The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-19
STATE AID ROAD
 OR TRUNK LINE,
 IS BEDDING QUERY

|. Bedding, Sept. 19-The knowledge that Bedding can command about
 $8,000 of state funds for use in the construction of state aid roads came as surprise to most of those who attended the meeting of the Mems club held last Thursday evening at the Sanford school. They were under sthe impression that the last legisla- ture made no appropriation for this
 purpose and the se1ectmen were not aware of the contrary until they re- ceived official notice of the fact a few days since The statement at the
 club meeting was made by Engineer Hamlfn of the State Highway De- patrement in the course of an inter esting address, describing the begin nings and development of the good roads movement in Connecticut. He
 said that owing to war conditions causing shortage and high prices of both labor and materials trunk high way construction would be delayed for an indefinite period.
 As the building of the Bridgeport Danbury trunk line across the Ridge has been impatiently awaited some one asked MT. Hamlin if he did not think Commissioner Bennett might consent to the diversion of Readings $S,000 from town highway recon-> struction to trunk line construction. The idea was advanced that with a like diversion on the part of Red ding and Bethel the Putnam Park section of the trunk line might be built next summer. If Easton were similarly minded the present wretch ed conditions at Jump Hill might also be remedied in the same period. MT. HamIin could give no positive as- surance as to what Commissioner Benett's attitude would be on the proposition, but thought it quite likely that the proposed arrangement could be made. In that event Red ding would be required to repay one quarter or S2,000 of the $s,00o ad- vanced the same as if the money were expended on town roads. By wait. ing for the state to go ahead on its own account, however, the town would be called upon to pay no part of the trunk lines cost. There was some talk of appointing committee to consult Commissioner Bennett upon the, diversion plan, but no action resulted. The s$8,000 will not be- come available for either form of con- struction except by favorable action of the town meeting on the first Mon day in October. i f
 It having been reported that w. c. Sanford, Democratic candidate for first selectman, was in favor of the diversion project, the writer asked him for his views on the subject. MT. Sanford replied that he was not in favor, but decidedly opposed. 1T fail to discover any good reason" said he, 'why the town should pay $2,000 to expedite the building of small part of the trunk line when we can ulti-, mateIy and probably without long de- lay obtain the improvement for noth- ing. Of course we should all rejoice to have the Putnam Park road speed fly converted into a first class high way, but we have endured present conditions for a good while and can stand them a while longer. Besides should the diversion plan be carried out the s8. .0O0 would be lost as regard town road improvement and that would be very unfortunate. There is no likelihood, however, that the town meeting, could be induced to indorse the diversion scheme. The westsiders would say that the town ought not to needlessly pay $2,000 merely to hasten an improvement on the other side of the town that would eventu-, ally come anyway and in my view their objections would be sound and reasonable. think we should secure the $8,000, and expend it on the other class of state highway improvement"