The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1912-05-09
NEW ENGINEER N rHr corNn
Government Road Engineer Has ir.
sivsd and WIN Assist Town of'
flcerS

IL the work In this county ot th'
gaSernment's road engineer. p y
winslow. who has come here from
Washington 10 aid town IN doinl
their road work 80 the best advan
lage
or special interest 10 Bennington
county will be the economic investi
cation Of road conditions here. Tn,
office OF public roads has authorit,
given II by congress. to investigate
every phase OF the road conditions
in the United States
A demand will be made by the
government on each road commis'
sioner as to where and how every
dollar OF the road fund is expended
This will be done merely In order 70
sec II the present system Is giving
the tax payers one hundred cents
worth OF value for every dollar OF
road tax collected. II a return is
not made the government will ascer-
tain whether II is the fault OF the
system or OF the commissioner
The government is vitally interest.
ed in the road question, especially
where the mail routes pass over the
roads. Last year number of routes
We're discontinued because the com
missioners refused TO do their road
work satisfactory to the government.
The placing of sod, brush. poles
etc lnterferes and delays the mail
in many cases. and the action OF the
government is prompt on complaint.
II will thus be seen that the commits
sioner who is doing faithful work
need not fear showing both his ac-
counts and his work. A book Will
be published by the government
where the taxpayers money
has been spent during the year and
il well spent. The facts viii be
laid before the citizens for their ae-
ton, or that OF the grand juries
This pertains not only TO the state
aid work, but also all town road
work, except in the villages. Nearly
all the commissioners have signed
an agreement TO do the work under
supervision and to ex-
pend the funds satisfactory to the
IT VIII thus be clear to the tax
payers that most of the commission
ers are eager and willing to cooper
ate with the government to the full
est extent. The House OF Represen-
tatlves has just passed a bill to aid
the commissioners with money on
the rural delivery routes. If this act
becomes law, II is Of prime impor-
tai.ee that the commissioner under
stand what the government requires
on these roads, In order that they
can avail themselves of this financial
aid from the government
1t is hoped Bennington county will
be one of the first to receive this
government aid. A favorable report
by their representative, now here, of
The receptive attitude of the road
will go far to bring
this about. In but four towns have
the commissioners failed to sign the
government agreement. The govern
ment Is especially interested In the
town roads outside the state aid and
here 1t is expected to do the most
effective work.
Photographs will be taken OF es-
Declally bad places on the roads on
request Of the commissioner and
hen the same place photographed
lgain after the commissioner has
improved 1t. This is all done free
" the government.
Pictures will be taken Of the
ichool houses on improved and un-
improved roads and the effect of the
Of the roads and school at
noted. Farms will be
photographed, desirable summer
ftos and any special features that
VIII attract tourists, settlers and pre-.
pectiye buyers. Every advantage
II the country will be shown IN or
Ter to draw attention to Bennington
county II will take considerable
lme, but once the public realize the
'xtent Of this movement, it is be-
ieyed they will support and coop
rate with the road commissioner
md the government and place every
means at hand, so that the fullest
cooperation can be secured. Thou
ands OF counties now have system
o mat the tax payers know Just
low and where every dollar of the
oad fund Is expended. In these
onnties, the general public is so
ven pleased that many contribute
0 the funds, 80 that a competent
Commissioner has additional funds /
0 Keep up the roads. In most pla-
es the road commissioners are IN 4
crested In their work and eager 10
earn better ways 10 improve the
Dads. and also better systems OF
counting so that commentator Ii
aSing the place Of criticism and
ne people and officials are looking
owards one common object, the up
uiiding OF the place wherein they
We.
IN many eases where complaint
az been made against road com
iisSioner. the government has found
le system al fault aud not the
and II is proposed TO
se that Bennington county has
stem second to none ia the Unit
States.
Miss Elizabeth Brownell Collier.
ie daughter of Laura Browneli Col /