Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-03

fishly are doing their best.
1t may be that in times past the |
highway Commission sometimes |
nave failed to explain their position |
to the people, and have gone ahead |
ana done what they believed to be |
right without thought that our people |
need TO be shown" Maine people, |
as a whole, are reasonable. If one
| taxes the time to give them the
lacts, they will understand them and
approve of what is being done. | |
however have noticed a marked les
SEEMING in criticism during the past
TWO years and believe our citizens
are beginning to appreciate faithful
| service.
When first came into office 7 be-
| IeVed a full-time commission would
| he preferable to the present part
time system. but experience has
| taught me otherwise. AS long as we
can find men like the present COM
mlss1oners, who are willing to serve
| the State and who do their work as
| Faithfully as 1t now lie being done.
| &c not want to see our system
! changed.
Bridges
The bridge problem is the most
difficult one Of all, for when one re-
calls that in Maine there are 5,9S7
! bridges ten feet or over in length, ~
| Will be seen that we always shall be
In trouble. In ten years the State
has built and Is building, 173 bridges.
During the present year alone the
State has completed and is working
upon II bridges, to cost $1,02S,127:
while petitions are on file covering
| IS more. Every town seems to feel
that the State should care for all the
bridges. In my opinion the re-
sponsibility for practically all the
bridges should remain upon the
towns In which they are located
! The State, on bridges alone could
use all the money that IS available
for road work, and then hardly would
| have made a beginning
kittcry Portsmouth Bridge
The completion of the Portsmouth
| ktttery bridge marks an important
| event in the history of the State.
| This bridge was built under a sep
| arate commission consisting OF the
Governors of New Hampshire and
| Maine, and the Secretary of the
Navy. $4,000 900 was appropriated
TO, It, and N,4S5,9lS.29 was spent
| upon 1t. 1t is true that the State of
Maine. in addition to its 100000 con-
| tribution. was obliged to pay for
scott span to connect the main
spans with Badgers Island. and to
construct a road across that island
with a second bridge acro"s Pack
River so-called. The State of New
Hampshire. on the other hand. flrn-
ished its own approach and the cost
thereof was not much less than that
of Names extra work. The engi-
neers who had charge of this con-
struction kept careful watch of every
detail and expenditure and deserve a
great deal of credit for what thrT
did. It is unusual to have a balance
LIFT on an appropriation such as
this.
The Governor and Council author
lied the purchase Of an entire block
o. land on the Kittery mainland. that
| will be laid out as n park And in
which the memorial feature of tho
bridge may he located. This will
give those who come into Maine
plea sing prospect ard first impress
sions often are lasting believe tho
investment in this land will prove a
wise one.
You will be interested to know of
the traffic that has crossed this
bridge, for that shows what it means
to the State. The first week 152,-
495 passengers and 1880 cars cross
ed the bridge. The average passcn-
gers per car was SIS. In estimating
the entire traffic l have taken the
have figured three months traffic on
that basis. For the second months
have taken Go percent Of that traf-
tic, for the third ; months 40 percent,
and for the fourth months, 20 per-
cent. If / am correct in these figures.
4.5i5,S21 passengers and l,3SS,91h
cars will cross every Year The old
toll-bridgc charged Toe per car.
which on my figures represents tolls
of S20S,345.50 for automobiles alone.
Teams and passors ON foot would in
! crease the revenue considerably. In
other words this amount is saved
those who cross the bridge, and il
| represents an excellent return on Il
total investment Of about S1.7Ju.000,
, which includes the cost of both APP
! proaches. All the States in the Tn
ion. except Idaho. Nevada, South
/ Dakota and Oregon were represent
! ed in the count referred to. while
! Massachusetts cars exceeded those of
Maine by 81 percent.
Inter State Highways
We all agree that the principal
! highways leading into the state
! should be given special consideration.
/ Having this in mind. We this year
are spending on the Roosevelt Trail
! $40, 132.0 5 and 1862 miles are being
constructed. In another year this
| Trail ought 10 be completed to the
! New HAMPSHIRE line. / think il will
mean a great deal to our entire state
to have this avenue onenod for out
| Of State cars. We should also push
the completion Of the Jac!lman Road,
and as soon as possible should begin
on the new road to Quebec through
Franklin County.
High Costs