yS FOREST commissioner's report. 



lions of acres of goodly hills and dales, watered by long and 

 beatable streams, are of no value. Whether, however, of value 

 or not, in regard to the treasury, they are of immense importance 

 to use for charity and beneficence. Even the privilege of giv- 

 ing them away is worth more, than without it, would be the 

 richest mine of gold." 



The early legislators differed in their views as to the best 

 policy to pursue in the management of the public lands. Some 

 desired to sell only to settlers; others thought they should be 

 used primarily as a means of revenue ; others argued that there 

 should be a conservative policy which would not only furnish 

 the State with needed funds, but also give the pioneers an oppor- 

 tunity to buy lands at a fair and reasonable price. The system 

 of disposing of large tracts to individuals for speculative pur- 

 poses was deprecated by those who had the future welfare of 

 the State at heart. 



The first legislatures adopted a liberal policy in the appro- 

 priation of lands for the building of roads and bridges. It was 

 recognized that in order to extend settlements good roads were 

 imperative, and the system of extending aid in this direction 

 was pursued for many years. At first Alassachusetts was also 

 liberal in aiding those improvements. 



In March, 1828, the Maine legislature passed a resolve to aid 

 in the construction of a road north of the Bingham Purchase. 

 The Land Agent selected Township No. i, 2d range, north of 

 the Purchase, containing 18,284 acres. This was sold for thirty 

 cents an acre, $5,685.20 being realized, and $4,187.60 more was 

 obtained for this purpose by the sale of a township granted by 

 Massachusetts. The Aroostook road was built by the sale of 

 granted lands. The building of 61 miles of that very important 

 highway cost $1,000 a mile. The legislative resolve for the 

 building of roads, keeping them in repair, and like improve- 

 ments, occupy many pages of the public documents and attest 

 to the liberal policy favored by the first law makers of the State. 



In other directions the policy of liberality was adopted. When 

 the State House was built in 1828 ten townships and a half were 

 appropriated to aid in the construction. From the sale of this 

 land $66,266.80 was realized. It is an interesting bit of history 

 that, when later more money was needed to complete the build- 



