The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-25

cared for, add greatly to the deSlraplH- ty of a city, as a location for business or home, and that everything that makes the streets of Bridgeport pleasure to the wheelmen also adds to the well being and good of all our citl- zens, have associated themselves for | the purpose of united action upon all | questions, which will improve our streets, add to the beauty and prosper | ity of Bridgeport or advance the | wheeling interests in our city or state. | President Manwaring arose at the | conclusion of the last course, and | calling the assemblage to order, he l spoke briefly on the op1ects and strength of the club, and then in
 troduced Mayor Taylor as toastmaster of the evening. Speeches were made
 by Mayor Taylor, Lientenant-Governo | Dewell, James H. Macdonald, Rev. MT.
 Dillingham;, pastor of the Universalist
 church, Charles Huntington of Hart
 ford, Rev. D. G. Fullerton, Zalmon Goodsell, Hon. Stiles Judson, Jr., c. s | Garfield and others.
 Lieutenant-G Governor James D. Dewell was introduced by Mayor Taylor as a | friend of good roads and the wheelmen. l MI. bcWGil SpOhc dI SOiliS iCiisoeAib ~ ferring to the work of the state board
 of trade in the movement for the pro
 motion of the good road project. He
 was chairman of the committee which
 appeared before the committee on
 roads, rivers and bridges some five years ago. He advocated the bonding
 of the state for five millions of dollars for good roads and thus avoid the state
 tax, but the farmers held up the bill In
 the house. Good roads are benefit to l the farmers, and so soon as we can
 convince them of that fact we will be
 enabled to extend the movement.
 Mayor Taylors introductions were
 bright and witty and in calling on
 Highway Commissioner Macdonald the
 toastmaster said he is one who knows
 how to build road better than any
 man in the New England states.
 MT. Macdonald proved to be one of
 the most interesting as well as anus
 ing speakers of the evening. Those
 anticipated dry talk from him. full of
 uninteresting statistics, were happily
 disappointed. He was very witty and
 displayed his knowledge of the high
 ways in a capable manner. He ex-
 plained that he was glad to speak in such a pleasant place, for all present
 were in accord with what he had made
 his life work. In explanation of the
 statement made by some to the effect
 that the wheelmen are the only ones to be benefited by the good roads
 movement, MT. Macdonald told of ar incident which very forcibly refutes this argument. Two years ago it will
 be recalled, there was a corner in , wheat. The managers of the large el-
 evators in the west, whose bins were
 well stocked, had the people of the country under their thumb. They raised the price In spite of the fact that there had been an enormous crop of wheat harvested that year. The roads, however, were impossible and the farmers were unable to transfer s their crops to the cities and they could , not place their produce on the market
 The speaker referred to the famous
 historic ride of Paul Revere and con nected this with good roads. The ma , tion's life depended on that ride, and had he met with disaster what might
 have happened? The great author oi
 the poem must have familiarized him. f self with the route of Paul Revere, fol 5 contained in it's verses is a description l of the various styles of roadway ovel . which the hero travelled.
 \ There are some who say that the l wheelmen's interest in good roads i: s selfish, but there are none in the Uni x ted States who are exempt from tht e use of the highways. It isn't only : Il question for the Wheelmen. They y don't injure the roadways. The Con
 necticut highway commission started
 out just right. It would have beer
 poor policy to give millions of dollars
 into the hands of commission em = powered to spend it. He referred t.
 the Consolidated road, saying tha g they have learned three importan q things in their experience in roat II building: That of strengthening o - curves and the improvement of sur U face All are valuable. They learned
 these things and it was expensive, bu = they now have one of the finest road : beds he ever had the pleasure to tray l. el over. q believe that the cities ar l' awakening to the fact that roads an, = streets need careful attention, but the, l. have very much to learn" Mir Mac 5 donald read well written poem, DOT l' traying the obdurate farmers predica :, ment when on going to town he becam - stuck in the mud, the same man bein s- an influential citizen who at the previ :, ous town meeting had vigorously pro 7 tested against the good roads move
 ment.