The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-11-19
The Highways.

Senator Chapin's bill providing for
the repair of the highways, after I'M
dergoing some slight amendments,
passed the senate practically without
opposition. This measure is exceed
ingly meritorious. 1t provides simple,
ef1icacious, and economical code for
taking care of the highways. The ex-
listing code is complex and bungling, re-
curing for its elucidation thirty-eight
sections of the Revised Laws. Senator
Chapin's compact code is embraced in
eight short sections. These eight sec
tons replace thirty-eight sections, and,
if enacted, will give the state plain,
business-like and all-sufficient law,
law that will work great reforms in ex-
penditures on highways and give prac-
tical efficiency to highway management.
The last issue of the New England
Farmer has an excellent editorial on
"Our Country Roads," which we re-
greet we have not space to publish
without abridgment. Much that the
writer says is so much in harmony
with the reform Senator Chapin's bill
aims to accomplish, and Editor Cheever
is so good an authority on subjects of
which he makes a specially, that we
ask the candid attention of all interested
in good roads to the following extract:
The system of repairing roads by labor
tax, which is still in vogue in many states,
is perhaps the worst system that could we'll
be adopted. Old men and boys, the lazy
and the ignorant, are often allowed the
same rate for an hours work as an able
bodied, willing worker. The tax should be
paid in money, and the money expended
only by faithful workers, under the drec-
ton of competent supervisors. With
money tax, and skilled road makers, who
are constantly employed through the sea-
son, an Improvement in our roads is pos
sible, even without an increase in the
amount OF tax levied. At present the great
difficulty is that few Of our highway survey
ors know what perfect road is, and there
are very few perfect roads in the country
that can be patterned after by those who
would be glad to learn the business of road
building. We need road makers normal
school to teach both principles and practice.
Another difficulty is that in many sections
good material is very difficult to obtain.
How to improve our highways under these
various difficulties is question well worthy
the attention of our correspondents"
A correspondent in the same issue
of the Farmer writes as if he were
making Vermont roads and highway
management the subject of his dis
course. His remarks and suggestions
are of an exceedingly practical charac-
ter, and they are exactly pertinent to
the reform the Chaplin bill will begin if
it becomes a law. In connection with
the extract from the Farmers editorial,
they constitute strong argument for
the passage of that bill We publish
the correspondents observations entire
The repair of highways is a subject that
interests all farmers, and especially those
who have most produce to dispose Of. The
tax that is imposed on the repair of vehicles
injured by constant use upon poor highways
is not inconsiderable. The manner OF re-
pairing is different in different communities,
and the old idea that in o farming COM
munity the highways should be repaired by
means OF a labor tax, so as to fall less
heavily upon the tax payer, is rapidly going
out of date. 1t is due to the travelling pub |
Tic That every community have and keep |
their roads in good condition. BY the old |
labor tax system, as a rule, all the interest
that was taken in the repair of the roads
was TO secure the easiest payment of the
tax, and il leaning upon the hoe-handle was
accepted as so much labor in the payment
of the required amount to be collected, that
was all that was thought of. The method
employed OF placing the repair of the high |
ways under the direction Of the selectmen
or supervisors of the town, who designate a |
suitable number OF overseers, or workmen,
who have the direction of all repairs, shows |
marked advantages over the labor tax sys-
tenn in the difference noticed in the roads.
BY that method, only such men as are
possessed of good judgment in such matters,
are employed as overseers, and every parti- |
Gle of labor that is performed is done to the !
best advantage, whereas, by the old labor |
system, because of a lack of Judgment labor
is often expended that is of no advantage |
or value whatever. When all roads are |
poor, the difference of systems of repair is
but little considered but when, under diff |
ferent systems, there is a very decided diff |
ference in the character of the roads, it is |
very natural to institute inquiries regarding |