New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-12
FOR BETTER ROADS.
WORK OF THE STATE ROADS IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION.
IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC TO ALL THE PEOPLE
FARMERS AND MERCHANTS ALIKE
INTERESTED.

Syracuse. ~ V. Aug. IL (speoiaD.-This city is the
headquarters Of the New-York state Roads Improve
nent Association all organization scarce SIX months
old but one which promises To accomplish much good
for the people generally. Although little or nothing
has been heard Of the association IN the public print,
for months nevertheless the good work is being pushed
on here with vigor. The Hon. William \. sweet, of
sweets Manufacturing Company is president Of the
association and no better could have been found
fer tne place Mr.. Sweet is one Of the most enter
prising men Of Central NcwYOyl and his great hobby
which he has been stradding for years is good roads
Now and then he poses the local champion of
salmon River water for the city but now that syracuse
has decided on Skaneateles Lake water Mr. sweet has
turned his attention 10 the highway question AGAIN.
He is no dreamer or schemcr but practises what he
breaches In order to convert his feIow-ctizcns 10
the beauty Of holiness regards good roau', Mr..
Sweet had put down his own expense on West Jeer
son st., a stretch Of some 600 feet OF Belgian DOCK
pavement Further than this he has lectured to salt
City audiences and told them that mudhoeN III streets
were disgrace to any city. His evangelical labors
have not been in vain, for syracuse is just entering
upon an era Of decent and delightful drives through her
various wards
Mr.. Sweet employs secretary at his own eX-
pense whose entire time is devoted 10 "oiMHe "P
the business of the Roads Improvement Association.
In order to understand what 1t i intended 10 accom-
psh short sketch of the rise and progress OF the as
ISOLATION to the present time is necessary
The association owes its inception to graduate OF
Cornell University in the department of cngneeHnF'
This gentleman was Isaac Potter, who subsequently
turned his attention to the study of blackstone. Mr.
Potter saw that the roads Of NewYork state were IN
finitey inferior those in Europe and entered upon
q phanthroplc and phosophc plan for their I'M
provement lie interested number of other gentle
men in his project, and a beginning made. Among
these was Charles Wood young business man OF
syracuse. Mr.. Woods connection with the movement
Of ia
last winter. When the first Of January came, MI
Wood found that many of his best customers all over
the state behind in their payments ana he dc
termined TO investigate the reason Of this. lie ac-
CordinSy set out on long trip OF personal nSpcc-
ton. and found. in every instance the same excuse.
namely, that the open winter had made the country
roads practically impossible, that the farmers could
not get into the towns to trade. A. d result, few
goods sold. and the country dealer had a. con
sequence, money 10 meet his Obligations MI
Wood was convinced most decidedly that good roads
were needed through New-York state. Upon inquiry
lie found that the wholesale houses i'll the several large
cities of the state had the same experience Indeed
tie truth Of the matter is that the ltnks had not
been very accommodating in the matter Of paper OBJ
legations quite a number of reliable houses would have
gone to the wall.
Mr. Wood is not only dealer in bicycles, but is also
an expert wheclman himself and li5 first elliott after
connecting himself with Mr.. Pottcrs movement was
TO get the state League of American Whcelmcn inter
ested in the In this he successful and To-
day there are enthusiastic champions for good
roads than the boys Of the L. y. ".
The state Horse Breeders the agricultural societies
the Farmers Alliance. the New-lorG City Coach
Ing Club and sundry other organizations soon became
identified with the good work. because Of the benefits
that they would derive from GrstclasS highways
throughout the state. \ state Convention wa, held
in Utica last March and after several days prJht'by
spent in discussing plans, the following oTsamla'i' ID
was effected:
President William \. sweet, Syracusc; vice pres
dents A. ". TAaycr Coopers'Own: Charles j. Eo!c
Marcy. John O'Donucl. Jamaica L. l.; \ hudl1nc
SCHUYLER: Arthur >. Hamilton. Rochester; Peter
Collier. Geneva: Addison J. LOOMS Cicero; j. IL.
Durl,e. sandy HIN J. II. Myers. Platt,burs; i. d.
Mosher. Mapieton; \. Il. Lawregce. Warsaw c. NJ
Titus Ithaca William II. RoLb, Amsterdam y. ".
Townsend, Bergen; Lewis E. Gurlcy, Troy
Trustees, ". H. Richardson, H. J. Corseshall. F. o.
Chamberlain, H. H. Freeman, Thomas +. kinney
j. y McClntock Thomas Il. Proctor, \. Il. Egerton
JOIN b. Weber. Adm Thaycr.
Treasurer, Charles ". Wool syracuse.
secretary. Isaac J.. Potte9, New York.
Pcriap, the best comment on tie situation IN the
state is set forth in a recent address by Mr. M'Clm
tex, seclctar; of the Rochester Chamber Of Com
ncrcc follows:
Il have hai occasion 70 study somewhat in detail
large section of the state. The valley OF the
Gencsee was, before the white man came, the srdnar>
o. the indians. Within a short lifetime Rochester va,
Tie llr.est -four manufacturing pace the globe.
Not Only all kind, Of grain are grown aIvani g.,H,X
here but also fruits and vegetables III fact the small
county Of Monroe. which Rochester Lc,. shown
b. the census OF l7-O - surpa., any county, with
one ,ui-e cpcOn, ia the Un!tcd state = tlt value
oi u, tam p.OtUc,s EOtwtI- landing all this, the
farmers arc 81 bad Way. They csnno, get enough
money rom their gram u enable them 10 luy OlA"r
thing lIonI u, thIt We suffer with them. Tie
ie" g)H T9ai- III tn. state ar th~ rtF ad' a"d tIe