The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-15
IMpRovINo couxrnY Rooms.

While lncky Office holders are luxu-
rating in the legislative palace in Albany
on fifteen dollars day, the constituents
OF many of them are scrambling I'M pre-
cipitous activities, having their pincbed
up little teams in front Of few barrels
OF potatoes which they are taking to
market i'll exchange for coal with which
to resist the extremity of the weather.
The farmers having done much for the
| Legislature, now let the Legislature do
something for the farmers in the way of
giving them better roads, the present
Wretched condition of which is one of
their chief grievances.
| Gov, Hill does well in his annual mes
sage to renew his plea for better country
roads Tor the State. They are hilly.
crooked and poorly CONSTRUCTED. The
system by which they are sought to be
improved is ridiculously insufficient.
even where its provisions are scrupulous-
ly obeyed, instances of which, by the way,
are exceptions and not the rule of expe-
| rience.
On beat OF say mile in length, and
lying IN the open country, the only repair
1t receives during the year is that which
| u profits by III the month of June, when
the scattered people living upon it en-
p.oy lew days by working on the road.
TINS process consists in too many in
| ST mces OF ploughing up the bitches on
the sides the thorOughlare and SCREAMING
To Its centre the worn out material of
other generations, with additions of
sOde and stones.
! As to the governors plan of construc-
tlhg at the expense of the State two
transverse roads in each county and
lhtcrSectlng i'll their centres or ut some
principal place, it is open TO criticism.
IN the first place, it would be violent
innovation, 1uthlcssly cutting in twain
farms and putting their owners to incon-
venieuce thereby. Also by OBTAINING the
course of travel in many instances from
present long and established highways
INTO the new roads, great numbers of
iarm dwellings would be practically
Isolated, thus rendering them less desir-
able as residences and depreciatinr in
value the farms upon which they might
chance to he located. Added to this.
the expense Of the construction of the
proposed state roads would be u heavy
and long continuing burden.
What the State suffers for in the wav
| OF public thOroughfares could be secured
by altering the course or grading fine
present ones. Any one who will take
the trouble to do SO may observe fro.
quently on country roads that he travels
over hill when the road might inst MS
well have avoided it, The explanation
OF this condition of things is that when
the roads were first used the lower
ground, which has become suitable foI
highways, was then wholly unfit for the
purpose.
Many roads nows now in use were
pflmluvely merely COW paths or bride
paths. In cases where hills cannot he
avoided very much might be accom-
pushed by grading them. A channel of
twenty feet cut through the summit of a
hlgh elevation and the eXcavated earth
llltelligently distributed upon either
SIDE, would wonderfully facilitate travel
aud the transportation of heavy com
mndities.
The wheeled road scrapers, which
have come more or less into use in re-
cent years, are doing good service on the
leveltr portions of roads, serving to
maintain a smooth and rounded service
by which the escape of water is secured.
by avoiding or grading the hills over
which roads pass, and by matchmaking
the most troublesome sections of the
leYeler portions, a vast improvement
might be effected
we agree with the governor that the
State must assume control of the enter
prise of removing the roads of the com
m0nwealth if it is to be successful. |
Local supervision is uncertain and ire
spOnSible.
1t is suggested that a bill providing
for the setting apart of public moneys |
Tor the improvement of country roads, |
and Tor the naming of a State highway |
commSsiyn, be enacted. Such commits |
sion might apportion allowances to coun |
ties rs their respective wants should die
tate, minor elective county boards dis |
trbnting the same in the various towns
IN accordance with their needs. Troy
Press