Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-12-03
ried Samuel Ward of Boston. Genevieve
Ward, the actress, is he granddaughter.
The HIGHWAY.

iTlG TllST1WAT,
Extracts from an address by Joseph Beatty
Powell of the firm of Powell Brothers. of
shadeland, springboro, Crawford Co., Pa,
at Conneant Lake.
There is no portion of the wealth of
any community 50 universally enjoyed as
that invested in the highway. On the
highway there is no aristocracy, rich and
poor, patrician and plebian. There they
are all on the same level
As a basis of national. State and
county system, the speaker recommended
for the improvement of the highway a
national commissioner of highways, IA
State commissioner and a county super
intendent all of whom should be educa-
ted in civil engineering and road-making.
He wishes annual conventions to be held
i'll the counties, State conventions and
national conventions each year.
lie would have cheap, durable and
easily understood index or guide-boards.
with only one ut each cross-road or June
ton of roads. The posts may be made
of two-nch galvanized gas pipe, with a
cast-iron bottom so they can be driven.
At forks in the road, indexes should be
placed at an angle to correspond with
the situation.
He recommended that farmers should
put their names on tablets on the gate
posts or shade trees so that the traveller
will know whose residence he is passing
rs readily as in the city.
The tax for repairs of highways should
be collected in money. The work should
be done by the lowest bidder or under
the control of the supervisors. Water
makes the chief difference between the
good summer road and the poor winter
road. In his locality the speaker thought
dirt roads might be classified as follows:
Four months of good roads for wheels.
four sleighing, frozen dirt roads or me-
dunn muddy roads, and four months of
almost impossible muddy roads.
lie believes that ten per cent. of the
tax. by taking that notable stitch in time.
will effect more than ninety per cent. in
repairing damage after it is effected. He
recommends the Illinois law in relation
to steam threshers which enjoins the car
rying of red flag by day and a red lam
tern by night, with one man in advance
and another in the rear at a certain dis
lance, who shall assist persons and teams
i'll passing the engine. At night each of
these men carries "A lantern. The engine
is to carry two oak planks on which it
shall be run in crossing certain classes of
bridges.
Bicycles and tricycles should be al
lowed to use the highway subject to GER
tain restrictions in ringing bells, carrying
lanterns, and other regulations to avoid
the frightening of horses. Breaking
wild colts or driving unmanageable
horses upon the highway should be so
restricted as not to imperil the safety of
the traveller. He would enoin the use
of broad tires on vehicles carrying heavy
loads ana prevent uselessly cutting up
the highways by heavy teaming in wet
weather. This should be done by a svs-
TEN Of taxation, or perhaps by requiring
Il license, so that it will be much more
profitable for those who have much
teaming to do to avoid doing it in wet
weather. Where the railroad and wagon
road are parallel and close to each other.
he suggested that close screens should
be erected at suitable distances into which
horses may be driven until trains pass
Mr.. Powell closes with, Life is made
up of endless detail, whether it be in
training our minds, equipping an army
or constructing a superb highway. No
one thing more clearly indicates the de-
gree of prosperity and enlightenment of
a people than the condition of their high
ways. BY the construction of good high
ways can travel be made more attractive.
life Sweeter and home more beautiful"