The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-11-11
vERMoNT'S HIGHWAYS.
Discussion In Which Commissioner Gates
Participated. =

Participated.
State Highway Commissioner Gates
outlined his policy and explained how
the money raised for highway purposes
has been expended in Vermont, at pub
/ lie hearing before the committees Of
highways and bridges and appropriations
at the State House last night. The
hearing was over the bill introduced by
MI. Rabbit of Rockingham, making an
appropriation of 100000 for highways.
The bill gave the state commissioner
the power to expend the balance of $780,
900 appropriation after the towns had
been given dollar for dollar on all they
would raise up to $1,000 ON trunk line
highways. The state has got to build these
trunk line roads in many towns il it
is ever going to have them He thought
the present law, drafted to stimulate
the towns into raising more money for
road building, was working well and that
this bill was combination of the pres
ent law with the trunk line idea.
The bill gives the state commissioner
power to employ assistance. That
means an engineer and no piece of per-
manent work would be undertaken in
the future except under the direction Of
an engineer He hoped in this way to
eliminate waste. Mr.. Gates said that
he was not asking for any specific sum
TO be appropriated II the legisla-
tue was pleased with the improvement
in the Highways and wanted more Of 1t,
more money must be voted. He would
build all the roads they would furnish
the money for He did not want an
appropriation so large that it would re-
quire a state tax to meet il, for he con-
sidered this would be backward move
in tile educational campaign he had been
waging.
Mr.. Stafford of Brattleboro, chairman
Of the committee on highways, thought
the present appropriation Of $4,000
ought to be increased and the additional
money could be used to good advantage.
A big appropriation would be a splendid
advertisement for the state.
Senator Barden of Rutland county be
lieved that good roads were the best as
set the state could have and would raise
the states grand lists. He thought an
appropriation Of 100000 would prove d
good investment and return $40 for 81.
Good roads would also raise farm values.
He hope the committee would recon-
mend not mucn less than 100000.
Mr.. Hatch OF STAFFORD said the roads
to-day were the best the state had had
in 40 years and attributed it largely to
the fac that we had been educating men
in the knowledge Of building better
roads. He feared that an appropria-
ton of the size called for in the bill |
might require state tax that would /
be burden to the smaller towns that
were now raising all the money they
could stand for highway purposes.
MIR Babbitt Of Rockingham, mem
Der of the ways and means committee, [
said that he was as much of radical /
in this matter as Mr.. Gates was con.
sentative.
lie was in favor Of bonding for better 1
roads. As q member Of the ways and /
means commission, he could give assur-
aiee that the money TO meet $780,
O00 appropriation could be raised In
ways that would not prove a hardship
to the smaller towns. The chairman
Of the committee hoped the amount
Of appropriation named in the bin would I
not be cut.