Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-17
A MILLION DOLLARS FOR ROADS.


permanent highways, the chances are he
would no promptly ruled out of the race
as an oxtravagant man who would ruin
tho state. II. on the other hand, the
average taxpayer Of Vermont were to be
told that the State had already expended
nearly million dollars in aiding the
towns to build highways he would hold
ip his hands in horror at the bare suggee-
ton.
Vet during tho past twelve years tho
State has distributed practically this
sum for the supposed purpose of promot-
lug the construction Of permanent high
ways.
A million dollars in twelve years for
permanent highways
What has Vermont to show fo" this
vast sum?
Tho FREE PRESS has directed atton.
ton in n number of Instances 10 the IN,
satisfactory manner in which the pro-
Goods Of the present state highway tax
have been handled iu various towns and
to the little which any town N the Stnto
that can b. selected has tu show for the
expenditure Of this money. Th" chances
are that it would bother any traveller in
passing over the various highways in orr
State to distinguish the roads constructed
from the proceeds of the state TAX from
ordinary dirt roads
The visitor would of course. be I'M
pressed by the excellent thorouShfares TO
lie found in Burlington as we'll a. i'll
other cities in the state but highways of
this charac tcr should not Ne confonndcd
with those constructed through state aid.
Our permanent highways We're made pos
siblc by the issue Of bonds and large sums
raised in other ways. and state highway
tax legislation is in no way TO be credited
with these results.
II we have practically nothing to show
for about Il million dollars spent through
the state for good roads, this vast sum
was practically wasted
How was it wasted"
With few exceptions it was wasted in
the various towns.
The Vermont Legislature in lN91 passed
a Inv aholshing tho Office of district sur
veyor of highways. which had existed for
Years. latterly as possible substitute for
road commissioners, and providing that
- road commissioner shall be elected By
ballot"
The act then passed by the Legislature
also provided for a state tax Of five cents
un "A dollar annually assessed on the list,
polls and rutablc estate of the inhabitants
If tins state and non residents, who have
Il grand list. for the support Of nigh
WAYS. The proceeds of the tax thus i'm
posed were to be proportional and re-
paid to the several towns. villages and
cities on e basis of road mileage.
In 1896 the law was amended So that
the statement read simply "A state
highway tax of five cents on dollar is
hereby annually assessed upon the grand
list for support of highways. The mile
age of roads in different cities, villages
and towns remained the basis Of distri-
button Of this Stat" highway fund.
From lSJe until 1925 the proceeds Of this
state 1if hwaN la reC' wee by the diner
cnt towns were expended as each town
saw fit Many towns simply covered this
money into their treasures, and went on
repairing roads in the good old way as if
nothing in tn" way ni good road leSis-
lation had been enacted.
In those six years the sum wasted
reached nearly 10000 This money so far
as good roads were concerned Was thrown
away. This abuse became 50 notorious
that in 1898 under the administration of
Gov. Edward G. Smith n law WAS passed
by In" Legislature to supply a remedy.
ono section provided that the state tax
for the benefit of highways shall hereafter
be used to permanently rebuild and re-
pair portions of the main thoroughtares
Of each town and in no case shall n
town bc entitled to its share of the state
tax raised for highway Improvement until
/! has compiled with the provisions of
this law
A State highway commissioner was
created, and il was provided that
upon receipt of report of work accomplish.
cd in any town the state commissioner
shall examine the same and in al cases
whore satisfied the money has been prop
crly cNIanded, lie shall issue his certificate
to the state treasure for the full amount
Of the rown's apportionmont.
The effect of this law of 1898 has been to
materially improve conditions. yet We are
far from realizing the results which
should follow the expenditure of half a
million dollars or so in each six years,
Here is what Engineer G. r. Allen, Jr,,
| of Barre has to say in connection with "A