Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-02-06
GOOD ROADS IN NEW YORK STATE.
What Governor Hin Has to Say About
Their Importance.

JlIOuSnOu IHo SUdUe. mo Ilflal
action was taken by the Legislature,
however, and in his message this year
he reviews his recommendation in the
following words:
while the suggestions upon this sub
ject made in my annual message a year
ago seemed to meet popular approval
very generally throughout the state, they
were Inexperienced by some persons,
who appeared to have inferred that the
ton by the state of control over the
highways, or the heavy bonding of coun-
ties for the construction of new roads
and Improvements.
mo such implication was intended to
be conveyed in the recommendation
The plan suggested involved merely the
construction at state expense and under
state supervision of two highways run
ming transversely through each county,
intersecting in about the middle of the
county or at its principal place, and so
connected us to form network of well
built roads through the state. It was
not intended that the state should assume
greater responsibility than this, but it
was believed that to this extent the mat
ter of road improvement was one of
state experimenting largely to the
wealth and attractlveness of the state,
as 1t would, by bringing agricultural
lands into easier and closer access to the
towns, enhancing the value of rural
property and attracting. especially in
the summer months, large numbers of
strangers to the state. | am as much
opposed as any one can be to the as
sumption by the state of any unneces-
sary powers or responsibilities, but the
initiative of so great an undertaking as
the systematic and scientific improve
ment of our highways must be taken by
the state, or no genuine and general re-
form can be accomplished The best
individual efforts must necessarily be
local and spasmodic.
'The construction by the state, under
the supervision and direction, for in
stance, of the state engineer, of two
scientifically built roads in each county,
so that person could start from New
York or Buffalo or Albany or any other
place, and travel with speed and comfort
through every county in the state with
out leaving the state roads, would be of
incalculable benefit to the state at large,
as well as to separate localities.
The state roads would serve as object
lessons i'll each county, stimulating local
authorities to the improvement of other
highways by presenting examples of sub
stantial construction, and by illustrating
the material advantages which accom-
pany ready and satisfactory means of
communication. Except in the case of
these two state roads, local control would
be as complete as it is now.
Il need not remind you of the present
disgraceful condition Of our highways
For a great part of the year many of
them are almost. if not quite, impossible
They are, as rule, inferior to those in
other states, especially in New England
and they are said to compare most I'M
favorably with those of England and the
continent The fault has been in igno-
rance of construction, in lack of RESPONSE
bility and in waste of energy and money
in maintenance Sooner or later our
state must begin systematic attempt
at improvement, or our farming lands
will depreciate still further in value, and
other states will attract the wealth and
population to which our resources and
natural advantages entitle us. The cost
of such a system of highways as | have
outlined would be great, and their COM
pletion would require many years, but
no better time for inaugurating the sys-
TEN will probably come than the pres
10 +n@ b
debt, and should it be deemed best to in
cur one for this purpose by vote of the
people, the slight increase in taxation
would be more than compensated by the
increase in material benefits. 1t should
not be forgotten, also, that when once
proper roads are constructed the cost of
maintenance, according to the testimony
of competent engineers, is comparatively
slight, while with but little care the roads
will last for generations.
Il commend this subject to your seri-
GUS attention. A bill Incorporating the
executives suggestions, and commonly
known as the Richardson bill, was in
troduced in the senate last year. but fail
ed to receive the requisite number of
votes for passage 1t is hoped that the
measure may receive closer scrutiny this
year, and that the Legislature will not
refuse to cooperate in securing for the
people of the state the benefit of this
great public improvement"
Governor Hills remarks are made only
after careful consideration of the sub
ject. With the intelligent men of both
parties he sees the need of highway i'm
provements, and it would be mistake
in New York or in any other state to
allow matter of such great public i'm
portance to become a political issue"
Those who have the true good of their
localities in mind should think of this
Keep roads improvement out of politics,
but keep it before the people. Make it a
subject for argument in your local de-
batting societies. Get statistics of what
it has done for land values in places
where it has been tried. The effect it
has had in one neighborhood with which
the writer is fairly well acquainted
Union county, N. J.-has been wonder
full. And doubtless the county and