The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-11
Representative Frank F. Howe Gives
His Ideas About Them.


Representative Frank p Howe 81 Ben
lnngton, in communication % the
Londonderry Sitter, gives some inter.
esting iiures IN relation " trunk lmo
highways and his reasons for advoeat
Ing them for Vermont He says
have noted from time to time the
opposition expressed by the Sitter to the
building OF system Of trunk line high
ways by the state of Vermont but II
seems 70 me that the objections Of the
Sitter nave been at least partially due
to misconceptlon Of the plan az origi
lnally proposed and as since advanced
BY some at least Of those who have
borne part in the discussion With
your kind permission I would like 20
present plan which ! believe does
away with most 81 the objections you
have listed and plan which ! am con-
WINGED Is feasible and desirable.
The bill before the legislature Of 1908
provided for the construction Of about
500 miles Of main line highways, In
GLIDING two roads the length Of the
state and six cross state lines Even
this limited system would include a
part Of the roads IN some 1870 or over
one half Of the towns in Vermont and
an average of about six miles in each
Of these 1870 towns. II could thus hard
ly be said in fairness that Il WAS
scheme to favor a few towns at the
expense Of the majority as has been
charged.
In this case, however, as in all 9TH
ers, discussion Of the matter brings sug
restions Of Improvement and il Il agreed
bv most Of tnoss who have given time
and thought to the matter that q state
system Of roads should include consid-
erably more than the 500 miles original
~ proposed. IN fact il Is already de-
Rnitely planned by some of those inter
ested to present to The legislature Of
1910, bin calling for the building Of
about 1900 miles Of state roads with the
proviso that az fast a. they are built, !
they shall become the property Of the
state and the state must thereafter
maintain them, thus relieving the towns
of part az their burden and al the
same time enabling the state to con. /
troll the property in which Il has in-
vested its money
Such system Of 1900 miles Of state /
roads would pass through approximate +
~ 2l5 Of the 246 towns N the state, /
while in most instances, the towns not /
touched would be directly benefited
through having a part Of these roads /
forming q link between them and their
market towns.
To make mp the total Of 1900 miles
there would be added 20 the 500 miles /
suggested. in the bill 81 two years ago.
AZ ,..s..of,.f .....,.s.. cd ~ r.ak - T
the several counties Of the state. CON
Meeting the chief market towns with +
thsir principal tributary villages. "A, for +
instance. = line down The West River /
valley from Londonderry to Brsttle
boro and connecting n the north part
81 the town Of Londonderry with the
trunk line across the state from Man
chester 10 Springfield, This il bit q
sample suggestion. All over the state
there would be thc@e main county roads
and connecting links. bringing the TO-
tai ZIP 10 about 1900 niles that / think
should be included in a state system
81 road building
Now I am very much in favor Of
the state rebuilding these 1900 miles
Of road and maintaining them as a state
system and 7 believe II can be done
without bonding The state am an.
1ualihedly opposed "a bouding the state,
except in case Of dire necessity and /
10 not think that the necessity ex
lists in this case The roads can be
built At the rate 81 100 miles year
without bonding.
80 finance sach d System Of state
roads during the next few years It is
chiefly necessary 10 devote the natural
increase in the income Of the state to
.he purpose 81 road building instead Of
slowing the money for less important
things
Few people realize it but II Is a fact
that TIE income 81 the state Of Yer
mont Is increasing at the rate OF more
than fifty thousand dollars year IN
1895 the gross income Of the state was
s4T0.5sT III 1908. fourteen years later
md the latest year Of which 4 report
* available the gross income was Sl, |
1850 This increase means that the
tate has practically $4,000 more to
pend wear now than il had fourteen
years ago.
This increase in state income con-
.inues right along. The tax on savings
fAHkh ufUHAtt1 LAAG wal Will * Nf4Ats Z
thousand dollars more than two years
tgo and 100000 moro than u 1902.
Don't think this money viii be left IN
he state treasury for it won't e is
lonnd To 81 spent but the state can
rave It spent IN building state sys
em Of main roads II the voters Of the
tate will send men to Montpelier next
all pledged 70 that purpose
So far I have dealt only with the
natural increase III state income but
4 is possible to do better than that
Tie state i already appropriating SIS,
100 q year All Of which practically
.oes into work on those roads which
would be included in state system. I
surely $4,000 of the $4,000 appropria
ion could be added to the trunk line !
und without injustice.
All this remember does not take a
Jenny Of income away from any town
n figuring the state income above !
ave not included the state highway ,
AK, which the state collects and pays !
mex to the towns would not favor
alyinn this money for state roads for
he towns need Il to put into their
ther roads. except perhaps when the
faEe bultk ShFRteA ~ HeNttai HiAite "a
tate road through q town Il might be
bought hest to use that towns state
money toward it for that year only
70 town would object to that
Let us look q little further IN the /
Erection Of ways and means. In read
ne the last biennial report Of the state
uditor ! fnd That for the two years
nding July, 1908. the state spent a !
God deal d money IN special appropria
ions. Some Of the larger Of these APP I
lropriations are as follows