The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-05-05
BOND THE STATE FOR ROADS
EX-GOVERNOR BULKELEP FIVORS
SUCH 4 SCHEME.

The various amendments offered last
week in the house Of representatives to
the Good Roads" bill We're considered
yesterday morning in open session by
the committee on roads, rivers and
bridges in the representatives. hall. An
opportunity was given to those who Of
fered the different amendments to be
heard upon the changes they advocated.
Mr.. Wadsworth of Pennington
thought the location Of Improvement IN
roads ought to be left with the COM
mission and the selectmen.
Mr.. Frisbie of Pennington said that
no one knew better where the road
should be built than the town itself.
In his own village a road that is used
more in week than any other road in
a month could not be improved.
Senator Keeler, the chairman, said
the policy was to build continuous
roads.
Mr.. F'risbie said if that was the pol
Icy the state should pay the entire ex-
pense, and the present generation should
not be called upon to pay it.
Mr.. Gallup Of Ledyard said the state
should have something to say in de-
termining the location of roads when
the state pays a portion of the expense
Mr.. Pattison of Simsbury said he
could see no reason why the state
should pay for roads in centers that
ministered only to local needs
Mr.. Hutchinson of Essex agreed with
Mr. Frisbie that the location Of the road
to be improved should be settled by the
towns.
Mr. Heath Of Vernon spoke of the
arbitrary action of the commissioners
in certain cases. In his town half
mile was built The commissioners
were asked If another town meeting
couldn't be called to change the location
and the commissioners replied, No
Mr.. Hough of Windsor Endorsed the
remarks Of Mr.. Frisbie.
Mr.. Bowles Of Fairfield said the towns
should locate the good roads.
Mr.. Griffing said he offered his amend
ment because 1t was in the line of the
governors recommendation and be-
cause three commissioners were not
necessary. In New Jersey the sum of
$500, 900 had been expended annually at
an expense of 81, 600 He advocated the
striking out of the words ''a capable
engineer" SO that the governor could
appoint a lay man if he wanted to.
He had been told that some of the best
roads had been built by laymen and not
by engineers. If his amendment should
prevail he would like to amend section
Z so that the supervision of the roads
shall be largely with the towns That
is in the line of economy and common
sense. There are better roads in New
Jersey than in Connecticut.
Mr.. Clark of Windham said that in
Massachusetts the state builds nearly
all the roads Nobody but an engineer
could build the roads in Massachusetts.
They do not want three commissioners
any more than they need three COVER
nors.
Mr. Carter of P1ainville favored one
commissioner In New Britain there
were roads built that would stay.
Mr.. Hough was satisfied that they
wanted but one commissioner and he
did not think it was necessary that he
should be a capable engineer. The en-
than benefit. There has been too
much commission and too little roads
Mr.. Webster said in New Britain they
had built better roads than the commits
sion could have built. He is familiar
with road building. 1t is a waste of
money to have three commissioners for
one mans work
Mr. Fish of Newington said that the
work on roads began all at once and
1t wouldn't be possible for the COM
missioner to confer with all the select
men. The commissioner would have to
make three trips on each contract. But
one commissioner would be better than
three, if he could attend to the duties.
Mr.. Heath of Vernon said the COM
missioners acknowledged in their re-
port that they were not able to super
wise all the roads, and that they needed
inspectors. The inspection which the
roads get from the commissioners Is a
farce.
Mr.. Wadsworth of Pennington said
that one commissioner could not cover
the whole state. The roads in the state
have been built mostly under the SUI
pervision of engineers. 1t would be i'm
possible to bu1ld gOOd ROADS without the
direction of an engineer.
Mr.. Barnes of Norwich said enough
money ought to be appropriated to pay
all the expenses of the office including
a sum for an official who would remain
in the office. He thought that $1,50C
was a reasonable sum to pay for office
expenses.
Mr.. Fish believed in the state paying
two-thirds and the towns one-third.
Mr.. Hutchinson of Essex thought the
state should raise money by issuing its
bonds. 1t might be well to provide a
sinking fund to take up the bonds. The
state should pay two-thirds of the ex-
pense of building roads and the towns
one-third.
Ex-Governor M. G. Buckley said if
the general assembly would provide for
the rapid construction of the roads, and
not do the work by piecemeal, the peo-
pie would be thankful. He believed in
the towns building all the good roads
they might decide upon. He though:
the bonds Of the state ought to bear
interest at per cent, and that they
could be sold at a premium at that. In
the town of Hartford a half mile OF
road on the New Haven turnpike had
been built which began at mud hole
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