The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-25
GOOD ROADS FOR VERMONT
Present System Of Caring for Roads
Condemned at Meeting in Burling-
ton. J. B. Wilbur has Bill Ready
for Presentation 10 Legislature.

4
day evening by ex-senator Max l..
Powell attracted so people from diff
ferent parts of the State and il proved
to be one Of the livcliest gatherings
of the kind ever held in this vicinity.
The present road system was handled
without gloves by critics, both favor
able and unfavorable, and the result
ought to be material Improvement in
various directions
In opening the post-prandial exer-
cises, Mr.. Powell announced there
were $4,000 miles Of road in Vermont,
Of which 1900 miles were State roads.
He said that under the State tax of
tlve per cent there was available $l25,-
900, the amount Of the State appropri-
alton was 100000, the various towns
contributed $115,000 and the automo-
bile tax aggregated S276,000, making
an annual total Of $7l5,000. There
vas excess work aggregating $4,000,
so that with the amount spent by the
towns there were over one million dol
lars spent annually on the roads Of
Vermont. This was a sufficient sum to
assure us large aggregate OF per
manent work, but we were not getting
the worth Of our money. He came out
squarely in favor Of bonding the State
for the construction Of permanent
road and for such special work as the
construction of the roads through
Smugglers' Notch, Sunderland Hollow
and other improvements which could
not be carried on by the towns.
The first speaker introduced by Mr..
Powell was j. b. Wilbur of Manches-
ter, who has given large degree Of
personal attention and time in the pro
motion Of good roads in Bennington
county and who has taken an active
interest in the problem throughout
Vermont as a whole Mr.. Wilbur an
nounced that he had been looking into
the State highway work and methods
as discoverable at Montpelier, and he
was astounded at some of the facts
and conditions discovered He said
| that since 1906 there had been spent
in all over $3,8270 900 by the State on
good roads, but he was doubtful if the
PEOPLE could go out and find evidences
of 1t. He said that the road commits
sioner and county supervisors in 1913
cost the State $4,000. That would
have conducted thorough and efiic-
lent highway department. He an
nounced that he had drafted a bill,
based upon the Minnesota system, for
consideration at Montpelier. He con-
templates three commissioners, who
would select State engineer and thus
secure efficient service. He would pro
vide that bridges should be construct
ed only after advertising for bids.
| His experience was that some of the
bridges in Vermont cost twice the
amount they should have cost. The
| bridges should be under the highway
department. He also showed that
yravel had cost from $1.13 TO $1.3O a
cubic yard in some instances, which
vas an absurd price to pay for this
material. He thought that provision
should be made for the condemnation
| IF gravel beds where they could not be
secured reasonably otherwise.
Mr.. Wilbur showed that the people
of Bennington county had availed
themselves of the services Of a road
engineer. He went to Washington and
induced them to send to Bennington
county an engineer and after 1t was
found that the services Of an engineer
should be used to good advantage an
ARRANGEMENT was made with the State
/ highway department whereby his sal
ary Of $500 was paid two-thirds by
the State ard one third by the county
Mr.. Wilbur said that $525,000 was
paid out in a year by the State under
the direction. Of one man solely and
S750,000 by the towns under the direc-
ton of local commissioners account
able to nobody. He thought this state
ment accounted for the unsatisfactory
condition of our highways.
Prof. J. w. Votey Of the university
college Of engineering referred to the
time when change was made from the
old system Of road labor TO the money
system. He showed that when this
change was made they labored under
great handicap, there being no mater
.al or anything else TO start with, an
entirely new beginning being neces-
sary. He said we talk Of permanent
roads, but there is on such thing. He
aid we should not issue bonds for
-oads covering a period Of 20 years
when we know the roads will be gone
ten years from now. One Of the i'm
oortant yeatures of road building Is
the selection Of good road material.
In order to meet this situation he had
his road engineering department