Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-09

Of twenty-four inches the cost is
given as $202.7l per mile.
The state Of Connecticut gives the
following report of costs over per-
iod of three years:
1022-1023: Total cost S110,02l.1S.
Average cost per mile $l16.O7. Mil
cage cleared 1900.
1923-1024: Total cost $53, 10000.
Average cost per mile $30.35. Mil
cage cleared 1900.
1024-1925: $40, 1886. Average cost
per mile $30.75. Mileage cleared 1SO0.
The state of Massachusetts does
not pillow snow directly but furnishes
equipment to the towns, and recent
report from that state indicates that
with the light snow fall OF the last
two years the costs of removing
snow have varied from $4,000 to
$4,000 per mile for each of the two
seasons.
Mr.. Sargent added that the High
way Department has two tractors,
one of which 1t has rented to citi-
zens of the town of winthrop at the
rate of $3.50 an hour for the time
it was actually employed. and the
other which has been rented to the
town of Yarmouth for two winters.
lie said, however, that those tractors
were built during the war and are
now rather obsolete; the breakage
has been found considerable and the
cost of replacement out Of proper
ton to the work done.
A former member of the State
highway commission, Philip Deer
ing Of Portland. spoke briefly of the
figures for snow removal at North
Berwick and the advantage of the
employment of improved methods
for carrying on the work in that
town.
Rental of Tractor Piow Equipment
( The proposition of the Mead
Morrison Manufacturing Company of
East Boston, Mass, for renting their
five-ton tractor plows to communi-
ties was put forward by Z. A. Ter
hume. Jr., sales engineer for the
concern. He stated that although
the business of that concern Is to
sell tractor plows. the company will
rent tractor pillow to a community
for $500 for the winter season at
times when it does not have a large
number of untitled orders, and IL
the community decides to buy the
equipment the rental money will be
applied TO the purchase price. He
ohSNCtcu many QuSStioIlS IeSaIulhb
the advantages of this IS horse-pow :
err equipment for bucking the drifts
and spoke of the sales already made
to Maine cities. He said that the
total cost of operating this tractor
plow is about SIS per hour which
allows for depreciation and repairs.
Mayor Ernest l.. Mclean of Au-
gusta asked a number of questions
relative to the use of this equipment
under such winter conditions as
might be found in this city.
Mr.. Terhune pointed out that the
building of snow fences is the most
practical and economical thing that
communities can do, for that solves
to q great extent the drift problem.
Snow Flowing in Yarmouth
Snow removal has successfully
been carried on at Yarmouth and vi
cinity, Ralph B. Redfern of that
town pointed out. He told of how
this work had been accomplished by
the use of a five ton tractor pillow.
he said that the farmers often re-
quest that two or three inches of
snow be left on the highway so that
trucking by sled can be carried on.
Road Conditions in Fairfield
B. II. Lawrence of Fairfield de-
clared that of the so miles of roads
In that town there is only one that
Will stand the traffic. that being a
section OF Portland cement. The 9TH
er roads become rutted and in the
spring 1t costs the town 5000 to put
these roads in order.
he asked that IL blowing the snow
Is apt to injure the roads.
His question was answered by
several who declared that when the
roads are properly plowed out they
dry Off faster and are better off lin
the spring.
Should Link Up Highways in Plan
That the various communities
should be brought together in a plan
for linking up the highways on which
snow Is to be removed, was the opin-
ion of Haven Sawyer of Bangor, who
said that in that city trucks and
plows have been used to good advan-
tage in the work.
George A. Emery of Eliot COM
mented on the success York county
communities are having in clearing
the roads In winter through the CO.
operation OF the Boston G. Maine bus
lines.
Cecil Clark Of Saco, representing
the Pepperell Manufacture Com.
pany Of Biddeford. said that they are
interested in the road from Biddeford
to Lewiston and plan to aid in the
snow removal on that road.
The methods used in keeping the
highway from Yarmouth to Portland
open in winter were described by Mr..
Redfern, who said that an effort
should be made to secure the assis
lance OF the towns of Freeport and
Brunswick in opening the trunk
highways from Yarmouth to Bruns-
wick during the winter months.
Sherman j.. Douglas of I.amoine
referred to the advertising value in
keeping the Maine roads clear. from
snow. stating that he had just come
from Boston where he was asked If
the road to Bethel will be kept open
so people can attend the winter
sports carnival there.
@. c. Thompson of the White Line
Bus expressed his interest in keep
ing the road from Lewiston to Au-
gusta open.
State Highway Commissioners
Charles Murray of Bangor and viii
liam j. Lanigan OF Waterville spoke
of means of carrying on the project
to good advantage.
The conference was adjourned fol-
lowing the election of the committee
to take charge Of the state wide pro-
ject.
CnMCpVTY VC