The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-15
TWO TRUNK LINES
OF HIGHWAY PROPOSED
By Vermont Delegates to American Road
Builders Association Convention
Recommendations as to Con-
struction Made.

appointed by Gov. Mead to attend the
eighth annual convention OF the Ameri-
can Road Builders association in Roch-
/ ester, n. Y, on November IA and II,
inclusive, have submitted a report of the
doings of the said conventions; and Gov.
Mead has decided to place the report
before the people OF Vermont. The re.
! port is as follows:
TO His Excellency, John A. Mead,
Governor OF Vermont.
Pursuant to your appointment as del
egates, we attended the eighth annual
convention of the American Road Build
ers' association at Rochester, New York,
on November Ia to II. Although we
received no instructions at the time of
our appointment, it seems to us that
| the proper performance of our duties as
such delegates requires that we SUBJ
NIT to you written report OF our at
tendance, with such suggestions or rec
concentrations, based upon the discus
sion by the convention of the subjects
of road building and maintenance, as
seem to us to be applicable to the condi-
tons existing in the state of Vermont.
In addition to this, we venture some
suggestions as to the policy to be pur-
sued on the subject in our state, fully
realizing, however, that such suggestions
carry no weight other than coming from
the delegates to this convention.
"Your delegates were impressed anew
with the great Importance of the ques-
ton of the building and maintenance OF
good roads throughout the United
States The question is not new one
b,,A 20 81 49,
every year The amount of money spent
in the aggregate throughout the United
States and by some OF the individual
states is enormous. The agitation in
favor of good roads is confined to no one
section, but seems to be spread through
out the whole country-the North, South.
East and West 1t is evident that any
state which does not give this subject
due consideration, and use its best eff
forts TO solve it's own special problems,
must be considered behind the times
In our state, the question of good roads
is of much greater Importance than is
generally believed, except by compare
lively few of our people A system of
good roads throughout the state of Yer
mont would. we venture TO say. add
enormously to the value of real estate
in every section. Not only would it aid
the farmer in carrying has products to
market but it would bring into the
market for summer homes, with the Incl
dental income derived by the state and
It's inhabitants, large tracts of land
which, under present conditions, are not
available. Under modern conditions,
people viii not buy country. residences
where the roads are bad. 4
Your delegates were also greatly inn
pressed with the fact that the knowledge
Of building roads suitable to modern |
from complete, although preat progress |
has been made during the past few years /
The advent Of motor vehicles of great /
weight, and driven at high rates Of 1
speed, has TO great extent revolutions /
lied the plans and methods for road !
that were until recently in com
mon practice. 1t is unfortunately true I
that large sums spent by sister states I
have been practically wasted. For this /
reason we deem it fortunate that our
state has taken up this subject in a
manner, and has avoided I
large Indebtedness for building
roads unsuitable TO the conditions for
which they were intended
I'm this connection we desire TO com
mend the patient, perseverance and the
excellent judgment Of the road com
missioner of the state of Vermont, who
has not allowed himself to be carried
away with enthusiasm, but who has
steadily and persistently carried on and
the work of road improve
ment throughout the state. 1t would
seem, however, TO your delegates that
The time has been reached when it would
be wise for the state of Vermont to take
further steps towards the solution OF
his important problem.
The general Typographical conditions !
If the state seem to naturally suggest
he Importance of two highways through
he state, running north and south on
he east and west, giving convenient
means Of passage across the mountains
IN view of the different financial condi-
ions of the counties, towns and villages
Trough which these roads would run,
md also the varying cost of building and
roads in different localities,
{ would seem to be wise, and perhaps
absolutely essential, that these main
highways should be, so far as their ,
,uiAing and up-keep is concerned, di !
ectly under the control of the state.
They should be built by state money and
by state revenue and so far
S possible absolutely under the control
# the state authorities. Judging from
he reports we heard of conditions in ,
ther states, it would seem advisable /.
hat. in addition TO the control of these
runk lines, more or less general super !
son over the highways should be-
by central state authority
his. however, is of minor Importance, !
$ the benefits wouid inure more par !
icularly to the localities involved than !
0 the state in general.
THE cost of the building and main
enance of such trunk lines would, of :,
curse, depend very greatly upon the i
ind of roads constructed The. kind OF =
Dad which could be most economically =
and maintained would vary
realty, according to the locality and the :
Materials ct nd suitable for road
uilding In many localities excellent
Dads could be built at small expense
nd maintained at low cost, using as
lateral, under proper treatment. the
ipplies of local gravel which are found
great abundance. In other places, the
stance of the road from the gravel
lnks would be so great that it would
, more economical to use crushed stone
ound with asphalt, though roads of this
2