Daily Kennebec journal., 1924-12-19


bridges were needed in the next six
years.
Mr.. Kicker said that the general
bonds are looking for shcrt term
bonds-15 years rather than 80 or 80
years.
State Aid Roads
State Senator Herbert E. wadS-
worth of Winthrop asserted his be-
lief that the policy OF the coming
legislature win be to keep the taxes
as low as possible. but that he con-
sidered the state aid system very ad-
vantageous to the state, for the peo-
pie of the different towns are willing
to raise half of the money them
selves. They match the states money.
Chairman Peabody showed that the
law has been changed so that third
class road money cannot be spent on
state aid roads.
The state aid proposition was ad-
vocated by Mr.. Leland
Chairman Peabody stated that the
highway commission had advocated
larger sum for state aid highways
but were only able to get $50O.00o.
He said that in 1922 the towns asked
from state aid the sum OF s792. .0e0:
in 1928, 1922. 900, and in 1924, $685. 900.
jority of those in attendance favored
raising the state aid fund from $780,
600, as it now is, to $1,000. 900.
Senator Wardsworth pointed out
that the state road program is not as
hard on the people as they imagine.
that $327, 200 hn the only portion OF
the third class roads that the people
pay for. and that the state aid roads
are the only ones the people pay for
by general taxation.
The gathering then went on record
as favoring the state highway COM
missions recommendations for a $9..
100000 bond issue for highway con-
struction and s3,600.000 for bridge
construction.
AFTERNOON SESSION
At the meeting in the afternoon
Secretary of State Frank ". Ball eX-
planned the law in some of the other
states, including Massachusetts,, pro-
viding for the examination of oper-
ators of motor vehicles before a
license is given them. The idea is
favored by the State highway COM
mission.
Senator Hodgdon c. Buzzell of
Belfast was opposed the law. He
said that he knew Il man who lived
at Calais, who had but one arm but
VINO WAS very careful driver and
under the proposed law this man
would not be given a license to OPP
crate a car. THE man who makes
the trouble is the fellow with the
car worth about $40 who carelessly
and neSligently bumps into car
worth several hundred dollars
damaging it quite badly" said Sen
.. ator Buzzel.
Representative William Tudor
Gardiner of Gardiner favored the
proposition.
Secretary of State Ball said that
he did not believe any state which
has regulations excludes an operator
of car because he has only one
| arm, if he shows. that he knows how
7 to handle a car.
Favor Examination OF Drivers
| A majority of those present ia
vored the passage OF a law provid-
ing for an examination of motorists.
! Hiram Kicker of Poland spoke in
favor of a law which would pro
! hibit the parking of automobiles on
hard surface roads.
Senator Buzzell asked how many
officers it would require to stop the
young people from parking their
| cars on the highway. The meeting
! finally decided to favor an act plac-
ing the supervision Of the parking of
| cars in the hands of the State high
way commission.
1--WE are creating 4 feeling. or a
| feeling has been creating between
| Maine and Massachusetts egarding
! trucks said Chairman Ripley.s"And
| something ought. to be done TO
| Strai2hten out the :ituation,',
| Chairman Peabody of the State
| highway commission said that he
| felt like letting in the trucks from
| other states in the same manner as
| the passenger cars without paying
! anything provided that the 1cgisla-
! ture votes to increase the tax on
| gasoline from Nonc cent to three
! cents.
Hugh J. McKinnon of Richmond
! representing the Automobile Cham
Der of Commerce of New York. said
| that he believed that trucks should
come into the State without paying
| a license zee and that now Maine
! charges more for the licensing Of
trucks than any of the other New
| England states.
1T would be a Wonderful thing
Tor the State OF Maine if trucks and
from other states without paying
license" said Mr.. McKinnon.
Paul D. Sargent, chief engineer Cf
the State Highway Commission. said
that the truck owners had shown
good disposition in not using their
trucks during the season prohibited
by the commission.
Chairman Peabody said that the
advertising that Maine would get
would more than offset the money
received in fees from out of the
State trucks.
Mr.. Mckinnon said that he has not
heard of any truck owner VINO is op-
posed to an increase in the gasoline
tax.
kennebee Bridge
W. d. Talbot of Rocltland said that
the. meeting should go on record as
favoring a bond issue Of $4,000, 900
for bridge across the Kennebec
river at Bath. He said that the best
engineers had figured the cost of the
bridge at s3.000.O00. He said that a
great many people believe that this
proposed bridge Is absolutely essen
tial to the Maine highway system.
What do YOU mean. a free bridge
or toll bridge?" asked Chairman
Ripley.
I'VE will say state owned bridge
across the Kennebec at Bath" re-
piled Mr.. Talbot.
Hiram Kicker OF Poland said that
this bridge is needed and that sooner
or later 1t should be built.
II am in favor Of the bridge" said
Mr.. Kicker, II think. however, that II
would be good idea to make the
bridge toll bridge at the beginning.
| hope L at you will decide today on