The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-03-17
Vermont Highway Matters
Are Discussed at County
Meeting Today
RESIDENTS FIRST
TOURISTS SECOND
State Commissioner Says That Is the
Policy-County Commissioner Should
Be Informed at Once if Things
Don't Go Right-Rou Call.

An attendance of road commissioners
ana selectmen from nearly all the
towns in Windham county filed the
seating capacity of Grand Army hall
this morning when Charles W. Gates OF
Franklin, state road commissioner
opened his annual meeting for the con
~Ideratiou of the road problems Of the
state.
The attendance increased ali during
the morning, ana at the afternoon ses-
sion there were nearly as many present
as at the morning session.
Ia his opening remarks Mr.. Gates
said that Windham county last year
voted $500 fer roads and this year
$500. an increase, but while last
year only two towns voted against
town appropriation for roads iivc did
50 this year Three voted the limit
last year and four this year.
lie declared that Tor every $1,000
spent on road Improvements property
increases in the section benefited more
han that amount. The fact that " whcn
a town votes : 900 the state adds
another $1,000 means that the town is
getting the benefit OF twice the amount
and practically every dollar Of the
money remains in town. The Vermont
law. lie said, is the best Of the kind of
any state in New England.
Mr.. Gates made a comparison Of the
/ mGucv being spent in Wiudhani
! county ana that spent for the same
/ purpose in Franklin county, where
I there are Is towns as against - in
| Windham la eight years Franklin
! county towns have voted So, GOO for
/ roads ami Windbam $. - towns have
/ voted only $1,000 in the same time
! Franklin county has voted about .
per cent on one year 5 grand list as
against about - per cent voted by
/ Nindham county towns.
Ready to Start Something
n lis opir on. ne said, one of the rea
! sons why some towns had failed /,
vote money or larger amount than
was voted was because they did not
/ like 10 see money wasted 10y men not
coming OF work until an nour aftcI
they should have done So and quitting
At. any time IN the day vet being pal,
full time This is mp 10 the road com
| nns,loncrS To see that All Of the wurl
paid Ter Is received.
The ~eleetmcn OF the town are r.
-ponslble for the expenditure Of tht
town funds and the commissioner j.
responsible for the funds OF the stat,
appropriated for road work He ask
| cd the commissioners to work harnu
hiouSlv with the splectmeu He tol,
has auditors hat ii any Of them foun,
work being done improperly or not be
| ing done - ordered to report il Il
County Commissioner Perry and ii h
did not make it right to wire tn
speaker ut his expense and something
would be doie. The names of inform
ants would not lac diVulged All h
wanted TO know was that something
was wrong
For Residents First.
He explained that the policy Of tn
state was to put the state money wher
it would benefit the greatest number
the roads used bv the residents 70
: getting To market or shipping point
first the trunk lines second
: Mr.. Gates then asked why the tow
OF Athens had not voted any none
this year as last and was told by {
NJ. Smith that the 800 voted last yea
and the 800 received from the stat
was all spent on the hill and tina
tuo.thirls of the voters lived on tn
: Brook road and made up thei
minds that if they could not get I'm
benefit from the money voted the
would quit voting it.
= NJ y Butterfeld Of Jacksonville. c,
:, planning why I'll" town of Wbitingh;u