St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-07-08
ROdd-Mdkin1.
AN IMPORTANT LEGAL DECISION.

y case tried at the present term o
our county court, and reported in las
weeks CdieiOnian, is of so much i'm
portance TO towns, and the public gen
orally, that we cannot help referring t,
it. 1t appeared from the evidence, thai
a clerk Of MIR. Joel Fletcher's was
driving into Barnet village from the
north at good rate of speed, (somt
called it rapid and in passing common
waterbar, the rebound broke the sulky
on which he was riding, and the hors,
ran and injured himself SO much as to be
nearly worthless. Notwithstanding i,
was proved that the water-bar was no,
unusual in size-not being over -four
inches above the level of the road each
side-the jury returned a verdict of 1854
for the plaintiff.
We do not say this verdict was wrong.
but If right, what town in Caledonia
County is not liable every day TO sim
liar accident, and greater or less
amount of 'smart money ?"
Now that it has been decided by our
County Court that, virtually, towns
have no legal right to put water-bars
across their highways, it will be well
for highway surveyors and others to
make a note of the fact We are not
certain but the decision is a good one,
and that it will work valuable refor-
nation in our roads, for certainly if there
Is nuisance to the travelling public in
this vicinity it is the great number OF
bars across the roads
Let one take a tolerably well loaded
team and undertake TO trot his horses
down almost any descending ground in
this immediate vicinity, and he does so
at the imminent risk Of breaking his
carriage and harness, if not his own
HUN iIC liver IOdtlS are mol so DAD
this respect rs the hill roads, but they
are all too bad. Take, for instance, the
road from this place to South Wheclock,
via the Theoph. Drew place and Chandler
Pond, and the water-bars will he found
outrageous. On the slightest descent
there is hardly twenty rods of trotting
road the entire distance, and all because
OF these waterb bars, for otherwise this
road is model of excellence and beauty
The same is true Of the highway TO Bar
net by the way of Danville and Joe's
brook. This charming drive is married
by the water-ba,s
They make their roads differently in
some other states, and, we think, better.
On some Of the roads in the upper part
Of New Hampshire and Maine, one can
'ide twenty miles and not find a single
In the town of Upton, Maine.
here is hill one and one-half miles
ong leading from the Corner" TO the |
AXE, and not bar on it, and a good |
rottIng road the entire distance. In the |
own of jefferson, n. H., there are SIX
niles of good hard roadway, similar 10
he DanvIlle roads, but without "A bar or
. jolt.
We were interested TO learn bow they
made tleSe roads which to Us seemed
models of excellence: They first take
| heavy team, generally two yokes of
oxen, and plow deep from six to twelve
eet each side of the highway, and then
With scraper>, hau! this dirt up into the
Dad, making the centre from four to six
eet higher than the cutters on each side.
Then with common harrows, they work
t all over, throwing out the stones and
'trcks. but leaving it well rounded up
and smooth. In short time this road
becomes har. and smooth, and not un
frequently, when once thoroughly re-
paired in this way, it will need nothing
more done to it for five or eight years,
when the process is repeated. The steep
.st hills as we'll as the levtl roads are all
re.;tcd in this manner. Will our III
Way surveyors try this method and see
lcw they like it!