The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-04-28

called Trunk Line Highway" bill
Ia the last Legislature.
lsIow Is gwen letter from the
'.'i,ior o. the Banner 10 the London
derry SITTER. II is reprinted in the
Journal as the editor of this paper
Is heartily In favor of good roads
and Of getting them In this gen
GRAFTON also, even II the coming gen
eration has 10 help pay for them.
The subject Of good roads is
we'll worthy of all the attention It
can get The letter lis as follows;
Editor of the Londonderry Sitter:
- have noted from time 10 time
the opposition expressed by the Sif
ter to the building OF a system of
trunk line highways by the state OF
Vermont but II seems 20 me that
the objections OF the Sitter have
been at least partially due to a
misconception OF the plan as ori
| ginally proposed and as since adyo-
Gated by some at least OF those who
have borne part in the discus
sion. With your kind permission
I would like to present plan
which believe does away with mos
OF the objections you have listed
and plan which | am convinced is
feasible and desirable.
The bill before the legislature of
1905 provided for the construction
cf about 500 miles of main line
highways, including two roads the
length of the state and six cross
state lines. Even this limited sys
TEN would include a part of the
roads in some 80 or over one-halt
of the towns In Vermont and an
average of about six miles in each
OF these towns. II could thus hard
ly be said In fairness that ii was a
scheme to favor few towns at
the expense OF the majority as has
been charged.
In this case however as in all
others, discussion Of the matter
brings suggestions OF Improvement
and IL is agreed by most of those
who have given time and thought
TO thematter that state system
OF roads should include considera
bly, more than the 500 miles origin
ally proposed. In fact II is already
definitely planned by some Of those
interested TO present to the legis-
ture OF 1910 bill calling for the
building Of about 1900 miles OF
fast as they are built they shall
become the property of the state
and the state must thereafter main
tain them, thus reliveing the towns
OF part of their burden and al |
the same time enabling the state to
control the property in which II
has invested its money.
Sutu a vi lOVb lliltS VI
state roads would pass through ap-
proxmitely 2l5 of the 246 towns in
the state. while in most instances
the towns not touched would be
directly benefited through having |
a part OF these roads forming a
link between them and their market |
towns.
To make up the total of 1900 /
miles there would be added to the
500 miles suggested in the bill OF
two years ago the principal county
roads in each of the several coun
ties of the state, connecting the
chief market towns with their prin-
cipal tributary villages. as, for in
stance. a line down the West river
valley from Londonderry to Brat
tleboro and connecting In the north
part of the town Of Londonderry
with the trunk line across the state
from Manchester 10 Springfield.
This is but q sample suggestion. All
over the state there would be these
main country roads and connecting
links and bringing the total up TO
about 1909 miles that ! think shoult
be included in state system OF
road building.
Now | am very much In favor OF
the stat. rebuilding these 1900 mile
OF road and maintaining them as
state system and | believe II can
be done without bonding the state
l am unqnalifledly opposed TO bond
ing the state except In case Of
dire necessity and | do not think
that the necessity exists in this case.
The roads can be built at the rate
of Zoe miles year without bond
ing
To finance such a system Of state
roads during the next few years Il
IN chiefly necessary 20 devote the
natural increase In the income OF
the state TO the purpose OF road
building instead Of blowing the
money for less important things.
Pew people realize Il but II is
fact that the income OF the state OF
Vermont il increasing at the rate Of
more than flfty thousand dollars
year. In 1895 the gross income OF
the state was s470.5s7 In 1905
thirteen years later and the latest
year OF ~hieh a report n available
the gross income was sl,is5,sso I
This increase means that the state
has practically f72s.o00 more to
spend a year now than Il had thlr-