The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-08
HOW AUTOMOBILE
MONEY WILL Be
EXPENDED
State Commissioner Gates Out
lines His Policy
PART IN EACH COUNTY
Roads Across the State Through Poor
err Towns Will Receive Spec
ial Attention

Franklin, June S.=The Hon Charles
w. Gates, state highway commissioner
in response to inquiry has told a re-
preventative of the Free Press the es-
sentials, so far as they. can be outlin-
ed now, of the policy he will adopt in
expanding the money coming to his
department from automobile registra-
lions and chauffeurs' licenses, the
amount and county apportionment OF
which. accruing to June l, was report
ed exclusively in these columns last
Wednesday.
While the apportionment among the
counties is fixed by law, the methods
and locations within the respective
counties are matters wholly in con-
troll of Mr.. Gates and it is his purpose
to use every dollar available vita due
reference to the source from which 1t
comes and in season for the automo-
bile traffic of the present summer to
receive a proper measure of benefit.
In general sense, this will be accom-
plished by watchful attention to the
emergent needs OF the main travelled
roads, such as the modification OF
needlessly abrupt water bars. the
bringing to level of sunken places, the
correction of ruts, removal of annoy
ing stones, widening of narrow places,
lowering of sections menacingly crown
ing and immediate repairs following
upon washouts.
This will be done in all counties.
Where the apportionment Is small, as
in the counties of Addison, Essex,
Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orange, it is
probable that the full amount avail
able will be needed in this way In
the other counties where sums of suf-
hcient size are applicable and where
travel needs would be best served by
bringing main thoroughfare up to
an approved condition. improvement
of considerable distances will be car
ried out
One main thoroughfare of this sort,
to which Mr.. Gates will give early at
tention is that connecting Rutland
on the west and Woodstock on the
east This road passes through the
! towns of Mendon and Sherburne in
Rutland county and Bridgewater and
Woodstock in Windsor county and the
distance is said to be approximately
25 miles. For the purposes of its i'm
provement, money can be drawn from
| the appointments of both counties,
which are large, Rutland's being al
present above $4,000 and Windsor's
above $4,000. These sums however
do not suggest the full amount that
will be made available, for, besides
the additional income that may be ex-
pected to come during the season from
automobile registrations, Mr. Gates
will insist that all towns wherein this
money is spent, in every county, match
up dollar for dollar of their own high
way funds for the same Improvement
This plan, ii will be understood
should bring just twice as mucn mon
ey into the work as the automobile
registrations yield, that is, if from the
latter source, there comes a total oil
| 100000 for the whole state, the local.
ties considered must contribute as
lis one of the unique things about Mr.
Gates policy.
Rural communities not unnaturally
object to taxing themselves to make
good roads for automobile traffic and
automobile owners, just as naturally
complain of a taxation through the
registration flea for road improve
ment that benefits every other class
of traffic, perhaps even more than
their own. With each contributing
equal amounts for the same purpose
in the same place and with the state
highway commissioner made directly
responsible for the most beneficial
use of the money, the plan in Mr.
Gates conception seems not only feas
IDLE but one that may be developed tC
produce very satisfactory results.
IT, in the instance of the Rutland
Woodstock thoroughfare, $1,000 of the
Rutland county apportionment is useC
with 81 200 of the Windsor county an
portionment together with an amount
equal to the sum of the two from the
localities, $1,000 could be applied Il
improvements on the 25-mile distance
Granting that considerable portion
OF the distance is in good shape now
II is not impossible that as much a.
5000 per mile or even more may b,
available for such portions of the roaC
as need Improvement most, Just how
that may work out in detail will APP
pear as the undertaking progresses
II VIII be Mr.. Gates especial care tina
IN outlay applied to such distances tn,
thoroughfare be made an average goo,
road with no stretches of poor roa,
alternating as is now the case in al
most every % mile distance.
With tais plan carried out il will h,
understood that the much agitate,
question of cross state roads will bav,
; beginnings made on its solution. Tn,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES route will be tn,
hrst, as 1t is plainly the most in de
mand. Others are morally sure to fol
low. There should be routes improy
ed between points in Bennington an,
Windham counties, between the Win
ooski valley in Washington county an,
an intersecting point on the Rutland
4 WnndGfnnIy