Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-04-03
STATE OFFICER SANFORD.
MEETS THE COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
ERs AT FESTIVAL HALL.

MEETS THE COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
ERs AT FESTIVAL HALL.
Helpful Addresses by Commissioner Earle Of
Michigan, Prof. votey, Congressman Has
kins and Commissioner sanford-Full At
tendance Shows Gratifying Interest in Good
Roads.
The meeting of the county road com
missioners, called by State Road Com
missioner j. o. Sanford of Burliug-
ton and held in Festival hall Thurs
day was one of the most sue
cessful of its kind ever held in the
county. Representatives from nearly
every town were present They were
fortunate in listening to as eminent
and practical expopents of the subject
of road building and maintenance as are
often called upon to address an assem-
bly. After short introductory ad-
dress by Commissioner Sanford Prof.
j. William Votey, the head Of the en-
gineering department of the University
of Vermont was the speaker of the
forenoon. Addresses we're made IN the
afternoon by Commissioner Sanford,
Congressman Haskins and Hon. Hora-
ito P. Earle of Detroit, Mich, state
senator and president of the Michigan
highway commission.
Prof. Votey's address was clear and
comprehensive presentation OF what
constitutes practical ideal in the con-
struction of Vermont's highways and
how the means to that end are best at
tanned. While there is still much
ground for criticism over the state OF
the roads in many towns OF the state,
the speaker maintained that there was
marked improvement in their condi-
tion, compared to that of 1892 when
the state road commission was estab-
lished. In the beginning the commits
sion had little to work by the way OF
precedent as only the states OF Massa,
chusetts and New Jersey had founded
state commissions.
The speaker held that the present
plan of building in a permanent man
ner the bad places on the main roaos,
giving to every town each year sec
tion of improved well built roads is as
good for the state and town as can weV
be desired at present.
To attempt to build a system of ma
cadam roads as some states are doing,
would be an undertaking of doubtful
necessary to build such roads would be
hard to get by legislative authority
with the present system of representa-
ton inasmuch as few If any of the
towns most needing aid would be i'm
mediately benefited by any system OF
road likely to be built, while at the
same time being taxed for building
roads in other towns. Second, the cost
of building and maintaining such
roads would be burdensome in the
many sparsely settled Vermont COM
munities third, the traffic is neither
| heavy or constant enough to warrant
the building of such roads. thos~
ough explanation was given of the pro-
cesses of the laying of foundations, the
surfacing, and of securing drainage OF
roads built in substantial and perma-
nent manner
| State Commissioner Sanford spoke
with the weight of authority, of
long and active life engaged in the
study for the improvement of highway
conditions and not a word OF his ad-
dress was lost on his hearers. point
especially emphasized in an exhaustive
| treatise on the subject of road building
was the usual omission in caring for
roadway which may have answered all
the requirements of first-class high
way when originally constructed. Con-
slant vigilance in looking after even
| the smallest of needed repairs was half
the price of success in the securing OF
| good roads.
Congressman Haskins showed him
self to be thoroughly versed on the sub
| iect under discussion. He dwelt par
| ticularly on the important work OF the
national government in the cause OF
good roads by disseminating informa-
| tion throughout the country of the re-
suits of experimental road building as
an object lesson in the construction
and preservation of highways. Al
though a bureau of chemistry has been
! for several years established by the
government. to which specimens of
| rock, gravel and other road material
can be tested free of charge; for its
adaptability for the purpose. the con-
gresham said that not road commits
sioner in the state had yet sent any
such specimens to be tested for the
highways.
President Earle of the Michigan
highway commission, former Yer
mont boy. made brief address de-
scriptive of the road commission In
Michigan. Many of the methods in his
adopted state, he said, were taken from
| Vermont ideals.
The town commissioners present
were: James Brown, Athens; y. 5.
Eames, Brattleboro; G. G. Ware,
Brookline: G.. D. Hale, Dover; W. +.
Walker, Dummerston: W. E. Pronty,
Grafton: NJ. A Thomas and {. d.
Shepardson, Guilford; y. M. Scott,
Halifax: c. c. Allen and A. s. How
ard, Jamaica o. P. Stewart, London
derry: W. F. Snow and G. ID. Bishop,
Marlboro: Charles X. Stedman, New
fame: G. E. Osgood, Rockingham; p.
N. Magoon, Stratton j. O. Follett,
Townshend: Z. H. Akley, Vernon: c.
| D. White, Wardsboro; E. G. Butter
| field, Westminster: l.. E. Jenison,
Windham. Commissioners j. c. Cool
idge of Plymouth, G. ii. White OF
Chester, and H. o. Coleman of Win
4 hoI oil attapHpd