Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-09-28
GOOD ROADS
CONVENTION HELD HERE
LAST SATURDAY
w. {. Loucks and Colonel Moore
OF ST. Louis Addressed the
Meetjnq

With three sessions, morning after
noon and evening the so-called National
Good Roads Association brought together
large number of representative citizens
of Addison County in this village on
Saturday last with the result that the
Addison County Good Roads Association
was formed.
William H. Davis of this town presided
as chairman and A. w. Dickens acted as
secretary. Wellington E. Loucks and
Colonel Moore, of st. Louis, were the
principal speakers and both gentlemen
directed their remarks along educational
lines, with chart illustrations of various
methods of road building. Mr.. Loucks
dwelt at considerable length upon the
roads of the Middle West and explained
how they had been improved. He said
that $4,000 had been expended for
gravel roads in Indiana and that partic-
ularly gratifying results had been OBJ
tanned. Both Mr.. Loucks and Colonel
Moore advocated the use of the available
materials to be found in this region for
road construction. They laid particular
stress upon the matter of proper ditching.
They stated that one of the greatest
faults with New England roads was the
presence of many water bars. and to
eliminate them would recommend the
locating of tiling beneath the roadbed'
Lyman w. .Peet, of Cornwall, at the
afternoon session in forcible ten min
ute speech told what Cornwall had al
ready done and was doing in the con-
struction of permanent roads and spoke
of that towns early experience in the
construction of a piece of stone road
which was built by simply placing
crushed stone upon an unprepared road
bed.
Both Mr.. Loucks and Mr.. Moore told
of the millions of dollars invested in auto
mobiles and thought it unwise to "drive
them out of the country"
The morning and afternoon sessions
were held in the town hall and the even
ing meeting was held in the Congrega-
tional church.
Tne lecture in the evening was Illus
trated by a fine collection of photo
graphs thrown upon screen by a stere-
opticon.
1t was announced that similar meet
ing of those held here would be held at
Montpelier on Monday next.
In connection with the meeting to be
held in Montpelier it may interest our
readers to note what Hon. John H. Sen
ter, representative-elect from that city,
has to say concerning the Good Roads
Movement. In letter to the Montpelier
Argus, Mr.. Senter says:
Il wish to say word about the pro.
posed good roads convention to be held
ia this city during the coming session of
the Legislature.
Il am as heartily in favor of good
roads in this State and for better return
of the money we expend for our roads,
ds any one can be, but it seems to me
that practical demonstration of scien-
! tific road building in this city under the
direction of competent and practical
| road engineer during the coming session,
would be far greater benefit to this city
and to the State than the proposed
method, if / understand what it is to
| be.
Il fail to see what we are to pay Colo.
mel Moore and his associate $400 for
| What is the consideration Is it simply
to have those gentlemen come here one
day and tell us that our own present sys.
tenn is wrong and that we are wasting
our money appropriated for roads II
that is the purpose of this expenditure
will it not be a practical illustration OF
spending money foolishly and will it not
be throwing money away!
"DO not the taxpayers of this city and
of this State know that we need better
roads and that much of our road money
is now wasted or improperly expended
1--WE can obtain the services of com.
petent road engineer to come here and
stay at least two weeks during the ses
sion and direct the building of both stone
and dirt roads in the most scientific and
practical manner for less money than
those gentlemen demand for their lecture
and in my humble opinion both the city
and State will receive much larger re-
turn for the expenditure than from the
method suggested
''If any one can explain just what ben
eft we are to receive from this stereop
ticon lecture that will be 'Quid pre-
quo for the five or six hundred dollars
demanded by these gentlemen for theil
one days time. for one shall be glad to
have them explain, but until l receive
some better explanation than l have YET
received, | must believe that we are
asked to contribute $500 for no particu
lar benefit to the good roads movement
Yours truly,
John III. SENTER."