The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-20
FRANK E. HOWE. Editor and Pub
STATE ROADS NOT A DREAM

will be many decades in the dim and
distant future before Legislature of
Vermont will vote to issue bonds for
such a luxury. 1t would be great to
have them, but the expense of main
tenance would be greater and far
beyond our means, necessitating a
large increase in taxation or a direct
tax upon the people. The present
system is about the best we can af-
ford and it certainly is accomplish
ing a great improvement of the high
ways of the state More extensive
road building along the same plan
will be better for Vermont at the
present time instead of chasing after
lofty ideals that are beyond our
reach. We must grow little bit and
/ quite a bit before we can expect to
live in luxury. -Vergennes Vermont
err
Fear of increased expense is one of
the bugaboos that is pulling Vermont
behind the other New England states
and nowhere is this bugaboo more
dangerous than in its relation to the
trunk-line highway idea. 1t is folly
to say that the present system of
highway building is the best this
state can afford. In fact. this state
can afford no system that does not
provide permanent roads built under
the supervision of the state and
maintained by it. Far too much
money already has been wasted in
aimless effort. The sooner the people
of Vermont discover this mistake the
better it will be for all concerned
Brattleboro Reformer.
The Reformer has so well answer
ed one phase Of the Vermonter's OBJ
jections that nothing further need be
said on that but its statement that
the expense Of maintenance would be
so large as TO necessitate a large in
crease of taxation shows that the Yer
monter spoke without knowledge o.
recent advances in the science o
road building.
A few years ago we heard a grea
deal about permanent roads ant
people had a theory that roads coul
be built that would take care Of them
t selves without expense for years an
years and perhaps for always. w
! now know that there is no such thin
!. as a permanent" road. except tina
I all roads need permanent care an
q attention Massachusetts, learned {
!; her sorrow that permanent" road
e are an lrridescent dream. After pu
Z ting the state highway money int
/. new road building for years and pa
Q ing no attention to the roads alread
q built. Massachusetts woke up one da
. and found that her permanent
r roads needed repairing to the tur
Of from 5000 to $500 per mile.
y Massachusetts has now learned h,
D lesson at a great expense. but II 81
9 had kept watch Of her neighbors 81
% might have learned from New Jerse
r which leads all the states in roa
y building. that just as soon as GOO
: stretch Of road is built Il must
watched and taken care Of like an
: other valuable piece Of property.
u this way II is possible to take ca
Of roads once properly built, indie
n nitely at an expense of from s. to s.
u per mile per year. Neglect OF IN
st primary principle OF road econon
~ for one season may mean an expen
- OF $500 per mile.
es Knowing these facts, and no Of
n In Vermont knows them so well
State Commissioner Gates, Vermo
= can adopt the safe course and ta
care OF her roads as they are bui
rs One years increase In the savin
~ bank tax or the present automob
= tax. IL left as Il Is now, will Ia
~ care Of thousand miles OF sta
Il roads II the work OF maintenance
done as Il should be and begun {
=, next day after the road is complet,
nc. One Of the worst things the tow
have to contend with now in {
matter OF road building is the I,
< dency OF road commissioners, VIII
they come into Office. to neglect I
good pieces OF road built by tn
= predecessors because OF the ankle
OF the new man in office to make
good showing Of his own. In Il
{ way good sections OF road get b
=" and have to be rebuilt when a lit
= care from year to year would ha
kept them good for an indefinite D
iod. This is a feature Of road VIZ
of Of that Commissioner Gates has be
ms ms urging on town commissioners a
ok selectmen up and down the state
m uii the past two months.
ON The vergennes oontemporar