Municipal Improvements – Ashland ME

Description

The annual municipal report from 1935 reported on extensive E.R.A. activity in Ashland:

“Since May 1, 1934 the Town of Ashland has received approximately $10,000.00 in the form of Federal Emergency Relief Funds. This money has enabled the town to work between fifteen and twenty-five men on a part time basis. Efforts have consistently been made to get approval for worth while projects. A few of the things accomplished with these funds are listed below:
1. Construction of approximately one mile of rock drain.
2. Cleaning up town dumps at Ashland and Sheridan.
3. Assisting park commission in cleaning up Community park.
4. Provide labor for school house repairs including construction of double roof on central building.
5. Labor and some material for complete inside and outside painting work, central building, also inside painting, Sheridan building.
6. Labor and some material for double roof on Sheridan school house.
7. Cleaning ditches and road repairs, Frenehville and Sheridan.
8. Cutting and burning bushes on approximately fifteen miles of highway.
9. Labor to cut 65,000 feet of logs.
10. Provided the means for a full time stenographer at the town office.
11. Provided labor for a Sewing Project, which made up clothing for a large number of children and adults.
12. Labor and some material for construction of a cistern of 22,000 gallons capacity for fire protection.
13. Provided labor to cut approximately 150 cords of wood.

This work has been completed with a net cost to the Town of not more than $1,000.00.”

The annual report from 1936 reported on E.R.A. and W. P.A. activity:

“Through the Federal Emergency Relief Administration funds, the Town of Ashland received $11,000.00 for work relief. This enabled the town to employ approximately twenty-eight men on full time and fifteen men on part time basis. Due to the critical condition of unemployment for the past year this has made a reduction of expenditures that would normally have been expended from the Town Poor Account. Through this work relief program the town was able to accomplish the following:
1. The construction of a rock drain on Mill Street to bottom of Allen Hill.
2. Improvements on swamp, opposite the cemetery, which consists of cutting brush, an earth fill and grading.
3. The construction of approximately 2000 feet of road, from Alder Brook east, in conjunction with the $1,000 appropriated by the town.
4. The cleaning and digging approximately two miles of ditch on the Frenchville Road.
5. The construction of much needed wooden culverts and cross-walks in Sheridan and on the Frenchville Road.
6. Cutting brush on approximately fourteen miles of highway and the burning of brush along these highways to prevent fire hazards.
7. Graveling and ditching certain parts of the Wrightville road in construction with the Appropriation of $500.00.
S. A sewing project which continued for a period of six months, which employed six women. The clothing made on this project was given to the town poor with very little expense to the town.

The Works Progress Administration supplemented the Emergency Relief Administration, Nov. 23, 1935, and will continue until July 1, 1936. At the present time twenty-four men are employed cutting hardwood for consumption next winter, by the schools and town paupers. During this project a fine set of camps were constructed capable of housing fifty men. These camps are so constructed that they may be used for several years.

Projects are approved for the construction of 4000 feet of Highway between the finish of 1935 third class construction and Ashland. A Project for the construction of a Grand Stand, and improvements on the Park grounds is pending and without a doubt will be approved.”

The annual report from 1937 reported on W.P.A. activity:

“Through the Works Progress Administration funds, the Town of Ashland received $12,050.52 for work relief. At the present time there are 37 men employed on the road project between Ashland and Sheridan, and 6 women employed on the sewing project. This also has been a great relief in the expenditures of the Town Poor Account. Following is the list of accomplishments of the work relief program :
1. The construction of a Grand Stand at the Ashland Community Park, with a seating capacity of approximately 900 persons.
2. The construction of 2100 feet of Highway 011 the Sheridan road (in conjunction with the Third Class Construction funds).
3. A sewing project which has continued for a period of 12 months, giving employment to six women. The clothing made on this project from the cloth furnished by the town, remains in the town for the poor. Clothing made from Federal material is shipped to Augusta to the Surplus Commodity Department; but the town is reimbursed with clothing for rent, lights, heat, thread and buttons furnished by the town.

The present project on the Sheridan Road now going on, will continue for approximately two and one half months.

The Third Class road Construction fund was expended, in conjunction with the WPA, and 2050 feet has been completed; besides, 750 feet of road with the hose completed. This has been a rather difficult section to construct as there were two large fills of 3,000 yards, and 4,000 yards, also a great many culverts.”