The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-08
1T WANTS GOOD ROADS.
Board Of Trade Takes Hand in
Agitation About the Highways
SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS.
% Speaks OF tho Election OF Highway
Comm issioners. the Use OF Wide
Wagon Tires and the Repairs OF the
Main Highways OF the State.

At the meeting OF the Board of Trade
yesterday afternoon the committee on
highways, consisting Of George L. Little
field. j. u. Starkweatner and I. ii.
Church, made the following report:
ITO the Providence Board Of Trade:
1.-THE committee appointed by the
board to consider the subject contained
ia the paper hereto attached respectfully
reports that after due consideration 1t
has unanimously arrived at the following
conclusions:
1T concurs in the recommendation
that the system OF working out road
taxes be abolished by the legislature.
The annual election Of surveyors OF
highways by the people in the towns
should be abolished. In the cities the
councils elect commissioners OF highways
who are at all times subject to their con-
troll, but in the towns surveyors OF high
WAYS are elected in town meeting by the
people, and thus become TO great extent
independent of the councils. The tax
payers annually appropriate money to he
expended on the highways, and the sur
veyors never fail To spend it. Your COM
mittes recommends that the town coun-
ellis shall be annually elected as surveyors
of highways, with power TO appoint
deputies to execute the work, who shau
at all times be subject to their control.
"It also concurs In recommending the
adoption of wide tires upon heavy teams
providing some method can be devised
which will not be burdensome to the poo
ple.
This subject opens wide field for
discussion aud involves so many intricate
points that the committee has not at
tempted TO formulate any plan for action.
The solution OF the problem will depend
largely upon the intelligence aud progres
sive spirit II the people. With the advent
of electric railways the towns viii be
compelled to make permanent improve
meuts in their roadways. They will
learu that while the first cost of such
improvement may be large, it will be
more than compensated by the rapid In
crease in population and enhancement in
the value of real estate which is sure to
follow. The agitation throughout the
country which has led TO Legislative ac-
tion in several of 40 states and the APP
pointment of a commission by the leyisla-
ture OF this state, which Is now consider
inG the subject. cannot fail to produce
good results In the near fu ure. The report
of this commission will be awaited with
unusual interest. IL is hoped that as a
result of its labors some equitable plan
may be devised when Will enable the
state TO extend it's aid To the towns in
the constructiop. aud supervision OF the
main highways"
The paper referred to is as follows:
"Resolution to the Rhode Island State High,oav
Commission
'ResolUed, That the Board of Trade Of
Providence respectfully requests the
Rhode Island State Highway Commis.
sion to give public hearings in order that
the views OF the members of the Board Of
Ttade may be presented as to the neces-
sity of improvement OF the main roads OF
the state so that business may be
promptly transacted and The necessary
,artage OF merchandise economically
done, as is often impossible at present ;
and 10 accomplish this purpose
this Board of Trade recommends
that tie state, through a proper perma-
nent commissioner or commission, as
sumo the building and repair OF the
main travelled roads only, equitably ap-
portioning the expense between state
aud town (or city, il requirrd), and
abuttors or those within reasonable
distance OF such main improved nigh
way when such Improvement Increases
the value of adjoining estates.
This Board Of Trade also respectfully
recommends the abolition of working out
road taxes and of he election OF "A large
number Of highway surveyors, suggest
ing hat the work would be bette done
by a single commissioners, as in the four
Rhode Island cities, or at most by a few
commits sioners only.
This Board OF Trade also recon-
mends the adoption OF wide tires upon
heavy teams. according to proper stand
ard. such tires TO be placed upon all new
teams as constructed from time to time "
Ii was voted that the committees re-
port be placed on tile, and that a copy be
sent to the General Assembly