Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-30
FOX BETTER HIGHWAYS
Stnte Highway Commissioner Gates 10.
sues Circular Letter-Perman.
cnt Work Deemed.

St. Adams, March PA circular let-
| tor has been issued by c. w. Gates of
| Franklin, state highway commissioner,
relative to the building of improved
highways. a copy of tho law passed
at the last session OF tho Legislature
providing for State aid to towns for
permanent work is included and this
Is followed by suggestions for carry.
ing out the work.
| All claims for aid must be made in
accordance with certain regulations
and specifications and expense for or.
binary repairs and maintenance will
not be allowed. The law provides that
portions of main thoroughfares must
be selected for improvement. the mean
ing of the term being roads that have
more than Il local interest. 1t is rec.
commended that the work he done in
ono continuous section rather than be
divided and scattered over different
parts of 1t town. Blanks for such
work will be furnished by tho state
commissioner, which must be filled out
and returned, giving n full description
of the location of tho road, it's condi-
lions and tho proposed improvements.
| Wherever natural conditions are suit
able gravel roads arc recommended but
where conditions Of the soil or the heavy
traffic demand an artificial foundation
tic gravel tciford road il recommended.
Where the soil is heavy aud wet ard an
| extra foundation is required the F-shapcd
stone road is recommended.
rho state Commissioner will inspect
All work before allowing claims and he
Will at all times he ready to all in the
work Icy counsel or advice. Some Of Com
missioner Gates's suggestions are as fol-
lows:
nr your work carly in the season. I.ate
work is usually unsatisfactory because
il cannot he properly finished.
Select only the very best material to be
had. 1t will be economy to reject poor
quality of gravel that Is near by and go a
mile tor that which is good
Use wide tire wagons and carts in road
building. they help build the road.
Give the subject of drainage more attcn-
ton than you ever have done. Water is
the great destroyer OF our roads. the
enemy We have 10 fight
Keep the PORTIONS Of improved road shat
have been built III good repair from the
town road itN.
Employ SOC ion ncn to keep mud holos
filed, icose stone removed. suiccs and
culvcrts open. t. turn water from the
travelled read in time of storms and
frcshots. aHd ia make othci small repairs,
all under Nour direction.
i Dou't depend too much on the work
of the road machine. Money spent in
scraping worn out soil from the sides Of
, the road or bitches into the Travelled
track is money thrown away
Keep bitches well opened and surface
smoothcd with the machine and mud
holes filled with good material and save
each year if possible a part of the regular
town road tax to expend with the State
tax. Forty towns last year, each expended
one hundred dollars or more of their own
money in this way.
Preserve the beauty and natural attrac-
tons along the roadsides and help make
our State attractive not only to ourselves
and tn summer visitors. but to the
wealthy and refined who may seek to cs-
tabish permanent homes in Vermont.