Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-17

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If there is any office in the gift Of the
American people which an intelligent pat.
riot might be ambitious to Gil, it is that Of
highway surveyor There is nothing so
essential to the comfort aud happiness Of
four 6ltbs Of our people as a good road.
There is nothing so provocative Of rage and
profanity 10 this naughty world as bad
road. And as bad roads are the rule, aud
good roads the exception, ia our otherwise
respectable commonwealth the morals Of
the travelling public are sadly out Of joint.
There is hardly road in Vermont that the
public would not be liable for private dam
ages in case Of an accident occurring upon it.
A few years ago ia driving from Orange
to Groton, cur horse fell down and broke a
thil. Patching it up as best We could, we
stopped at the house Of the selectman,
little ways further on the road, and politely
requested payment for the broken carriage
He at once responded, knowing well that
a Vermont road is always dangerous and
the town liable for any accident to horse,
carriage, or limb, that may occur upon it.
4 town always gets worsted in any suit for
damages for accident on the highway. To
contest such a suit is a mark Of Ignorance
in selectman which should disqualify him
for any Office forever. 4 town with a
grand list Of four thousand dollars is obliged
by law to raise six hundred dollars for road
tax. IL is fortunate town that has less
than fifty miles Of road in it. That will
give twelve dollars per mile for care Of the
o,ds--a mere Jqgateiie compared with
what is needed. It is consequently next to
impossible, with the vast extent four roads,
aud with our limited resources, to have
good highways We must be content, till
the country gets richer, to accept all the
perils Of land navigation as cheeriully as
possible.
But there is no reasonable excuse for
the large villages Of Vermont in having
such abominable streets as they do Bur
lipp,on. 81. Adams, Rutland, are not whit
in front of Montpelier, and all need woiully
TO learn how to expcud their road money
Our sidewalks are well enough-which can
not be said Of any other village or city in
the State--but cur roads are detestabe.
One hours rain will put them in very
nasty condition. The street crossings, es-
pecially where they are stone tagging. are
usually below the street level. and admira.
bic channels for the water to run 10, and
furnish the best of receptacles for the mud.
Rnt tho streets themselves Alas. for their
condition Thousands mon thousands of
dollars have hern cxnondcd in e,rtiug CLAW
upon them and cartipe it Of. and they are
no better Mt the end then at the beginning.
Onr successive surveyors 20 on in the un-
doyiatipr ru. Of stupidity, spending money
in imnerceptible improvements.
We need n survevor who has heard OF
the Celtic descendant of the famous Adam,
or naradis,icol notorietv--a man who has
done more to mend the roads of this terres.
h,l hall than his great proceniter did to
spoil them. MeAdam is a historical name
in highway literature. Broken stone, dis.
,r;hn,od L,eo aaon nm a nnblic highway.
makes an imnerisbable road. The famous
Corniche road or Eurone is macadamized.
The magnificent road from Geneva to
Chomouni has undergone the same process
And If If Is imnossible for rs to macadam.
ise our town roads we vet might find the
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