The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-03-14
Good and Bad Roads,

What is true of good schools, good
local government, good morals, in one
region of the country is true, in gen.
eral way, in any other part of the land
The only difference is the change in
details a change in situs may make.
So what can be said in favor of good
roads in New York is also applicable
in general way in Vermont, and on
this subject the Brooklyn Eagle makes
some observations that are of interest
here. Says the Eagle:
1t is estimated that with 100000
miles of railway in this country there
are not 10000 miles of good road. 1t
would be for the welfare of the nation
If there were at least as many miles of
good road as there are of railway. 1t
is safe to say that every citizen tray
erses a hundred miles of road and
street to one of railroad, even though
we are the nest incessant travellers by
rail in the world. Moreover, it is but
a fraction of the freight moved in this
country that passes over the rails. For
asingle ton of grain or vegetables con-
signed to the railroad there must be
dozens of tons that are moved from
the farms to the markets of nearby
towns, and from the farms to the barns;
and in any case the freight must be
hauled to and from the stations over
roads of some sort-commonly o bad
sort.
The owners of automobiles are now
taking their turn in the good roads
movement. AS yet the automobile has
not come into great prominence and its
price is against its popularity; but, as
in the case Of the bicycle, we may look
for its ultimate cheapening and pleas
ure riding will become more popular in
the country. There are many miles of
country highway at present whereon it
is impossible to ride with pleasure,
no matter whether the vehicle be a
wagon, an automobile or a bicycle.
There are times, especially in this sea-
son Of snow-melting and showers,
when travel on wheels of any kind is
practically out of the question; when
the so-called roads are boys and lakes
of mud; when wheels are clogged and
progress ie impossible; when the only
way to go from house to house is to
put on rubber boots and keep along the
grassy strip beside the way. Freight
ed wagons cften have to be abandoned,
the horses being unable to drag them
through the viscid, heavy mass, and
there mGy in such case be an entire
loss of the material which could have
been sold at a goodly profit had the
farmer or the milkman been able to
send it TO the railroad on such pave
ment &C will be found in the poorest
parts Of England, Italy, France or Ger
many,
Though we pride ourselves or ma
tional progress, there is nothing in
which we are so unprogressive as this
matter of roads. The farmers them
selves, who profit most by good ones,
most strenuously to the introduction of
macadam, to the easing of grades, to
guttering and stone bedding in accord
ance with scientific principles. 1t is
because they realize only that this
means an increased tax. They do not
take into consideration the saving
which will far exceed the tax; the
saving of labor on the part of them
selves and their beasts of burden; the
economy in drawing power, one horse
doing on good road the work requir.
ed of four on bad enc; the security
given to their rolling stock, wagon in
a good road district far outlasting one
that is racked and shaken by pounding
over rough and stony lanes; the saw
ing in their homes through the aboli-
ton OF the dirt and dust, and, espe.
cially, the eventual saving in taxes
themselves through freedom from ex-
penditure for years to come in repairs
and Restricting. 1t is not the pleasure
travellers who require to have the need
of decent highways preached to them
They know too bitterly the evils of the
customary turnpike; it is the farmers
and all who are directly responsible fol
them, and who are so sluggish in re
form because they have had no expe
rience of properly made roads and sup
pose that the rest of the word is forced
to get along as they do. There is {
need of missionaries in this countr,
for the preaching of better morals ant
better politics, and better thoughts
but there is immediate need of revi
valists who will rouse the rural popula
tions to activity in lettering thei
roads,