Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-12-10
NO COFFIN
IS WANTED
According To Trustee Livingston
of the Street Committee.

Wanted, acoflin for the good roads
movement. This in substance was
an editorial item in late issue of the
Banner and Reformer take it that
it was intended as a joke, though not
labeled as such for the editor of our
local newspaper is a good deal giver
to righteousness, particularly in his
editorial columns.
But let that pass. Good roads IN
any event, sis no Joke, and If there
is ever movement in that direction
serious movement, | mean--it will
stand in no need of a coffin. When
ever one of these great movements gets
started it acquires marvellous momeu-
tum.
l read recently story Of two farm
ers who for the first time in their lives
stood beside a railroad track on which
was an engine attached to heavy
train Of cars. Said one farmer TO the
other, Hank, she'll never be able to
start it. 1t isn't possible" Finally
the steam was turned on, and, with
much putting, grinding and groaning,
the great train began to move very
slowly, then faster and faster, until
finally, with a whirl of dust and roar
like thunder, it swung out OF sight
around a distant curve Then the
farmer, drawing long breath, re-
marked "Hank, by the ct, nal,
they'll never be able to stop it"
So will it be with the good roads
movement Once lei it get under head
way and nothing will be able to stop
it or stand before it till its good work
is done.
Fun aside, take it that the editor
is fully convinced that good roads
are as essential TO the community's
well-being as even a railroad, if not
more so, and good streets are of more
Importance than good roads--meaning
good country roads outside the village
limits But both are possible in COM
petent hands, even with the resources
now at command.
II has been demonstrated in this
village the past year that with tie
same amount Of money as is usually
raised, that is, 20 cents on the grand
list dollar, netting about $4,000, much
better results could be obtained than
has been usual. And so it may be
said that if the town, or the village
either for that matter, would employ
competent men to handle the road
work their money would go a hundred
per cent further than is usual
/ think it can be shown that fully
half the highway tax expended in the
town, as we'll as the villages. has in
past years been absolutely thrown
away This result comes about
through incompetency a lack Of
knowledge of road construction as
well as road material.
1t is possible to 90 cut into
meadow where there is nothing but
loan, and without adding a spoonful
of other material or carting a spoon
full away to lay down a highway that
will be as hard and smooth as a race
track, absolutely imperyious to mois-
ture from top OF bottom, and never
show in i've years at least more than an
inch of mud on its surface Still, of
course good material is the best to use,
but there Is so much that is poor all
about US and so much of this poor
stuff has been used in past years and
used unintelligently--that we have on
the whole about as poor roads as any
body in any part of the country can
boast Of
Now, Nh Editor let us start a good
roads movement, rather than advertise
for collins, and l will guarantee that
the result will not only rebound TO the
credit of the Banner and Reformer,
but add to the dignity and standing Of
the community in which we live. j.
II. Livingston.