The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-06-07
ms FOR COUNTY HIGHWAYS
chould be Done Thoroughly and Along Lines That
Have Already Been Proven Successful.

IloudblN IN tnt source oil
more disappointment than any other part
is well drained trouble from that source
is practically ended. But the road
surface must ever sustain endless
traffic, severe winds and long continued
storms, therefore the wear il constant
and new application OF road surfacing
is only a matter OF time, depending large.
ly upon the severity of the destroying ele.
ments already named. The question then
presented Isl What manner of suriacing
will give the best results for the amount
OF money eXpendedy In this matter the
road builder must be. largely guided by
his best judgment and past experience.
In remote sections or some distance from
thicky settled portions of town good
gravel well applied is a good and consist
ent material for road surfacing, both for
service and in cost. In the near suburb
of large village screen-gravel is very sat
| isiactory, is preferable to maeadam top
for pleasure driving, satisfactory for trans
portation and moderate in cost. For gem
eral street work well laid macadam is the
ideal road; IL is noiseless, clean, easy TO
| repair and moderate in cost. There is
| no road suriacing ever invented that Will
return as much satisfactory wear for the
same expenditure as well laid macadam.
| Paving has its proper place in every
heavy business section of large town
or city, but need not enlarge upon that
class OF surfacing at this time.
Windham county with its % towns has
| 1850 miles of roads and streets. Surely
| this great mileage seems abnormal and
beyond our resources to improve to any
great extent, but the state does not con.
template the permanent improvement OF
| all &c
lected as main roads or thoroughfares
This will reduce the mileage to about $50
miles for the county. State aid only CON
| templates the improvement OF the main
| roads leading from town to town, and
| the important roads leading to railroad
| stations These main thoroughfares are
TO be placed upon record with the state
commissioner and the towns will be re-
aured to keep them in good repair be-
| fore and after Improvements are made.
No iron-clad rule can be laid down for
road construction that will fit all locali-
ties. Good roads in Stratton or Somer-
set would hardly suffice in Brattleboro
or Rockingham, and vice versa, but some
of the important principles OF good road
| construction will not be lost sight oil
anywhere, and good judgment must pre-,
vail. The aim will be to maintain good
degree of perfection upon all work paid
| for by the state; to provide drainage
where needed. to lessen the grades, to
straighten the lines, and to give all work
an appearance of good, clean workman
ship.
The state money for the county will be
/ about $4,000; for Brattleboro about
$1,000 which includes the special appropria-
ton raised by the town The permanent
road fund for Brattleboro Will be eXpehd,
ed upon Canal street and the stage road
leading to Marlboro beyond West brat
tleboro This years work will be to look
well to the safety of teams meeting auto
mobiles. also the removing of distractions
that hide the view at sharp angles in the
road. and the widening of the roads at
such points to provide ample room to meet
automobiles Ia few automobllists still IN
sist upon passing obscure points at a
reckless paee).
Town commissioners are advised to go
over small mileage, say one-fourth OF
one third of the total, and improve the
same to a good degree OF perfection, ana
do such repairs upon the remaining NH
cage as is absolutely necessary. linen
next wear take another third or fourth OF
tha roads of the town and improve the
same in like manner, and in hye years
at the most there would be surprising
Improvement in the general highways oil
the county and state.
The old method of scraping over the
entire town roads each year and not per
fecting any part Of them IS unworkmah-
ike as it is expensive and IN many III,
/, stances is nearly total loss we nave
nsed that old method long enough &c
make sure that we do not make any hea1
: wav under such system of road bulld'
| mo Let us take up the work for fve
years under the way it has been suggest
cd above. 1t can be no worse and WIN
: ont doubt the roads of the county Will be
greatly improved under the new system
, ( well crowned and well ditched road
! win nrotect itself through a long. series
. If storms and traffic but a half built
road is an easy prey to total destruction
at any time.
II has taken the old countries cen
fury TO improve their roads, and that
With population several times as large
to tbe square mile as Vermont, but we
mist not be discouraged. Much has al
, ready been accomplished, and the future
is holding out brighter prospects that eyer J
before. Do not let it pass nncohtfauic ~
that we have the worst roads IA 'lt s
union, for there IS not the nlsI NM a,o ",
truth in the statement. we may NC siom
IN IMPROVING our opportunities but we
should not hurry the matter TO our 3wn
disadvantage. By going slow we shall be be
able in great measure to proft pS 'he
,n;stakes that Others have made. we Oh
necessity necessity must use our means for good O.;
and thorough work and not for expert
A., ments ..
The people of Vermont are in ear Teis
/ in their demands for better roads ms
, omen points to success. WIN hl1le
: Thought upon benefits of good roads ,, oy
the people of Vermont, and eo ?nat Ias'
application of better work as 1ple, rao nj,
,'.;u nrovide wavs and means to per1etc,t
methods mih of road building in keeping with
nnr conditions as well as within reason,
o ohle INIT of taxation. Let us thin INK
about it, let us talk about it, and hha NY
let us all act together for the upbuil Il. nta
Of the highways of our county ana s'a'e'