Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-03-26

Spring has come again, and with it our an
nual inundation of mud aud slush. The pres
ent condition of our streets and sidewalks, -
more especially the latter-is disgraceful to
us as a civilized community. No other viii
lage Of its size in New England has such mis-
cradle road and foot ways as Brattleboro.
Everybody admits it, and complains about it
year after year, but nothing is done. With
almost natural drainage; with a soil unusu-
ally dry and good, We wade in mud and slush
ankle deep, many weeks each year, and seem
likekly to continue to do it to the end of
time The tax gatherer never fails in his an
nual raids upon our pockets, but what be-
comes of the money is mystery beyond the
comprehension of the average citizen. The
highway tax money collected in this village
is amply sufficient to keep both the roadways
and the sidewalks in good condition il prop
erly expended. Beginning with Ahe most
frequented streets, good substantial side
walks should be built, year by year. until the
whole village is supplied with them and
they should be paid for out of the highway
tax money. Nineteen out of every twenty
citizens have a greater interest in good side
walks than in the roadways of the village
Why then should the ninetcsn-twontieths
who pay an equal proportion Of the taxes,
when complaining Of these things, be told,
as they have been time out of mind, If you
want a sidewalk, build it yourself" If all
abutting property could be made to build its
own sidewalks, an approximation towards
equality of burdens might be reached in this
way but this is not possible. Even if this
rule were adopted a few owners of land
would obey, while a great majority would
neglect or refuse, and we would be but little
better off than now and for that little the
few would be wronged for the benefit of the
many. If we had the arbitrary and summary
laws of compactly built cities, and all could
be compelled to obey them, there would be
room for an argument IN favor of city meth
DDS, but we have no such powers, and if we
had it would be impossible to enforce them.
As we are situated the only practical and
equitable way to get good sidewalks is for
the proper public officer to build and keep
them in repair at the public expense in pre-
cisely the same way as he builds and repairs
the ordinary roadways-both to be paid for
OUT OF the highway tax money. Until this
plan is adopted we shall look in vain for any
satisfactory improvement.
Another thing: 1t has been the practice
in years past for the selectmen to take a por-
ton of the highway tax money collected in
this village and hand it over to be expended
on the highways in other parts of the town
This should be stopped. Every citizen of
the village SHOULD protest against the diver
sion of another dollar in this way, until the
streets and sidewalks of the village are
put in good condition. If outside districts
cannot keep up their highways without help,
let the deficiency be taken from the town
treasury, to which all of us contribute but
none of them need help so much as this dis
trict. We look confidently to our new board
of selectmen for n revolutionary reform.