The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-12-02
Good Roads IN Vermont and COnnec-
ilcut Methods of Construction.

lieut. Melh0dS OF CONSTRUCTION.
To those who advocate bonding thu
State for the purpose Of building trunl
llnss Of permanent highways there il
much for consideration in recent ad
dress by James II Mcdonald, highway
commissioner of Connecticut. who ha,
accomplished highly satisfactory re
suits in permanent road making in thi,
State. Mr.. Mcdonald says on thi,
point:
1t Is unwise for any State, in my
judgment, TO appropriate too large an
amount of money nj the outset 1t is
a bid for the extravagant and wasteful
expenditure of the money, by reason
of the fact that nocommissioner can in
diligently and economically spend too
large sum wisely aud economically ex
cepting he has a full knowledge of
every condition 10y which the require.
ments of his State are surrounded. II
has been tho policy OF this State (Con-
necticutl 10 make haste slowly. Now,
n my Judgment, any State will act
wisely when she carefully considers
hat particular feature of how to econ
1mieally use the money at her disposal
'or highway Improvement,
This, il the News is not mistaken. is
practically the position of Vermont's
State highway commissioner. Charles
W Gates Another point made by Mr..
Mcdonald in his address also agrees
with the views of Vermont's highway
commissioner, in regard to road mater.
al and building. He says in part;
After yon have commenced under n
small plan Of operating, and ii would
be wise. in my judgement. to take the
smallest plan under which you can
work. indeed, very few States can af.
ford 10 establish macadam system.
We do not find even in our own State,
small as II Is, that we can yet afford to
import material into the several towns
u the State 90 use; we purpose TO use
she material We have in these towns.
1t is wise AT all times to reduce grades
20 minimum; il is good road making
10 take out all unnecessary rocks and
bonlders from the road, TO properly IN.
ierdrain aud take care Of the surplus
water, and then wait until such time
as the people can feel the Importance
81 further improving the roads, aud
eau contribute 10 their means without
tnnning into any large expenditure of
money Ii is better TO have a road I
system grow along with the times. and 4
be an assistance 10 the town and the /
people rather than 10 be constant bur
den and menace 10 the citizens
We have built some very good gravel
roads that hsye accomplished the pur-
pose just as well as the best maeadam,
ipd ,veB better IN their own particular
section. We have BULL other roads of
nothing but the natural earth We found
n the locality, aud have made some
,ple1did roads doing nothing but put
ine IN eulveris, raising The road and
,ui,sng IN proper drainage"
Greater progress has been made IN
rood roads for Vermont than is shown
u the number o. miles built. because I
zach piece Of road scattered over a
soo,i many Of the towns u tbs State
ias been valuable object lesson To.
lay there Is not 80 much need 30 ndvo.
ate the advantages u good roads a.
p discuss the most practical methods
i obtaining larger mileage in con
lnnuus length each year, ami thus
make more rapid progress IN deriving
he greatest benefit from them.
Good roads could sell be made
eading issas n the coming Stale poll
icaI campaign. Not merely used as a |
logan. bui definitely discussed with
SLAMS and purposes 70 attain practical
nd. Ia such discussions, however, i /
sili ~ aell 70 keep ia niiad that al
iiiempi 10 DO loo much, like shoulder
ng big deti onts the s,ste for trunk
.nes. would probably defeat the object
uopei 10 be STAINED = lNorsbdeld !
.eAa.