Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-02-20

surveyors the tax would have to be paid
in money. This would be very distaste
full TO many farmers, but the speaker
thought that very much more good would
result to the highways. The greatest adj
vantage would come from the uniformity
of the work which would be done.
Hon. F. ID. Douglass of Whiting,
thought that the whole matter of the
state of roads depended upon public
opinion. He thought we should never
have a proper state of roads until we
went to the root of the matter and re
formed public opinion. He gave an &C
count of how surveyor in one district
had taken load of men into his OK
team, had jolly time in riding over the
road, and then coolly crossed out their
taxes He desired to see the matter agi-
tated and public attention attracted to
the great waste of our highway money
under the old or present system.
Mr.. u. b. Jameson of Irasburg, spoke
of the necessity for guide boards, and
the fact that there was only one town in
the State, as far as he knew, where these
were maintained as they should be. He
referred to an OLD guide board at eros.
roads which had become almost oblitera-
ted from the effects of time, and how
somebody had aptly wrote and put up a
notice on it that " if any one comes along
and can't read this let him inquire at the
next house." Laughter Another ad
vantage in the commissioner system
would be that in the building os sluice
ways and bridges we should have those
who would better understand how 10
construct them, than was now the case
with tae average surveyors. Referring
to the frequent cases of damages for the
insufficiency of the highways He said
no woman was safe driver. AT least
that was 80 regarded in his town where
they were trying to get rid of one of
those suits.
Hon. G. ii. Heath of Montpelier, said
If Mrs. Jameson were here, he doubted il
he (Mr. j. would have made his last
statement. Laughter He thought
the care of the roads in Vermont was
not as good now as twenty years ago
and so long as the citizens were only
anxious to get their taxes crossed off the
book, just so long will the roads be il
bad condition and the towns continually
involved in law suits for damages. Ii
answer to Mr.. Douglass inquiry, Mr.
Heath said that by the law every towr
which neglected its guide boards was in
dictable.
Mr.. III. A. Willard of Westminster
spoke strongly in favor of trying tn
commissioner system. Some years tn
amount of damage paid on account o
the insutficiency of the highway, va
sufficient to have made good roads will
no highway tax. He thought it the du
ty of the newspapers to discuss the sub
Iject, and hoped they would do it an,
thus bring about needed reform.
| Prof Collier thought that much iniu
ry was wrought by the idea of rotation
in Office. He would find good MAJ
and let him stay in Office long term o
years to carry out series of permanen
improvements. He briefly referred t.
the experience of the city of Burlington
Mr.. w. P. Gage of Westminster
thought that some of the trouble wit
the highways was the depopulation Q
many districts. The young men ha
gone West, while the old people ha
moved into the villages and become hon
orary members society there. Publ
sentiment in depopulated hills was brut
| sentiment = sheep, cattle and horses
Laughter He believed in the distar
r future these hills would blossom agar
) though the present generation were nc
likely to see it.
The discussion continued with muc
r interest till they were obliged to clos
to make room for the paper ON manufat
( lures, &C., which will be found on fourt
r page.
Detroit clergymen are in favor {