Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-05-10
Road nuiIdIng a. East RandoIph


DEAR EDITOR Il am In a great auaB.
Diary. Somebody ought TO be notihss
concerning a certain piece Of the puBls
highway, and am in doubt To whom 1
shall address my letter OF inquiry, and il.
cidentally impalt more or less informs
tion to the party addressed. NV R~t
thought was to write to our esteemla
state highway commissioner Then agais
/ thought 1t would be best to address Al
matters aboEt roads and highways to or
efficient town road commissioner, Bot
finally / concluded to compromise ths
whole matter and write you, asking you 70
publish II In your valuable paper as s0Ja
as may be, 50 that all your many readers
will be posted upon the facts in the case
just as the people In East Randolph aa.
derstand them.
The papers have much to say about PEI.
manent roads, and well they may, t0fits
a subject OF vast importance. Indeed
Prof. Patterson years ago said the c1ndi.
ton Of the highways was a correct index
OF the intelligence OF the people. Nos
that is exactly what we want 10 get a,
We want a piece OF permanent road con.
structed above high-water mark. i Is
situated about one half mile north Of ths
postoffice in East Randolph, and Il needs
the careful attention Of our road commits,
siouer.
/ suppose it to be known by The pubic
generally that this, the branch road, g j
is called, Is travelled more than any otoa
highway in town, excepting that between
Randolph and Randolph Center 10 for
mer times, the east branch road turned OF
west near " here Austin Emery now llve
passing on north and little west Of lev
II IL fhf.s1 - hnmEa md n n M II. Ills
lette's, thence northeasttrIy 10 the Ha1l.
ington farm but about 65 years ag1
was altered ana brought down to ioloai
the river and avoid the hill 10 the old
road, which was a very great improvement
In the main road.
After crossing the kibby bridge, yoa
come to the section called the "dugRN
and this Is the part we want 70 Improve
On the west, beyond said bridge Is w
20 north, there Is high hill OF blau iron
30 To 90 feet high. At the bottom o. ths
bluff the road was made between = aug
the river. There was room sufficient iof
good, wide, level road along the bank q
the stream, as near as from Tour 70 ~
feet, perhaps. Tgenty. five years age las
road was higher than the stream, bot boN
ii is lower, so that as soon as the water y.
comes a little above full banks II begls
to pour over into the road and 50 @asns
away all loose earth, .hus gradually ioset -
ing the roadbed, In some places esIlaip9
from two to three feet, and Il Is getting y
be, as the years go on, in quite . serlogs
for the travelling pubic. ~ ~
very year and many times year Una. - ~
water washes the road clean OF loose Jun
Luckily, we had no freshet this Spite
tut plenty OF high water, about esas
laws, / think. / drove through tRiS
very day but one while it lasted. SOM
fines the water was deep enough 70 sass
he mud of the wheel hubs, but that Nn
Tot the worst OF IL, for the current VS.
trong in the road as in the main eBaa
lei. | believe II man had sttempleu
ross then he would have been swept -
lis feet. The mail coach went up 20
he hill once or twice and quite lev sia
lie teams did the same thing, teaTlhs
ace the powerful current OF water ID NV
Dad. ,ss
There are 20 to 25 rods through tes
dugwayn that should be raised ~ L. ~.
vo to five feet The day after the - -.
lst February, / drove through anu -
'ster was Just deep enough TO WEI -
ottom of the sleigh. | have Travelled ' ~,
pad on an average at least once aay ~
lore than thirty years and ai~ass 80.
trough all right, except IN the uls 10 ne
of 1869. To be sure drove throu - ~
alter then, but not when at It's h's"''
oint. -s-,.s
There is plenty OF material at hana l.5asr
J il is, and plenty OF men ana uo aTy
ould put the road bed up where y - -
Mould be, out OF reach OF the hieh 90. srr
OF course there Is no intention gu
art OF being unreasonable IN TINS ull sstbi
syertheless we hereby give tol5i ~,
road hint to the proper authorizes ere are
e are looking at them and that Insr.
lping for the best for all parties. ,,s.
"kick" on my highway tax but sia5i-
mes have thought it not very ~
ously expended. --..,.p,pF.
East Randolph, May l.