Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-05-25
Town Road Commissioners Meet.

The meeting of the road commissioner
OF Orange county called by the state high
way commissioner, VIM. B. Wall of RAN
dolph, was held In the court house Fri
| day, beginning at 10 O'Clock a. m.
The meeting was called to order by MIR.
Wall and Commissioner K. @. Durgan OF
Bradford elected chairman and Commis- :
sioner @. A. Clough OF Braintree secreta-
ry. The roll of towns was called and
showed that Is out OF the IL towns In the
county we're represented and Commits
sioner e. M. FulliDgton OF Thetford had
attended the meeting at White River
Junction last week as being more con-
venient.
The following are the names of the COM
missioners present; E. c. Durgan, Brad
ford; G. A. Clough, Braintree; F. p. Lam
son, Brookfield; W. NJ. Mattoon, Chel-
sea E. r. Taplin, Corinth; F. W. Pierce,
Fairlee; Nj. b. Curtis, Orange; j B.Wells,
Randolph; f. b. Kendall, Strafford; j. A.
White, Topsham; M. c. Flanders, Tun-
bridge; {. B. Titus, Versbire; A. w.
Hutchinson, Washington; II. II. Titus,
West Fairlee; o. A. Blanchard, Williams
town.
The chairman called for State Commits
sioner Wall, who made a statement re-
garding the expenditure OF the state tax
OF per cent. He practically emphasized
that clause in the law which provides that
the money received from the state tax can
be used only for permanent work, either
road beds or culverts, and each commits
sioner will be Obliged TO show that the
sum due the town has been laid out in per-
manent work before he can receive the
state commissioners approval and draw
the sum from the state.
In building q road the first thing to get
Is drainage, and Mr.. Wall recommended
stone roads covered with gravel or the
regular soil OF the vicinity II IT would
pack we'll. A permanent eulvert is logs
for back, then lined aud covered With
stone, which makes a cuivert that will
last for years.
The several commissioners present we're
called upon to tell their experience or ask
any questions they wished, and some in
teTesting and animated discussions were
had on several subjects.
Among them was how to dispose OF
sand road concerning which there was
varied assortment OF opinions, but the
verdict seemed to be that the best solution
was to put clay on first, then gravel on top
OF that, which will make hard and per-
manent road that will hold up for years.
The cost OF building stone road was es-
timated to be from 900 to $3.50 per rod,
according to distance stone and gravel had
TO be hauled.
Tile for water courses was another sub
iect that was discussed at length. Mr..
Wall recommended steel or iron in pref
erence to tile, but tile should be put deep
enough so it would not freeze, IL to
feet.
II was a rousing meeting and everyone
present seemed 10 enjoy II and certainly 1t
should be benefit to the commissioners
to exchange ideas on the different KIND OF
road making, but the principal idea Mr..
Wall wished to impress on each comInis-
sioner was that he must put the per cent
tax into permanent work and his circu-
lar tells what will be considered such a
road.
Mr.. Wells OF Randolph put in 80 rods OF
rock road through 3 swamp where he
could get bat little drainage. He covered,
with common dirt, and had got good
hard and dry road which would stay.
This cost 80 90 per rod.
Mr.. Curtis OF Orange said he had made
bis roads wide; had used drills to large
extent to take out rocks; did not use
stone culverts, but bad put in Il log cul.
verts and spiked plank crossways instead
Of the length, then covered with dirt deep
enough TO keep from freezing.
Mr.. Titus OF West Fairlee said he put
clay and gravel on together and made a
sort OF cement on sandy roao, when
held all right.
Mr.. Lamson OF Brooktield had made
several rods OF permanent road that would
last ten years, only smoothing by the
" heel track.