The Newtown bee., 1901-10-25

Washington. We want fresh dirt and
men who will round up our roads SO
that the water will run off.
Robert Whittlesey: We have a
good, competent board of selectmen
and believe the roads should be left
in their hands.
Maj Walter Burnham: 1 want to
inquire if the roads in Washington
haye not been satisfactory with the
exception of the last year? We had
very poor roads here when they were
worked under the contract system.
Your selectman has not been satisfac-
tory for some reason or other. This
town should work for more permanent
roads. If it is necessary to have stone
c,.usher let's have it. If there is any
one factor that will induce men to
come and settle here it is good roads.
Don 'tS do anything to drive people
away. Give us good roads, but dom It
go back to the contract system.
Ralph Buckingham: / have always
been in favor of leaving the roads in
the hands of the selectmen, and only
drew this resolution because 1 was
given to understand there was a pre-
ponderance of public sentiment in
favor of the contract system.
John E. Whittlesey: I am in favor
of the contract system. Under the
present system we don't have any
roads. The roads have been a per-
petual eye-sore to everyone. We don't
want as good roads here in Judea
(which pays &c per cent of the tax
as you have in New Preston but nearly
as good. We don't want to feel COM
PEELED to put our buggies in the attic
and go back TO the style Of horseback
riding. 1 took ride the other day
II don't often ride) and when passed
from Judea to New Preston the
change was very noticeable. Previous
to last year we had good roads. Are
you going to make us hammer over
these roads or are you going to give US
good roads? 1t wouldn't be possible to
get worse system than we have at
present. 1t isn't possible for the tax
payers of Washington to jump into a
worse frying pan than they are now.
We don't want the earth, only passable
roads.
Edward H. Beardsley: am glad to
have heard, this afternoon, the words
of praise of Selectman Sperry. 1t
agrees with my opinion that our friend,
Sperry, has done his conscientious duty
on the road question. We are the last
to complain about the roads, In our
part Of the town we are unanimous in
leaving the roads in the hands of the
Selectmen.
DR. Ford: I am thoroughly in SYM
pathy with what Mr. Hallock has said
about permanent roads and the pur-
chase of stone crusher. 1t is ques-
tion if the rock about here is suitable
for road work. The city people have
considered this question and decided
against the use of stone crusher.
They have brought in some 100 car
loads and carted up the hill.
George B. Beers: Mr. Atwood has
discovered a fine quality of trap rock
at his quarry and is making arrange
ments to put in crusher to put the
stone on the market.
Rev Robert Carter moved that a
committee of two be appointed, of
which DR. Ford should be one, to inves-
tigate the question if the local rock
was suitable for road work.
The meeting finally gave the contract
system knock out blow by passing
the following resolution:
Voted, That the maintenance of all
roads and bridges be left in the hands
of the selectmen as an entire board
and that they be instructed to place
all the main roads OF the town oil
Washington in first class condition or
or before July l, 1902.
Voted, That committee of two bt
appointed, of which DIR w. J. Fort
should be chairman, the other membe
to be appointed by the chair, to in
quire into the quality of stone fount
locally for use in good roads work
That the committee report to tn
: selectmen.