill in the vi
entity of Bar Harbor, and the views
from it are superb from it's COM
mencement.
Superintendent Dorr commenced
survey for this road a year ago last
August, the work being done under
the direction by Walters G. Hill
of Bar Harbor, engineer. On June
81, the survey, having been COM
pleted was submitted to the di-
rector of the national park service at
Washington, accompanied by letter
which in part embodies the following
description:
''The road shown, 1913 miles in
length, is the result of study on my
own part lasting over years and of
thorough engineering survey, entered
upon last August under my direction
by capable and efficient civil en-
gineer, who had had previous ex-
perience under a State commission
and Independently in, Canada and
abroad as superintendent of con-
structive work, Walters G. Hill.
"The established minimum grade
for the road is 6 per cent; the aver
age grade is 4.40 per cent. The
route taken has been as carefully
studied from the landscape point of
view as from that of good engineer
ing, being so led over the right ridge
by which it mounts as to give views
alternately eastward over French
mans bay to distant mountains and
the Bay of Fundy, and westward over
lakes and ford and mingled sea and
islands to the Camden hills.
"The road has been engineered
with strict regard to safety, the
curves being ample; in the only three
instances where close curves are re-
quired radius of fifty feet is en-
ployed Construction has been fig
ured for an eighteen-fOOt travelled
way, with three-foot shoulder. The
plan calls for an earth and rock fill,
such as the mountain itself will
yield, and for a gravel surface SINH
lar to that on the neighboring town
roads, without macadam or other
bound surface. This seems all that
is required with grade far less than
is met with constantly on the re-
gional roads and with the water
taken care. of by an ample ditch upon
the upper side, and frequent cul-
verts.>
1.-The places where retaining walls
are required are four, where the
curves are sharpest, and rock of ex-
cellent character for building perma-
nent and solid walls without cement
lies close at hand, while as much ma
terial in general will need to be re-
moved as will be required for con-
struction, building and excavation
closely balancing.
"a superb point is reached where
nearly two-thirds the height of the
mountain, bold spur stands out
from the mountain ridge-with
which it's summit is level-upon it's
western side, overhanging Eagle
lake. This spur the road circles in
order to gain grade and not exceed
the maximum established, but it at
fords view that in itself would
make such circling desirable, were
it not necessary.
1.-THE summit of the spur, slightly
lifted above the road that circles it.,
commands wonderful view, as
beautiful and scarcely less broad ex-
cept upon the seward side, as is
obtained from the mountain sum-
nit.
"a spring of pure water, also, and
excellent opportunity for water stor-
age exist here as nowhere else
upon the mountain, and shady foot
trails lead to this point from either
side.'