The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-08

mon is taking the Washings that come
down from the hills and find lodgment
at their base, and drawing it back
again. / remember asking an official
who had charge of the work in one
put back on the hill, and he said, "Well,
| 1t helped to cover over the rocks, and
| that it was the nearest place to get rid
of it, and that it would save money in
not having to cart it away" In anoth-
er town l saw two yoke of oxen carting
| dirt from the base of a hill up on to the
HILL and it did not occur to the man at
work that If a hill was so steep as to re-
quire two yoke of oxen to cart dirt up
the hill, it was not good Judgment to
increase the grade by carting addition
al dirt These are not isolated cases
and are due perhaps to custom and
practice in vogue in the town in their
method of road improvement.
When the towns of the state fully
appreciate that it is not good Judgment
or wise expenditure of money to do
one hundred miles of roads for from
one hundred to fifteen hundred dollars,
and work them all for that sum, and
instead of so doing use portion of
their money every year in improving
permanently a half mile or a mile Of
road, from that moment the towns will
begin to draw interest from the money
invested and begin bank account that
will grow every year into a great saw
ing to the townspeople.
I have noticed in great many towns
in the state during my travels that the
ploW is becoming a lost art. Its re-
turn will yield a great assistance in SCI
curing live material with which to
dress over the roads. It's absence re-
suits in an impoverished condition in
the character of the material with
which roads are repaired.
1t will be impossible for the towns of
the state Of Connecticut, of themselves,
to have macadam system on the main
highways of the state universally
adopted; first, because of the financial
condition of many of the towns; second,
lack of material in the town with which
to build stone roads; third, remoteness
from railroad facilities to import stone,
and fourth, the very heavy grades to
overcome. A complete and universal
macadam system in the state of Con-
necticut would have to be built entirely
by the state. I do not think it would
be wise to undertake to build a mac
tdam system throughout the entire
state.
The question of location of each
piece of improved road with state as
sstance will always continue to be more
or less the bane of contention in many
towns. While this is not so general as
it was in the beginning of the move
ment, we have still some feeling of
jealousy to-day that I am sorry to say
finds it's best definition in "dog in the
manger" policy. We have had to con-
tend with some of that feeling this past
year.
1t is so difficult to make some people
understand that the Good Roads Move
ment is not going to stop with the i'm
of one section in town, but
on the contrary, that 1t has come to
stay and extend it's helpful influence
over all the main roads in town. and
that 1t is only a question of to-day or
when these roads will be
improved. But I suppose that just as
long as human nature is human nature,
these things will continue to a greater
or less extent. May we hope that it
may be rather less than more.
The employment of local inspector
Is one that should be continued for sew
eral reasons. First, whatever knowl-
edge in road building he may gain will
remain as possession to the town in
which he resides. Second, the expense
of railroads, carriage hire and hotel
bills are removed; and third, residing
in the town, he has an added interest in
the proper construction of the work
that might not be felt by an inspector
from outside the town.
The state will make no mistake in ex-
tending this system, as every dollar
spent by the state for inspection will
return a hundred fold in the length of
life of the road, and in this respect the
money is we'll invested.
The roads in Europe are in use quite
Us much by night as in the day time.
This custom has grown up on account |
If the large business centers being SO
ar from the farms. A farmer will Of |
en- go journey of three or four days |
o reach his nearest and best market.
Our markets for farm products are |
cached on an average of not over eight |
niles, so that it is hardly if ever neces-
ary for our farmers to travel very Of
zen at night; in fact, in my visits be-
ween towns I am compelled to travel |
many times after dark and hardly ever
meet any one on the road. l have Of
en- felt that If our roads were in better
they would be used more in
he summer time at night than Is the
'ractice now.
The dense growth of trees along some
f our roads may be picturesque and
DOL in hot July or August day, but a
tense growth of trees at night is any
hing but thing to be desired.
Roads running through dense groves
re very dangerous at night, and they
re no help to the road in low, wet
aces, as the frost is held, and the
Moisture retained, making the roads
hire holes and dangerous to use.
There are many miles of roads in the
tate that are very dangerous to travel
yer at night on account of the lack of
rejection on the sides of the roads |
here the banks are very steep. These
cry places have been so long neglected
nat they are allowed to remain until !
0me one goes over the bank and a.
.rge bill for damages is the result,
hich brings the matter sharply to the
ttention of the town authorities and
zen a safeguard Is erected. 1t would
e wiser to clock the door before the
orse is stolen" Unless banks are very |
eep and require very large amount |