Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-05-13
a New Road Schem @.

The Good Roads association meeting at
Montpelier last week brought out some
very interesting papers and discussions.
The most striking of these was the one
by Hon. Fuller G.. Smith of St. Adams.
He presented in outline a new scheme
that has merit in it, however, we may
differ as to the detail or the advisability
of adopting it now.
He said: The present 5 per cent high
way tax yields 500, 1929 annually, divided
among the towns of the State according
to the milage, or $500 per mile for each
mile of highway in the State. Abolish
this method of distribution, issue 40-year
per cent bonds of the State for S4 800, =
900; add to the 5 per cent State highway
tax and to one-half the amount of the
revenue from the liquor licenses another
three per cent tax on the total grand list
of the State for sinking fund part of
which shall be applied to retire the
bonds at maturity. The total grand list of
the State is 81 ,S06.59 the five per cent
State highway tax raises 800, 1923, the
additional three per cent tax will raise
S54, 1877, one-half the revenue from liquor
license fees is now $35, 474, making a
total of S1S0,000. Three per cent inter
est on 81, 500, 900 bonds will be S135, 600
available each year for the sinking fund,
S45, 600, the interest at four per cent for
AZ years will be 81, III ,005 enough to retire
the bonds, and pay the salary of the
State highway commissioner in directing
the work If the entire revenue from
license fee be applied to this fund the
sinking fund tax might be reduced to
/ nf
haps be wiped out altogether.
So much for the financial end, now
where shall we build? Commerce at
Highgate, build trunk line through the
Champlain valley to Burlington, Middle.
bury, Rutland and Bennington. Com
mence at Newport, build south to Iras-
burgh, Morrisville, Montpelier, Royalton
Ludlow, Chester to Bellows Falls. Again
commence at Newport, build to st.
Johnsbury, Bradford, Hartford, Spring
field, Westminster and Brattleboro t.
Vernon.
Commence again at ST. Adams, build
through Sheldon, Berkshire, Montgom
cry, Newport, Brighton, Guildhall, tc
Lunenburgh. Commence again at St
Adams, build through Fairfax, Cam.
bridge, Morrisville, Hardwick, st. Johns
bury to Lunenburgh. Commence again
at Burlington. build through Richmond
Montpelier, Marshfield, Ryegate to Wells
River. Commence again at Middlebury
build through Ripton, Rochester, Bethel
Sharon to White River Junction. Begir
again at Fair Haven, build through Cas-
Teton, Rutland, Mendon, Bridgewater
Woodstock to White River Junction.
Commence again at Manchester, builC
through Londonderry to Bellows Falls
Commence again at Bennington, builC
through to Brattleboro. Begin at Mont
pelier, build to Northfield, Randolph
through to Shelburne to meet the eros
road to White River Junction.
These highways would aggregate 90
miles and can be built for $4,000 per mile
They would pass through l43 towns ant
cities, which have so per cent of tn
grand list of the state. They would
touch every shire town except Newfan
and North Hero and serve directly
large majority of the population. Thes,
for summer visitors and tourists
At the worlds fair at Chicago in 1880
the state of Maine had a exhibit showing
that in 1892 that state received from
summer visitors over sl1 ZOO, 900, and tn
sldte Vi view hampshire reCelNeu Una
year from the same service over $1,000,
900.
These roads might be built by stat
highway commission, and the wor
could be carried on simultaneously an
completed in five years. The Massachu
sets highway commission reports that il
1908 the average cost of permanent high
ways in that state was S624S. II per mile
and that some cost sci ,220 Per mile
Vermont cannot build such eXpensiv
highways, but the average cost in thi
State can be brought down to $4,000 pc
: mile.