The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-02-17
EVOLUTION OF OUR ROADS
A Comprehensive Study OF Vermont
Highways Made by James X. Camp
bell of st. Johnsbury-Ilistory OF
the Development In This State.

Inc Ourndi TAKES DledSuTe III pun
fishing the following article on THE
Evolution of Roads In Vermont"
written by James B. Campbell of st.
Johnsbury:
A subject such as the evolution of
roads in Vermont ought to be of vital
Importance and interest to all who
confess O love for Vermont institu-
tons. OF course, at first blush, there
may be the supposition that the mere
subject Of roads and road-making is
not of sufficient Importance to engage
minds. Per contra there is another
view Indeed those whose judgment
of the spirit Of the times is most
trustworthy emphatically declare that
there is manifested on every hand
very strong interest in the subject of
roads. Hence a brief survey of the
growth and development of roads
from the pioneer days of pedestrians
down to the present halcyon days of
automobiles may serve to excite a
keener interest in the subject, general
ly and to mark conspicuously the
wisdom which is at present being dis
played by some of our most patriotic
and efficient public servants.
In truth, careful study of the ev-
oluticn of roads and road-making in
any State reveals most strikingly the
parallelism between the progress OF
facilities for economy, ease and COM
fort in travel, and the general prog
ress of all other commendable insti-
tutions in the proposed State. The
same is the case in Vermont There
can be no doubt that all who have
spent few spare moments in loo
ing up the acts and facts pertaining
to roads in this State are convinced of
the truth there is in such statement
State Indeed go where you will, ac-
quaint yourself with the facts and
when you have done you will feel con-
WINGED that it is by means of good
roads that neighbor meets neighbor,
town meets town, county meets coun-
| ty, and State meets State. Students
of the early economic history CT this
State have served their time to little
or no advantage who have not dis
covered the close INTERPRETATION be-
tween the thrift of the early pioneer
| 80 Ion, nd ,I,,I
| age and care of the approach by
which they were reached.
In these latter days one cannot fail
to notice how thrifty towns and pop
ulous cities ring in good measure the
echo of their past allegiance to an up
| to-date principle of road-making
In truth let us agree that the one
thing of prime importance-and es-
pecially in a State so thoroughly rural
as Vermont--is good roads. They make
the desert blossom as the rose. Good
, means for the. intercommunication OF
ideas and the exchange of wares is
one of the first things to be attended
to if we would keep our fingers on the
/ pulse of our commonwealth prog
ress. Thus inundated with a true
sense of the vastness of this economic
feature in the life of our State, let us
trace the development of what has
come to be our present network OF
highways.
The Earliest Roads.
In the very earliest days of human
habitation in Vermont so far as is
known, the Indians were wont to ride
or roam in almost every direction in
pursuit of game. They were led by
no roads. The most feasible passes
which nature afforded were the only
roads of the aboriginal redskin. One
after another those red men would
gallop along the same path until even
tually an Indian trail would become
established.
Most readers of history are quite
familiar with the Indian trail in all
its aspects Suffice it to say here
however, that it was the trail of the
aborigines which came before a more
artificial method of matchmaking.
AS Vermont came to be inhabited by
families of white people we find that
its primeval forests were cut through
here and there to make way fer the
passage of the pioneer sled or OK.
cart. Necessities were beginning tc
demand something in the way of 8
permanent road. AS the population
gradually increased, more roads were
opened up to the pedestrian or the
primitive oX-cart. 1t must be remem.
bered that up to this time barely moth.
ing had been done except to fell trees
and drag them out of the way or tC
use them in bridging across some
obtrusive little stream. This manner
or road-making sufficed for time as
a matter of necessity; but as time
went on the necessity Of better roads
presented itself as an essential to the
life of the community. would thai
this same shade which visited the
fathers might present itself to some
of the present day tax-payers)
The Use of Lotteries.
In necessity then we find the EN-
bryo of Vermont roads. Prior to 1856
this necessity had not been urgent