Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-04-25
HIGHWAY SUGGESTIONS

What maine Motor Coaches. Inc
is asking of the Public Uulltles
is likely to suggest to the minds OF
thinking people certain inquiries.
Among these the following occur to
mind:
When railroads are eliminated by
the motor bus what assurance are
we to have Of facilities for winter
travel?
II the highways are to be kept
omen in the winter months, who are
to pay for it?
If kept open and in consequence
the annual wear OF the nara sur
faced highway be more than doupieo
-one may get some idea OF inns ny
the appearance in the spring OF the
surface of the highways that nave
been kept open-how are we to pro-
vide for maintenance, something
which heretofore has not been done!
While a railroad hestitates to
abandon its right of way when con-
oi,,ons prove temporarily unfavor-
able, what is to hinder a public bus
line from disseminating its service?
When that for any reason shall be
discontinued will not the pubiics
plight be worse than under the Ola
conditions, when some degree OF
permanency and regularity is as
sured?
How long may we expect the
country roads-on some OF the
routes projected portion OF the
Highways are Of that classic De
Kept pa.sable without being rebuilt
with a hard surface?
Yet while these inquiries are peril
rent it is wholly unlikely that what
ever the answer be, whatever eX-
lense may be involved, no objection
may be expected-for a while-to
stem the tide of the present popular
demand for, or is it popular re-
Spouse to, the conveniences and
rovelty afforded by thaSmotor bus.
VIXEN the weather is good and the
taxpayers keep the highways in con-
dition for the traffic.
Some had hoped the railroads
might, by establishing q sort OF
jitney service over their rails. SO
meet popular demand as to defer
this radical change. This they
Rave not done. Instead they are
asking for authority to compete on
the same plane-the public high
way-with the individual or other
corporation.
already the decision of the Legis-
lature to establish a three-cent gas
tax is shown to have been wise. 1t
10 the fairest possible method for
securing payment according to use,
though ii we are to be compelled to
build new highways to favor through
line buses, it obviously will be in
adequate.
Also it is seen to be wise that the
Legislature raised a law requiring
the~motor bus concerns to take out
liability insurance, though this will
not go into effect until 80 days after
the Legislature adjourned. IT any
one is injured on the railroads there
is the property of the corporation to
ensure payment of just claims.
1t may be questioned whether the
motor passenger bus can prove as
serviceable to the public as whole,
as the distribution of products and
other freight by means Of the truck
might be. Regarding the latter,
however, if they are to be permitted
to haul heavy loads on hard tires
over our highways We will surely
find the cost of maintenance an ap-
palling bill. What with balloon tires
1t is possible to have motor bus SER
vice with comparatively little de-
struction and it is possible the gas
tax, registration, etc, will care for
tbs, but 1t may be doubted whether
there be adequate protection against
the heavily laden, hard tired truck.