The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-07-21
"HARDHEADS' ALL RIGHT
FOR ROAD BUILDING
Good Roads Association Experts Say Use
Material From the River Bed
Convention Here Friday Grew In interest," Officials Met
the Trustees Today and Laid Out Plans For
Specimen Piece of Road.

"Use the 'hardheads' from the bed
OF the Roaring Branch TO build new
PERMANENT roads 10 Bennington. Ma
lure appears to have provided you
this material. We will show you how
to start right and then It is your own
fault II you do not go ahead. ~
The above is the gist Of the message
which the National Good Roads Asso-
citation brought TO Bennington Friday.
The second session OF the Good
Roads convention was held in the OPP
era house yeste rday afternoon before
an audience somewhat larger than
that OF the morning There were sew
eral ladies present proving that the
spirit Of the movement was not coniin
ed entirely to the men. The orchestra
furnished music both afternoon and
evening.
Chairman w. b. Sheldon presided
and introduced O. NJ. Barber whose
speech postponed from the morning
was an address of welcome for the
county.
Mr. Barber said that he understood
good roads to mean better roads and
that these highways meant a great deal
20 the countries OF the world. The
United States is far behind all the 9th
er nations in the existence and main
tainanco ofhighways; and this state
and this county are as bad as any. He
said that there were several remedies
for this state OF affairs We must OK
pend more money and use it with bet
ter intelligence.
eve hope" the speaker said in con
clusion "by the words OF these gentle
men this afternoon and with the help
of the National Good Roads Associa-
ton to have better roads in this village
this county and this state
Mr. Barber then introduced Col. W.
II. Moore, President Of the National
Good Roads Association, who res
pended with the subject National
Good Roads Movement Col. Moore
said the main object of the movement
was organization There were -four
divisions Of the movement: agitation,
education, organization and legisla-
ton.
He said that there had been eXpend'
ed here on roads in the last 20 years
sle5, 900, which compounded would
amount to Sl52, 00O and we had not
much to show for it, and had not be-
gun to have the resultSwe should have.
He emphasized again and again that
Bennington should stop using lime
stone for roadways and use instead
the hardheads in the river beds, where
there is an almost inexhaustable sup
ply OF material. This would al the
same time be clearing out the river
bed and preventing the river from
overlooking.
The speaker said he was not finding
fault with the village or the road and
street commissioners. but building a
highway was just as scientific as con
structing building and needed an en-
gineer to make the plans and oversee
the work.
Among other suggestions, Col. Moore
spoke of having the stone-crusher To-
Gated where the material was obtained
and thus save the extra expense OF
carting. The streets were not being
built high enough in the center and
we're not kept properly drained.
He said this was a business propo
sition. We could not expect to have
city people come here If we had such
moor roadways and in this way a great
deal of money would be lost. He sug
gested that model road be built from
the station to the monument.
The speaker also suggested that the
state appropriate S25, 600 to $50, 600 for
the use of the University of Vermont
to teach road-constructiont to the yosne
men OF the state. The tramps and pris'
oners should be used in constructing
the highways.
"If other states can do this thing
you can-do it on an engineering prln-
ciple, not all at once, but little at a
time
In conclusion Col. Moore thanked
the committees, the newspaper and the
railroad for their help
w T. TOucks the national organ.