Connecticut western news., 1910-11-24
.CANAAN'S GOOD ROADS
TOWN HAS SIX MILES
 OF NEW STATE ROAD.

Last Section, a Mile of Trunk Line to
 East Canaan, of Which the State
 Pays the Entire Expense, Has Just
 Been Completed.
 The new stretch of state road, from WIittlesey Hill to the East Canaan school house. recently completed. makes about six miles of state road, constructed in Canaan since about dozen years ago.
 This latest piece of state road built. like all the rest. under the supervision of John N. VanDeusen, was built en- tirely by the state. being part ot the trunk line system, and at no expense of the town. It is considered as fine 8 specimen of macadam road as there is in the state, and MT. VanDeusen is naturally proud of it, and as Highway Commissioner Macdonald is satisfied with it, nobody else is licensed to find fault.
 The system of roads running through Canaan is, in these days. in very great contrast to those that were maintained, after fashion, before the first piece of state road was put down and where formerly travel over the turnpike and through the town streets was an ordeal to be dreaded, it is now, under normal conditions of weather and soil, tolera- ble experience, to say the least.
 Canaan is plainly committed to the state's good roads system. and it's exhib- it's along that line testify to the excel lence. of the system. ID -.
 The first radical move in the improve ment of the towns roads was in 1897-8 when the road leading to East Canaan was graded. from the Bennett Hill cross ing to the East Canaan school house, and the rises and dips that made it a weary and difficult road for heavy travel were Eliminated and the grade cut down in places, from IT per cent. to per cent as at Bennett Hill The grade now, all the way to East Canaan is at an average of about per cent. rise.
 The cost. of cutting down Bennett's Hill and the elimination of the grade crossing there was about $4, 900 of which the state paid $3.0O0 and the town $I ,000 and this was, from every point of yIeS, probably the best thing that ha be, n done to our roads in many years.
 In 1899 or 1900 piece of state maca- dam road was laid, ab put 150l linear feet. from the Whittlesey drive to the top of Bigelow's hill. ea .-#t
 The first state road to he laid in the village was the Main-Railroad street stretch, which was constructed by con- tract, by the Middletown Construction Go. It cost the town $2,00O and the state $6,0OO.
 The next in 1902 was the extension of the Railroad street road, from Bragg street to the Massachusetts state line, one and three quarters miles. This was built by the town, under contract with the state, and cost the town S1.15 per lineal foot, the town making profit on the contract as we'll as getting the bene- fit of the regular apportionment of gross cost.
 The stretch of state road from the Central New England crossing in the village east to Bennett Hill, was built by town contract-as was all the state load subsequently, construcSed-in 1904. at $1. .l5 or $1.20 cents lineal foot, for 2,550 feet.
 The next job was the building of the state road on Church street, from Main street to the Blackberry river. in 1905, length of 2, 2,500 feet.
 The Elm street line was built in 1905. 6. stretch of 785 feet.
 In 1907-8 was built the stretch from Benuett's Hill to the Whlttlesey cottage, about mile, and the latest. up to date IS the new part of the trunk line, from Bigelow's Hill to the East Canaan school house, about one mile.