Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-01
The Highways.

Mr.. Editor Your issue OF last week con-
tanned an article by II. Of Norwich In which he
states that the roads In his town were never In
better condition than to-day" II II. will come to
Danville will take him over road that | have
travelled daily for the last two weeks, and II
don't satisfy him that 1t is "a hard road to
travel will yield the point and we will not go
faster than +" four miles an hour" either had
the curiosity to count the number OF solid rocks In
the travelled track, for one mile, and made the
number over one hundred and ffty-and they are
all bare while "small stones covered the
surface OF the road in countless numbers" This
mile OF road has had no work done on 1t this
year. In another highway district, no work was
done until after the equinoctial storm quilted IL
so badly that II was impossible. "Moy Brook
road in Cabot had received no repairs at the time
asks what becomes Of the money! In reply
would say that there is !" no money In II, 4" but
the tax is worked out-or pretended to be worked
according to the fancy Of each highway sur
veyor, which the town elects at the annual
March meeting In some districts the tax Is
worked out in June, and In some In Sep
TENDER, or 1t may be, in the winter. It makes
considerable difference to the travelling public
when 1t is worked out. The selectmen have no
absolute power over highway surveyors and any
one of them can surrender his tax-b when he
chooses, as some have frequently done. And the
best road men will not always accept the office,
and the tax is not always worked to the best adj
vantage This is particularly true Of the back
districts. Let me ask II. what the condition OF
the roads was in Norwich from the time the snow
went OIL in the spring until June2 Is 1t not fact
that there were broken culverts and gullies un-
repaired during that whole perod2 II was the
case in this and adjoining towns 1t is a matter
OF observation and common remark, in this part
Of the state, that such defects in the highways
are not repaired as soon as they were when the
towns were liable for the consequences; and some
surveyors are frank enough to say that they shall
not trouble themselves about repairing defects in
the roads, because the town Is not liable As for
I.tNlr ~
that has been erected for two years; but a large
number have been suffered to rot down And all
this Is but the natural result Of the general prn-
ciple, remove the penalty and the number Of
offences will increase. The unwise teacher who
informs his pupils on the first day of the term
that he shall not punish them will be likely to
find abundant cause for punishment. J. ;. D.
THE OTHER SIDE
Mr.. Editor Your correspondent seems to owe
Danville a grudge. He claims that our roads are
In deporable condition. have lived in this
town over seven years, and, in my humble judg-
ment, our roads have never been in as good
condition at any time, during the last seven
years, as at the present time. Dr. c. Woodland
rides more than double the miles OF any other
man in our town. He says, with slight excep-
tions our roads are better than usual" N.
Stocker, stock buyer and shipper, says, " Our
roads are good, and do not remember OF ever
seeing them better" Numerous visitors have been
here this summer from all parts Of the country,
roads The people OF this town think that they
have as good roads now as before the passage
of the new [Judevinel law, and they are indig-
nant and feel that it Is a libel upon the town for
any man to report their roads in " deporable
condition" 1t is not true that we do not work
out our taxes. Last year, with the large increase
in the grand list the town paid in addition to the
twenty-five cent highway tax, nearly fourteen
hundred dollars for repairs on the roads Our Sc
lectmen have done a large amount of extra road
repairs this year, and no doubt the town will have
large bills to pay. The people Of this town do
not wish to shirk any reasonable responsibility in
regard to the roads, but they are nearly unani
nous in condemning the old law, which allowed a
lot of irresponsible sharks to live upon manufac-
tured prosecutions against the towns This town
has paid large sums Of money to defend and set
tie put-up cases, and as general rule the money
has been divided by the ring " that lived upon
the plumber We did not like the new Judevinel
law exactly. 1t has too much machinery to put il
into operation, hut by simplifying the application
of that law, giving the selectmen ample author
ity, and making them responsible for the faithful
performance of their duties, think we shall have
good roads throughout the state. As to the rail
ings being constructed at the side of the roads nc
doubt they are safeguard at some places, while
at other points they would be a positive source OF
danger. This matter ought to be left to the Sc.
lectmen with the power to enforce the building
invested in the road commissioners Just as Other
road repairs are. II horse runs back in hill as
in the Cabot accident or off the roadside at any
point, so as to upset the carriage and trample
upon the persons riding, they Just likely to
be killed or injured whether there is a railing OF
not CHARLES WILSON, Danville VT