Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-08
Ptcl1cr Speaks of
Advantages of
Bitun1inous Roads
Over Gravel Type

Expressing the opinion that the
average motorist Is becoming more
and nnrc convinced that when traf-
nc goes over an average of 400 cars
per day it viii cali for hard sur
face road in order to maintain q
good road on an economical basis,
Hiram ". Kicker of Poland dis
cus8ad the road building question in
nm interesting letter to Chief En-
Einccr Pant II. Sargent of the state
Highway Commission.
Mr. Kicker declared that hard
surface roads are n saving to the
man Who owns the car In the cost
of gasoline and repairs. He also
pointed out that such a road can
bc used for automobile purposes as
soon aa the snow ia gone. while a
ear cannot bc used TO advantage and
with safety on II gravel road for at
least Il month in the spring and Il
month in the tall.
1T epcms to me that through
Your experience YOU will be able 10
lower the cost of n iirSt-class hl-
luminous road and the cost OF main
tanning Il for all such roads that
have a large. increasing traffic as
serted Mr.. Eickcr. II trust that In
the construction of your gravel
roads. YOU rill bear in mind the
fact that II is only matter OF time
when the traffic viii demand n hard
surface. In doing this. l believe
that YOU will lower the final cost or
the road and that we shall Gradu-
ally work into Il system of dustless
roads that will he n credit to our
state. In my Judgment. the future
fVnt 10 10
our tourist travel. | believe l will
hc ah,c to show. within one year.
that - to 20 per cent. OF the total
assessed value of our state comes
direct through the so-Called summer
interests This cannot be maintained
and increased without the compile
tiou. rs soon rs possible. OF our
highway system rs per YOUR plan
that YOU have already laid out with
the Increased extension of your
plan so il Will enable us to make
connection with the Canadian good
road system.
ut is new money that the State
needs in order TO maintain and In
crease the efficiency of our roads
under your department. Consider
that in 1870 there was S132 0N.WM
of taxable proncrtv in the state of
Maine. ont of S39G00O 900 total val
uation, which was paid by non-res-
ident tax payers. which is. at least.
~ per cent. summer interests. This
does not include all those people
who have built their summer homes
aud become residents. 1t does not
include the money that has gone
into rentahje cottages and improved
farm buildings that are used only
for summer people. 1t does not in
clude the hundreds of thousands of
dollars that have gone into our
camps and the millions OF dollars
that have gone into our summer ho-
tells.
with my experience and the
knowledge that l have been able
to obtain. am sure with the aver
ago business man throughout our
state lending his support. toward
carrying TO the American people in
formation regarding our natural
-, beausies--our climate, our beauti-
full lakes. our seashore (the finest in
the worldly. our immense forests
this industry can be doubled in less
than Il wears. II all this can be
accomplished there will be no ques-
ton but that the state with have I'm
come sufficient to support our high
way 10 point of very high efficien-
cy."
Mr.. Kicker stated in his letter
that he had read with n great deal
OF interest Mr., ,Sargent's article en-
titled rs the Motorist Getting Full
Value from state Highway Construc-
tion?" which appeared in the auto
mobile section of the Kennebec
Journal. Feb. IS. and in which Mr..
Sargent spoke of the growth of
maintenance costs with the growth
OF traffic and pointed out that the
cost of Carrying traffic on the BIZ
luminous roads is about one-fifth as
much per vehicle as the cost on
gravel surfaced roads. 1T Is GER
tainly interesting and you have ar
rived at this by years of experience"
asserted Mr.. Kicker.