Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-06-24
Watervile Puts in Plea
For Highway to Belfast
Petition 1880 Names Offered at
Hearing Before Highway
C0mmissiOn-Other Groups
Seek Construction Road from
Coopers Mills to Rockland-
Commission Says Work Con-
tingent on Authorization of
Bond Issue at Election in
September

So great was the interest displayed
by the supporters Of the Waterville
to Belfast State highway petition be-
fore the State Highway Commission
yesterday forenoon that 1t was nee
essary to hold the hearing in the hall
Of Representatives at the State House.
Fully $50 persons were present from
the various towns along the proposed
route and the petition headed by Hon.
Leon o. Tebbetts of WaterviIle and
266O others was submitted to the
Highway Commission.
Two other hearings held by the COM
mission yesterday called forth large
groups of petitioners, these hearings
being on the plea for a start on the
construction Of the State highway al
ready designated, leading from the
city of Rockland through the towns
of Rockport, Hope, Union and Wash
ington to Cooper's Mills; and the Pc
tition of Joseph w. Allen of Mt. Ver-
non and CIT citizens of the towns Of
Mt. Vernon, Vienna, Winthrop, Farm
ington and Readfield, asking that the
commission lay out and begin the
construction of State road, of grav-
ell, from a point on the State road
in the village of winthrop just west
of the Maine Central Railroad station,
to a point In Pennington village, pass
ing through Readfield Corner, West
Mr. mi ,crtr N
Falls.
While the decision of the commits
sion was reserved on all of these mat
tiers, Chairman Frank A. Peabody of
the Highway Commission stated that
If the highway bond issue is author
lied by the voters this coming fall he
could see no reason why work cannot
be started on remaining State high
ways already designated as part OF
the trunk line system, such as High
way p from Cooper's Mills to Rock
land. and Highway r from Augusta
to Belfast.
Belfast. WaterviiIe Highway Hearing
Senator Edwin NJ. Foster of Water
VILE acted as spokesman for the pro-
ponents OF the petitiaa<fori the laying
out of a State highway from Water
willie to Belfast passing through AL
bion and Freedom.
After speaking interestingly on the
necessity of q route from the centrai
mart of Maine to the Coast, Mr.. Fos-
ter called upon A. 0. Hall OF ALBION
who stated that this route would APP
peal to the greatest number OF peopie
in Maine. that it would better serve
not only inter-town and city trafhc
hut would also better serve our ra-
pidly growing tourist traffic tnan
would the proposed Highway from
Augusta to Belfast; he compared tle
district through which each OF the
proposed roads would travel and
made the point that the Waterviile TO
belfast route passed through many
prosperous and thriving communities
whereas the Belfast route served q
section with but few industries ana
many abandoned farms.
He further stated that he felt tna'
very little could be said In favor OF
Highway from Augusta to Belfast as
such persons as might now desire TO
use such a road would be mucn pet
ter served by the route asked Tor by
the petitioners.
Hon, Leon o. Tebbetts of Water
vile next spoke and stated that ne
wished 1t made quite plain that the
proponents of the petition were not
opposed in any way to highway
CONTINUED on Page 3-col. 81