The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-10-17
Commissioner Styles it the En-
tering Wedge"
APPROPRIATION INADEQUATE
Recommends Increase Of SIS, 600,
Expert Supervision for Small Towns
and Protection Of Shade Troes.

two years as state highway commits
aoner to the legislature and the doc
ument makes a very readable little
booklet, the contents of which are
well worth the attention of the mem
bers, the public in general and the
town highway officials in particular.
The first part OF the book is deyot-
ed to the report of work done and
planned, next a section on the con
struction OF roads, showing the meth
DDS used by the state department and
lastly set Of tables for the past two
years, showing the financial status Of
the various counties OF the state as
regards their roads, each year being
given separately for the purpose of
comparison. The report is found be-
low in abstract
The five per cent highway tax law
passed by the legislature in 1892 and
as amended in the following session
in 1894 has been the means of a
marked Improvement in the main
roads of the state Of Vermont" says
Mr. Gates Eight years trial of this
law the entering wedge in state aid
for highways has proven it 10 be in
the main highly beneficial, though
some minor faults have been found
and many of them remedicd II was
found chat one man could not cover
the state and the sworn statements
of the local commissioners were relied
ON. This was brought TO the atten
ton of the legislature I'm 1900 which
appropriated $4,000 annually to- be
available In sums NOT less than Sl00
nor more than $500 TO those towns
that duplicated the amount II pro
yided also for county supervision for
The selection in each town of main
highways that must be kept by the
towns in good repair to entitle them
10 any part OF the state money. and
for engineering service 10 any incOr-
porated village tha, eXpends i'm any
year $1,000 or more in the permanent
Improvement of its streets
The past two years have shown
that even these steps leave HE pres.
emit laws behind the demands of pub
lie sentiment which Is for more of
the Improvement The appropriat.
ions have been found inadequate The
taIuo of fba work to tbe state cannot
he oyerestinatad ana n is soualiy ~.
idopt tbot "a proot mari of tbe mono,
spapf ON the roads must come from
he state Tho nresopt limited trioI
has shown that he methods are rigbt
and with more money they could be
extended
County meetings have been held
nv law and ttev ba,. hoep vail and
proGtably attended bv the comfy M.
dci,ls
81 would respoctf,liv recommend
the following LEGISLATION.
increase tbe ur...sn+ snpuoI snnro.
priation of s56 060 M S-- ooo and raise
! Tho limit IN tou.p. from Sgoo a. s-0o
"Contipuo countv eun.rvision and
| r1iss fba limit of CONDENSATION ia en-.
pervisor i'm s4 NOR dan and svrerses
/ such amounts Ia be maid out of tbe
general fupd
/ ~Iet tho choice of location of the
s.ate work resi- with the state tbe
towns NO. he copsnItsd I'm oil narticii.
lars off locatiop and MANS of imurove.
mont
Provide for tho urUofuffutuf of %
man IN evnerd tbe Sal. mono, in
oy"rv Town vbere ,tc VOL is ma,
done h, contr.ct win, lorr"r ,,nro.
mutations his win be necnssar, ne.
cause The ro,d comuissionors u.ill
NOT be ohio ~ I,ot oftcr tny,,, ,.,rp
ana &c vorl, nnd do bo'h V ts'
nroper limo
"provide for rorulor ,psnoctior n,
tho selected biqbwavs and CIV. tb'
s,ate spnerVisiop of tho renoirs Lei
thc state nav n certain nronor,ion n,
The cos, of maintenance sncb Cost n
be proyided for nv n speciol fund
Allow nayments of state money tr
no made In nstallments MS Tho worl
progresses nj me ontioh of tho stat,
highway commissioner.
"Cbange the terms OF the presenl
law so ms to make II easier FOR m,
cure the services OF skilled engineers
Remove The time limit Tor com