New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-06
THE BAY STATE IN THE LEAD
GOOD ROADS IN MASSACHUSETTS,
r,.,v,xr>,r HIGHWAY COMMISSION TO BUILD
THEM IN SECTIONS TO SPUR io
AND CITIES TO EMULATION

CT, r., a.. 800, ,bree wears the press or the
United States has so Thoroughly " 49,,
different advantages Of good ro"'s anu -
yersally Endorsed this reform, that AZ a.
our citizens appreciate the necessity VI ,
ANXIOUS for the immediate adoption OF sue" '""'
90 ,.,u has,en tho construction OF state highways.
Massachusetts, has from the outset taken the 'e''
IN this matter. and the spirit OF hcr Lee
been shown by making the high"aH nna o.,o "
a nermanont one and by appropriating s'V'"" 10
be expended under the immediate s"P'' ' "a
the commission in constructing new ana rep"'u'"s
old roads As a natural result OF the popu"' "s'
tato, and tho monster petition which had 'he
honor to present to Congress In 1873 the nv,
States recognized the necessity OF Il "'o,' - w
direction. and under the Agricultural o''' ~
special appropriation OF $1,000 to meet the 'NP'"'.
OF a careful investigation into the co"''
roads throughout the country ana lot NC p
ton Of such Information would assist the Peopc
in he,,crine their highways. The Department OF
Agriculture has issued a number OF buiietihS' anu
IL is gratifying to learn that more IMAM ~ "
States have already passed new road laws. while
nearly all the others planning for 'he ""oP"o'
OF measures for the promotion OF '"'S ''''"'
Experience has shown that the course pursued
Ia. ,foesoh,,so,.s e tho one which commcnds itself
most strongly both to the people at large ana 10
their legal representatives the various stare 'ss-
latures and It is natural TO suppose mat II an WI.
familiar with the work here the kno"''ut' "o"'''
be utilized to bring about similar "e'S'.on
wherever the method of procedure is still unsettled
For this reason would call 30 your attehuo" anu
urge upon you the advisabiliiy of enish,ehins
your readers on the good work we have already
accomplished.
Starting In June. 1892 a temporary commission
was appointed to examine into the condi'ioh VI III"
roads and draft bill providing Tor the IMPROVE
ment OF the highways OF the commonwealth Inc
law suggested by the commission was. with some
changes passed in June 1893. but before any pct,-
lions for the construction OF state highways were
submitted TO the General Court. an act was 'h'ro-
duced and passed June 90 1884, increasing the pow
ers OF the commission and permitting the Select
men OF any town or the mayor ana a'der'he" VI
any city. as well county commissioners. 10 pc
tition the Highway Commission for taxing roans
AS State highways. In place OF submitting TO the
Iecisiature a separate bill for the construction OF
each road Il was voted that the appropriation be
used by the Highway Commission. without fur'her
legislation In building State highways.
The 100000 has been pretty evenly divided among
fourteen counties. Before deciding which OF the
many petitions should be granted an official WISH
was paid 10 each locality. and full Information as
to the value OF the proposed Improvement coilec'ed
While this method has distributed TIE Work IN
small sections OF roads. thus increasing the eN-
pense per mile. the advantage 10 the people Mt
large Will be greater for the reason that each por-
ton Of the State highway constructed Is intended
IN hc an object lesson 10 those living nearby.
County Commissioners and other onlcas VIII
watch the work as It progresses and follow OUT me
same lines in building county and other roaas
which are not intended for State highways
The plan - TO buid section 10y section such
roads as Will connect the great centres Of trade
and toin with through roads IN other States. 20
that both local ana Interstate communication Will
be benefited. Under dat" ~ January. $50 The
Massachusetts, Highway Commission has rendered
a report which covers the work ~ ID" past year
and this publication should b" consulted by those
who are consi lcring legislation.
Tho provisions Of our iaw viii permit contracts
FOR tho construction 10 bc lot TO municipalities or
10 private corporations. but tho former arrange
inont Is preferred. a. ~ Is more en"ciuh IN tea'h-
ing the people the art Of road hrlidlns ana pro
tccts the State against chcapcning IN" WORK ~
tho importation OF foreign Labor an element
which IL ant 10 bc objectionable \ resident en-
cinccr IS appointed by the commission. ana " u
hts duty 20 be In attendance ana Keep correct
accoun, OF all Items 70 b. paid FOR hy the STATE"
wherever the iraiiir was Of sufficient proportions
20 warrant ~ the roads have been moa''n"d Inc
advantage 70 owners derived from The construction
~ the way IS. "a a rule SO much greater than the
injury 20 them by widening the road That. In a
large majority Of casca. the town officials have
been able to procure releases without cost.
Thirry-clghi sections have been contracted for.
and only eight Of them are TO hav" wiith o'
eighteen feet Of hardened surface all others being
length Of way. the commissioners mr." constituting
the advisabilty 81 building singlc-track roads IN
the thlnly settled districts. These would not be
over nine feet wide. with here ana th'ro portions
OF double width ~ convenient passing points FOR
carriages. \ mile and hair OF such foa's can
be built for less than the cost OF NIL" or hi'"'h
fec, width and the advantage In getting produce
10 market is not lcssoncd. provided such construr-
ton ls confined 20 localities where the average
traffic IL from six 10 eight vehicles an hour.
There ia need Of leg .saiion 70 regulate the care
Of and responsibility for sidewalks on state nigh
WAYS These. being OF purely local adVanthS"'
should be under the supervision Of the town the
whccways alone being constructor ana kept III
order by the State.
Progress has been made In the laboratory work
on the ROAD building stones OF the State. Expert
mcnis OF this kind are carried on AT Harvard
University IN the Lawrence Scientinr school whose
Dean Professor y. :. Shaer. - n member OF the
Highway Commission. The chief aim OF these IN
ouir.cs has been 10 determine the qualities which
constitute fitness for road-making. ms VIII De OF
value 20 the commission In enabling t'sHi 30
u,illze tn. road material near at hand ana mus
lnss.u the cost OF consi ruction As this phase or
The work progresses maps are maze Sho"'iiib ,"c
location OF all deposits suitable FOR road-bui.dne
4 number Of towns have already appropri"i r'i
money TO build their streets In the SAM ,"'c,u,
manner az those constructed by the stat" ana
Others have purchased road machinery WIN th'
Intention Of extending the work on roh'S o'"''
careful consideration has been given to The plan
Of planting shade trees along the highways. WIN
This end IN view. experts have been cpnSht'h '"i'-
ccrnin the best varieties for the purpose, ana ii"
wayslde trees have been examined. 50 as 70 dr-
,cruinc the species We'll adapted 10 the climate
ana soil az Massachusctts As the estimated cx-
pcnsc OF procuring and planting thes" tres - o'
less than one half "A million dollars the roihhls-
sion has rightly made this question soconhary 10
road building. but IN the mean Tune ihey are coi
ec,inp sr,rh data as will enable them to work
with profit on the adornmcnt OF the roads afi"f
the construction Is well In hand the american
and English Gins have the advdntag" OF iaHIy
rapid growth with shade high above srounn an
the leaves falling from them give but mtti1 on
e.rrc,lon 10 the cutters They have the dlsadVan-
tage OF being subject to the attacks OF ihSr',s :,
that the cost OF protecting them from mes PCS
beautiful. though they often shade the Iodn 700
much IL is the custom In paris OF Europe 70
Liant INC roodsidcs with trees which yield pront-
allie crops In France and Germany. for example
cherry trees abound In these countries me Yield
of the waysiie trees belongs 10 the neighporins
land owners but in some cases to the community
and their product IL well guarded by law Ihert
viii he more or less experimenting on the part OF
he COMMISSION before they decide upon the species