Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-04-20
PERMANENT HIGHWAYS.
Road Commissioners Met with estate
with State Commissioner Wall.

Good Work Done with the State High
way Money the Past Yesr---Whst the
Commissioners Of WIndhsm County
Have AccompIIshed---IO Per Cent Tar
Favored.
Fourteen of Windham countys road
commissioners and one commissioner from
Windsor county met with State Highway
Commissioner William B. Wall in the
Grange banquet hall Tuesday and held an
extremely interesting and profitable meet
ing. The different and most satisfactory
methods of road construction were discussed
under the leadership of Mr.. Wall, each
man giving the benefits of his experience
in road building and receiving In return
the benefits of the experience of others.
The meeting was held principally to find
out what had been done with the money
from the state highway tax of per cent,
and the reports of the different commits
sloners showed that good use had been
made of IL.
After the meeting was called to order by
Mr.. Wall organization was effected by
electing ID. T. Perry of Brattleboro chair
man and A. G. Rice of Grafton, secretary.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Wall empha-
sized the great need of good roads in this
state, saying that he believed the value of
property was increased from 10 TO 20 per
cent when the roads In its vicinity were
first class. During 1899, III miles of per-
manent roads were built in the state, but
Mr.. Wall believed that this amount could
be Increased IL every commissioner would
use his apportionment from the state for
permanent stone work instead of turning
1t into the general fund. Mr.. Wall also
expressed the wish that every commission
er would have his report in by Sept. in
order that the state highway commission
er's report may be given TO the general as
sembly when it convenes in October.
Mr.. Osgood of Rockingham inquired
about the best kinds OF permanent work
and asked for advice in case the most sat
isfactory work could not be done until late
in the season. In response TO the kinds Of
work which are considered the best Mr..
Wall had the secretary read the highway
act as passed by the legislature and also
the circular which was issued last year by
the state highway commissioner. In re-
gard TO the time for doing the work Mr..
Wall thought the commissioners should
use their own judgment, but he asked
them to lay out their money for permanent
work as early in the season as possible in
order that their reports might be promptly
handed in.
Mr.. Rice of Grafton said that when the
state highway act was passed at Montpel-
Ter most of the objections 10 it were raised
oy legislators from the small towns, which
are the greatest beneficiaries-the tax be-
ing levied according to the grand list and
the apportionment made according to the
length OF road bed. He expressed the
nope that, as the small towns are in real
NY receiving present from the larger
places, commissioners would spend their
money in honest permanent work.
Most OF the afternoon session was de.
voted to reports from the different com.
mlssioners in regard TO the work which
had been done with state money. In ey-
cry case the full amount had been used in
permanent work, and some Of the towns
had spent more than the apportionment
from the state in making permanent high
ways. Most of the commissioners favored
stone roads as being the cheapest and most
durable for country towns, and the major
ity used their state money in repairing
some poor place by filling in with stone
and using gravel for surfacing. In some
instances where stone could not be pro-
cured gravel alone was used, but it was
agreed that stone foundation was the
more desirable. Every commissioner was
satisfied with the work he had done With
the state money and all favored the > per
cent tax.
At the close of the reports Mr.. Perry of
Bratteboro gave an instructive talk upon
the methods of road building, telling some
OF his experiences in building roads in
Massachusetts, and speaking of the neces-
sity of careful grading and good drainage
in the building of highways.
Mr.. Follett of Townshend then intro
duced the following resolution which ex-
pressed the feeling of the majority of those
in attendance:
Resolved, That the commissioners OF
Windham county favor a 10 per cent state
highway tax TO take the place OF the per
cent tax which is now the law
Following is a list of those present at
the meeting Brown of Athens, Perry
of Brattleboro, Barnes of Brookline, Rob.
bins of Dummerston, Rice of Grafton.
Whitney of Marlboro Stedman of New.
fame, Scott of Putney, Osgood of Rocking
ham, Follett of Townshend, Akley of Yer
non, Butterfield of Westminster, Barker of
OF Nottingham, Axtell of Windham and
White of Chester.