Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-07-24
A PLEA FOR GOOD ROADS.
Extracts from an Address by Chauncey
B. Ripley, of New Jersey.


official supervision of the roads of Europe.
on the ground that the development of
railways and waterways has been so
rapid and of such magnitude as to alb
sorb general interest. Now that there
was energy to spare in this line, it was
fitting, he said, and natural that atten-
ton should again turn to the improve
ment of the old highways
The demand for uniform system OF
roadmaking, the speaker said, had found
expression in the newspapers Of the
country, in public meetings, in societies
specially organized to agitate the sub
ject, in private benefactions having in
view the education of engineers in this
class of work, in petitions to legislatures
and in the messages of governors of
various states.
Mr.. Ripley quoted from the messages
of Governor Hill to the New York legis-
lature, of Governor Beaver to the Penn
sylvania Legislature and of Governor
Albeit to the legislature of New Jersey.
He said the subject had also received
official attention in Vermont, Rhode
Island, Alabama and elsewhere. Where
ever it had been properly set forth it had
received general approval. There was
practically universal acceptance indeed
among those who had studied the matter
that, regarded purely as IA business pro-
ject, the cities could well afford to
submit to taxation for the develop
ment of the plan. for good roads would
benefit all localities. After referring to
the organization of societies and to the
establishment Of a chair at the Boston
Institute of Technology for Il special
course in highway engineering, Mr.. Rip
ley proceeded to deal definitely with
what should be done in New Jersey.
Il need not remind YOU he said,
that the agricultural interests of
state, of IA nation and of the world are
its greatest interests. Nor yet, need |
urge before you, that the interests of this
great industry are in peril here III New
Jersey, as well as in every other state of
the Union. These interests need some
impetus, some revival, much and i'm
mediate encouragement.
THAT there is Il crisis upon us, that it is
well nigh at its height, that we farmers
in New Jersey must, as is now so COM
mon with farmers in the New England
states, utterly abandon our farms or
speedily avail ourselves of some resusci-
tating remedy, is manifest to every one
who has practical knowledge of the sub
ject.
THAT remedy is to be found in the
improvement of our public roads, and
the time for us to avail ourselves of it is
now. Let the state, then, build or put
in order two good carriage roads, one
extending from the most southerly point
of Cape May county to the most northerly
point of Sussex county; the other cross
ing the state, say, from Newark to Cam
den, thus opening up the state centrally
from north to south and from east to
west its e.. ire length and width. These
roads should follow the line of roads al
ready laid as public highways.
"a commission should be created and
competent engineer employed with
whose aid the commission should desig-
nate existing roads as portions of the
proposed state roads, and provision
should be made for their construction
and care at the expense of the state.
The state roads should be constructed in
the most scientific and substantial man
ner 50 as to serve the chief purposes of
such public improvements, the purposes
of travel and transportation, and also as
object lessons for the construction of
tributaries all over the state. 1t is Won
derful. we have all Observed how i'm
pvovements of every kind multiply, if
there is opportunity for the people to see
their advantages, to study and spell
them out for themselves. 1t involves
pride of opinion, characteristic of all
men. Tributaries would surely and
rapidly follow and multiply as one of
the results of the improved roads. Two
such roads would extend over from 200
to 300 miles (the length of the state being
1877 miles and the average breadth fifty
niles and the roads would cost from
$4,000 600 to $4,000
"Can we build these two state roads? ]
inquire from a financial standpoint. We
have no state debt of any account and
our population Is not far from | 300, 900
in round numbers. The BROOKLYN bridge
was commenced in 1870, when the city of
Brooklyn had but one-third the popula-
|
bridge cost $l5, 600. and Brooklyn
paid, if | am correctly informed, about
two-thirds Of the entire cost, or SO. 00O,-
Geo. Union county, in this state, with a
population OF less than 1000. has built
county roads within the last two years at
a cost OF from 1929, 900 to $3.50, 900. The
number of miles built was from thirty to
forty,
The cost Of the Union county roads is
just about five dollars for each individu-
al in the county, including men, women
and children. 1t is a fair statement, and
believe it to be quite true, that the peo-
pie who pay for these roads would not
have them taken up for 81 ,0O0, 900, OF
three times the cost. Real property in
Union county has increased in value al
ready by reason of these roads all that
they cost, and the roads are not yet com
pleted.
"What we ask of New Jersey at this
time Is from 81 600 GOO tO 81 0OO OO0 fo,