l68 AGRICU1.TURE OF MAINE. 



motors and too narrow to allow safe passing. I believe that 

 the first consideration is to make these highways safe, and 

 that the matter of a smooth, hard riding surface, while impor- 

 tant, and to be desired in the' end, is really of secondary con- 

 sideration. 



If you adopt the first view that the money will be more 

 v/isely expended by building only the most permanent types of 

 highway such as concrete, bituminous macadam, etc., the num- 

 ber of miles actually improved in this manner from the bond 

 issue would be very small, probably not more than 150 to 200 

 miles, and while it is true that the comparatively few people 

 living in the vicinity of these roads would derive much pleasure 

 from them, the state at large would derive no widespread 

 benefit at all. If, on the other hand, you adopt the second 

 principle, and devote this bond issue to making fundamental 

 improvements as I have suggested, widening, straightening, re- 

 ducing grades, and putting in under and side drainage, and then 

 surface these roads with the best gravel or earth that may be ob- 

 tained within a reasonable haul, you will secure a vastly greater 

 mileage of improvement and have adopted, I believe, the wise->t 

 and best course for the state as a whole. 



GRAVEL ROADS. 



I am firmly of the opinion, too, that first-class gravel roads 

 will stand the traffic of this state practically everywhere. The 

 gravel road in Maine has never been given a fair show. I d j 

 not know of a piece of this kind of construction that has ever 

 received proper maintenance, proper care, — care such as the 

 state of New Hampshire is now giving its gravel roads with 

 daily patrol, and whether this type of construction will stand the 

 traffic or not I believe it should be given a trial, because practi- 

 cally nothing will be lost in such trial. The money that has 

 been spent in reducing grades, in cuts and fills, in under drain- 

 age, etc., will not be lost under any circumstances, and if the 

 gravel top proves inadequate, you have still the best possible 

 foundation for any other type of road which the community 

 can afi^ord to build. 



Furthermore, I believe that when the bond issue has been ex- 

 pended along this line, the state has pretty nearly done its 

 equitable and fair duty to all sections of the state, and has 



