Connecticut western news., 1900-08-02
ROAD WORK IN NORTH CANAAN

pensive Work a Striking Object Les- son for Taxpayers and Fanatics Who Believe in the Present State Road System.
 New Milford Gazette, July 27.l On the invitation of a leading citizen of the town of North Canaan in this state, we visited that town Tuesday and, even after our long investigation as to the expensive and impractical re- suits of work done in country towns under the state road law. we were as- tonished. We drove oyer the stretches of road that have been worked or are being worked under arrangements made with James H. Mcdonald, the road commissioner, and it needed only a few observations. with a few explanations, the exercise of ordinary common sense coupled with general knowledge of the requirements of country towns and their ability to pay taxes, to see that the cause for great chagrin. We saw results of bad and expensive management in road building under the state law be- yond what we supposed was possible, and we wish the leading citizens of New mllIOTu HS we'll hS S6uSlDl6 Luou iIOuu buo cities could visit North Canaan and see with their own eyes the full possibilities of road making folly.
 The town of North Canaan has 400 voters and grand list not exceeding $701, ,786. The tax rate laid on the list of 1897 was 124 mills; on the list of 1898 15 mills, and on the list of 1899 not less than 20 mills. There are 50 miles of highway in the town.
 State road work was begun about two years ago. School consolidation was introduced about the same time. and the experience with which New Milford and other country towns that have gone in- to the various so-called improvements of the day are familiar, has been had i; namely, increase of tax rate and indebt- edness town debt has been increased about BIO, ,000) the rise of the power of the voters who are clsssed as non-tax- payers, "living off the town," etc.. etc. The old and familiar story we soon heard.
 The state road work, all of it near the village of Canaan, covers so far about 8 mile and one-half of highway either completed or to be completed. The be- ginning is at Bennett's crossing, where a grade crossing hss been eliminated at great expense and the bank on the south side out down to big extent in order to make quite low grade, 8 grade not ne- cessary in town like North Canaan, and too expensive for it. The road | south of the crossing, too, has been di- verted from the most direct line along ground where not much digging would have been required to few rods east where the ground was considerably | higher and where much excavation was necessary in order to attain the required level or slight grades. Two gradual and not high hills or slopes that It was inadvisable to cut down in town like North Canaan where the money expend- ed should be made to go as far as possi- ble and where heavy carting is done on- ! ly to limited extent, have been cut | down at big expense, and at one place where there is 8 little curve, not sharp or ipconvenient at all, the road is being unnecessarily strengthened by filling in and building in manner that must in volve considerable expense. In places where the road was wide we saw rocks blasted on the sides where they were not in the way. One rock 80 blasted was about ten feet from the edge of the road, and another shattered rock could hardly be said to have protruded at all on the line of legitimate travel.
 Well. boys." said our com mpanion to two of the workers. "Isuppose you'll be over in the lots soon blasting rocks.
 The men grinned and laughed assent It was apparent that they understood the true inwardness of what was going | on.
 ''Boy's play" said our friend, as his general comment on the work.
 The state road work so far has cost about BIC, ,0O0. and the bill for the part now being done by the gang of men and cost of making surveys under the state requirements have been high, although no surveys are necessary for making g country road that will answer all practi cal purpt ses.
 completed piece of the so called i'm prov ed road has not been sufficiently gravel ed and now that 1t has been repaired and ridden upon for time it presents the appearance of dirt road not better than would have been constructed by 6 fairly competent road maker who did not lay claim to great scientific qualif cations.
 The appropriations of 1897 and 1898 were on basis of one-half from the state and one.half from the town and the appropriations of 1899 were upon g basis of three-fourths from the state and one-fourth from the town.
 The sensible conclusion was that il if the road work, not including the grade crossing elimination, had been done un der good town management with due regard to the resources and require ments of the town, the expense would have been remarkably less than it has been. There is gravel bank conven ient and with good management, avoid ing the wrong layout to the east, the unneeded hill cutting and the unneede6 curve elimination, several miles of road could probably have been well graveled and put in fine travelling condition fol the amount spent by the town alone The one-half and three-qusrters appro priations from the state, not to discuss the grade crossing elimination. have been from the standpoint of good iudg ment and first class economical manage. ment, largely, if not wholly wasted. So much for what we understand, is called by Road Commissioner MacDon. aid ''pet" road, or presumably a mod el road.
 And now let the city editors come forth with more editorials to show what a wonderful road builder Mir Mac Don ald is. But we rather think the people o: North Canaan will have had enougt of state road work under the presen state law by the time they have paid all of their outstanding bills.
 It is even said, although we are hard ly prepared to believe it, that the ex pense of the ordinary repair of roads 1T North Canaan has been increased from 5000 to about $30O0 year.