Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-07
Our Public Roads.

Under the above title writer in the
Country Gentleman (our friend, John j.
Thomas, we think,) has an article which
applies so well to the meridian of Vermont
that we transfer most of it to our columns
below. Next to our cross-road school houses,
and the style of teaching in most of them,
the condition of our highways is the chief
discredit to our state. In both cases we be-
lieve the trouble lies most in the indebted
condition of so many of our farmers. In
the towns where the farmers are freest from
debt, both the schools and the roads are
usually in the best condition. 1t is the
men who have tight squeeze to make out
their interest money who watch the tax
bills for these purposes the closest, and vote
them down to the lowest possible notch re-
gardless of the bad economy of such action,
for "poor folks have poor ways" If our
young farmers would set their faces like
flints against all forms of debt, they would
soon be able to appreciate the sound argu-
ments against poor schools aud bad roads.
But in one case so easily remedied, the
leaving of so many loose stones in the high :
way,-pure careessness, and the fact that
"what is everybody's business is nobody's
business" are chiefly to blame. Read care
fully the computation of losses from such
neglect in the following article, aud then
reflect whether such careless ways can be
afforded, especially by men driving unpaid
for vehicles
"The writer of these remarks recently drove
over n ten-mile road in one Of the finest farming
counties in the state-a much Travelled thorough
fare, and formerly a stage road before railroads
sndsd that hnsiness. The beautiful farms on
either side with their smooth green fields after
the recent cutting of the heavy crops OF hay and
wheat, and the golden piles Of oats and barley
about to be drawn into the large barns, would
have rendered the drive delightful one had it
not been for some drawbacks. The road presented
a striking contrast TO the farms, and was densely
lined with a luxuriant growth of rag-weed bur
docks, Canada thistles, pig-weed briers, elder
bushes, milk-weeds, catnip, and horse-thistles
which remained untouched through the season
now that the law justly forbids the run OF cattle
and other animals in the public streets. Ut is but
justice, however, to remark here in parenthesis,
that in another part of the same county the road
sides have been made smooth, and the grass Il
neatly cut giving good paying crop OF hay).
But the weeds were by no means the worst
part of the road. 1t was impossible, by constant
care in guiding the horse, to avoid frequent
thumps of the wheels against large stones. These
stones were Of four kinds, namely; solid or fixed
projecting upwards in the track three inches or
more; solid and projecting only one or two inches
loose large stones, and loose small ones. OF the
large fixed stones we counted twenty-six In sin
gle average mile, which would make two hundred
sixty for the ten miles. There were more than
twenty times as many small fixed stones or over
live tlOuaaul in the whpla diatanpa. and nj
the same number Of loose stones of various
sizes. We have no doubt this estimate IL within
bounds. Now, it is worth while to go into little
figuring to see what damage these distractions
present to smooth driving. Nothing batters vehi-
cles to pieces more rapidly than striking stones
when under full headway. The farmer carrying
thirty bushels of wheat, whose wagon strikes
stone three inches high receives jar to his
self; and repetition many times day, year in
and year out, makes inconvenient bills at the
backsmitll's, wheewright's and harnessmaker's
IL Is worth while to make some calculation on
the cost OF single fixed stone. On an average,
fifty wagons day pass the road already referred
TO- and the stone strikes fifty heavy blows daily
against wheels, or fifteen thousand in each year.
Now, crowbar with half minutes labor would
have elected the stone. Let us see then how the
account stands by removing and by leaving the
stone
Dr-5,eDO hard blows. say damage. sl5lOOO
cr-By 80 seconds of time saved, l-l2Oj part of a 80
That is, it would cost one mill to take out the
stone, and save Sli9 800 in worn and broken
vehicles, some OF which are occasionally seen In
fragments along the roadsides. What farmer
would turn about and drive his wagon against
such stone all day long, for one cent for each
blow 2 Or allow another person to strike his
wagon wheels with sledge for one cent each
I'VE may carry our figure a little further
There are two hundred sixty such fixed stones in
the ten-mile road, which, multiplied into the
$50, gives the snug little product of S30, ,000-a
tax which is doubtless fully reached when the
ten thousand smaller loose and fixed stones las
above estimated) are taken into the account. The
farms which line the road on both sides are worth
by estimate SS00000 and the farms owned by
those in the vicinity who often travel the road
would increase the estimate TO 80 900 600 There
Is no question that the entire tax they pay annu-
ally IN damage 10 wagons, harness and horses
and In variousy otherwise impeded travel
amounts to a much larger sum than the $50, 900,
and that to make the road smooth would not cost
| ~ 900
For the 5000 loose stones would be picked up
| and thrown into a wagon at the rate of twenty a
minute by any laborer or at the rate of twelve
thousand day-not one day for the whole road
The fixed stones, II dug out at the rate of two a
minute, would require about one week-say SO
for all, The remainder of the sum mentioned
| might he applied in drawing gravel and covering
smoothly all the rough portions which would re-
| qure it,
E" Is there not some error in these calculations?
Can II be possible that intelligent owners would
| perpetually subject themselves 10 such damages
without knowing it; or, knowing 1t, without cor
recting 1t?
There is no question that the estimates we
nave given are much without bounds; neverthe.
less we shall be glad to make any corrections
why, then, are these damages suffered?
Now 1t must not be supposed that the residents
along TINS road are offenders above all the dwell.
| ers In this region or elsewhere, The land abounds
with more stones than in many places where Other
and equally great neglect exists We have merely
taken this road as an example TO show the i'm.
portance OF giving more attention to secure the
great common blessing Of good public roads The
labor, but more especially the intelligent thought
expended for their benefit and improvement will
he many times returned in the comfort conve
nlence, facilities for market and increased value
| a farms IN aVarv ona within thais raaob