One Road Law Offers the Best Solution of the Automobile Problem. Mr. Charles Shea, House of Representatives, Augusta, Maine. 18 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, February 7, 1911. Dear Sir:- The publication of my letter to you with regard to the proposed automobile law for Bar Harbor-which was not written with a view to it-has led, I find, to some discus- sion as to my attitude in the matter and possible misunderstanding of it; I therefore write to you again to make my position in regard to it quite clear and to say as plainly as I can that I believe the proposed one-road law offers the best solution of the problem obtainable at the pres- ent time, and that I give it my support, without reserve, accordingly. This I do, first, because I believe it to be for the best interests of the town as a resort that the many people who now come, in constantly increasing numbers, travelling through the state by automobile in summer should be able to reach Bar Harbor without recourse to boats or trains. In the second place, because I believe that a single road permitting not only such travellers but the residents and summer residents of the town to come and go by automobile, and to be in automobile connection with the general road system of the stat and country, is not only desir- able in itself but forms the only way in which the present unfortunate agitation and uncertainty can be brought to an end and the matter put upon a satisfactory and settled basis for the next few years. And third, because the proposed law, while satisfying what seems to me a reason- able demand on the part of many that the town should not be debarred from an important method of approach for travellers and a valuable quick connection with other portions of the country, leaves it permanently open to the towns-people and summer residents, combined, to make such an approach-either along the line suggested by myself or elsewhere-as will leave the existing road system practically untouched and will neither injure private property nor lessen personal safety in its use. That our present roads are unsuited in the condition in which they now are-and some of them permanently in my opinion-for automobile use does not seem to me to constitute an argument against the proposed law, but on the contrary to argue strongly in its favor, as it will limit automobiles to a single road which can be fitted for their use, or better, built expressly for such use-which I believe to be the only really satisfactory and immediately permanent solution of the problem. That complete exclusion can be maintained I do not believe; neither do I believe it to be desirable, looking at the matter largely and trying to look ahead and see what is going to be best for the town's development in the long run. That a single road would be simply an open- ing wedge for general admission I also do not think true; a great part of the opposition to this solution of the problem is based on that belief, but it seems to me on the contrary that the best chance of keeping automobiles off the general driving roads lies in giving them a special one apart from these, for approach and exit. This is all a matter of personal opinion. Mine has no more value than that of any other citizen or summer resident who has given the matter serious thought and has the larger inter- ests of the town at heart. I simply state my own position in the matter again because I do not wish to seem to take an uncertain one in regard to it, believing as I do that I am taking the wisest course for a citizen of the town to take in giving my support to the measure now before the Legislature and that it will, if passed, lead to the most practical solution of the problem possible at this time. As my previous letter to you, not written with a view to publication, has appeared in print, will you kindly see that the same publicity is given this which seeks to make my position in the matter clear. Yours truly, (Signed) G. B. DORR. COPY. 18 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. February 4th, 1911. Mr Charles Shea, House of Representatives, Augusta, Maine. Dear Sir, I have been asked to write to you and state my attitude upon the automobile question at Bar Harbor, with regard to the bill now before the legislature. I am a citizen of Eden, as you know, and my interests -- both of long association and of property - are such as to make me strongly desirous that no mistake be made in a matter that I feel to be of grave importance to the future welfare of the town. I have given it much thought accordingly and have dis- cussed it thoroughly with others, both townspeople and summer resi- dents. To admit aut omobiles onto the general driving roads of the town would do great harm at the present time, I am convinced, and result in a serious setback to the immediate prosperity of the town. on the other hand I believe that a mistake would equally be made by continuing to exclude, wholly from the town the people who now go travelling throughout the state by automobile, on pleasure trips in summer. I think that the prosperity of the town and its life as a resort would be increased and stimulated by giving such people, whose number is increasing constantly, opportunity to come and go. I also feel that with the present feeling in the town such exclusion, if maintained, could not be permanent or long; that it would be apt to 2 result in suddenly throwing the whole town open in a way that could not but result in serious injury to it; and even if it did not so result, would still cause constant agitation and an uncertainty with regard to the future which would do scarcely less. I therefore took the step this fall, upon my own responsibility, of having a new road surveyed by which automobiles could reach the town and leave it without following any of the existing town roads and injuring their pleasantness or safety. This road, which I felt would be a desirable one in itself for the town to add to those which it already has and which would keep automobiles entirely off the present ones for a distance of ten miles from the village, ex- cept for a few necessary crossings, I have felt to be the wisest so- lution of the problem for the present and one which would best serve both interests and keep the town from any serious or sudden change. Should any change be made in the present law, I trust that the possibility of the construction of such a special road may be pro- vided for, as an alternative to withdrawing from the present system any of the existing roads with the others that connect with them and would be almost equally affected. Such provision would be made, I understand, by the law proposed, which would give the town the right to open any single road it might deem best. This seems to me doubly important because the present driving roads of the town are certainly unsuitable for automobiles to use and could not be fitted for them, without great expense, while our horses at Bar Harbor are so wholly unaccustomed to the sight of them that serious accidents might follow on their sudden use. To re-state, in brief, my point of view: I think it important to keep automobiles off the present driving roads of the town, wholly if possible, and would be willing to share, not only to the extent 3 of my taxes, -- which are considerable -- but beyond, in the building of a special road to keep them off of these. On the other hand, I do distinctly believe that the future interests of the town will be best served by giving the large class of people who now come travel- ling into the state by automobile in summer time an opportunity to reach what is, and should remain, its most important coast resort. Believe me Very truly yours, COPY. Bar Harbor, Maine. August 26th, 1912. Dr Charles W. Eliot, Asticou, Maine. Dear President Eliot, This is what I think with regard to the automobile situa- tion here: that it will be idle to attempt to exclude them from Bar Harbor beyond the present year; that it has been plainly inevitable for the last two years at least that the town must in the end be opened to them and that the only way to have postponed such opening was by the substitution of a special road to bring the touring public to the town and take them out - a compromise whose oppor tunity has now gone by, I think; that there will be gain as well as loss in their coming, wider possibilities of residence, of social intercourse and of excursion; that the detriment which they will cause when once the change is made has been exaggerated, while whether their coming be a gain or loss any scheme of permanent exclusion has now become Utopian. Opinion here among the summer residents is no longer by any means unanimous in opposition to their coming but much divided, many wanting them for reasons of quicker communicati on or economy and some for preference and the increasing habit of their use elsewhere. A large majority of the townspeople here are strongly in favor now of opening, because they think it means increased prosperity to the town, and in this I believe them 2 to be right so far at least as hotel life is concerned, or a wider residential life. That the lesislature at its next meeting will give the town back its local option in the matter I also believe to be unquestionable, and that any further contest must be made not before it but at town-meeting. Personally, I have taken no attitude ei ther in favor of their introduction or in opposition to it since I saw you last, a year ago. I made my contribution to the subject in urging the adoption of a special-road plan which should carry with it a general agree- ment securing so far as possible postponement of further introduc- tion for a term of years, and in the survey which I had made for such a road. The present condition seemed to me two years ago the obvious alternative to such a scheme; complete exclusion, impracti- cable. Now, the attempt to prolong it in our town would only result, in my judgment, in prolonging bitter feeling and an uncertainty not permitting us to reap the benefit of either course. That any effec- tive opposition can be made at Bar Harbor to next year's opening I do not believe, so large the number of those opposed before who have changed their attitude either with regard to the matter itself or with regard to the usefulness and desirability of further opposi- tion. Believe me ever Yours sincerely,