The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-09
OF GREAT PROMISE FOR RURAL ROADS
 IS THE SHAW BILL
Adds Another to the Two Glasses Previously Mark
 ed for Improvement.


 this state for the past twenty years, 1t is surprising that some measure like the bill introduced at the present ses- sion of the legislature by Representa- | tive Shaw has not sooner taken shape especially as New York some time l since furnished an example which | worked satisfactorily. The Shaw bill, once in full operation, should serve as strong impetus to the bet l torment of country roads not included in the trunk highway class or the lines of lesser importance construct | ed by state aid. It empowers the highway commissioner to organize a bureau of rural highways which shall furnish, without expense, to any town in the state, upon application or the selectmen or any ten citizens expert engineering advice regarding the most economical and effective meth ods for fitting rural earth roads to their local traffic conditions, shall make surveys and prepare maps and plans with specifications for system of through connecting roads to the trunk and state aid roads and to as- sist in any other manner that the commissioner may determine in 1m- proving the condition of rural h1gh- ways. The act further provides for an advisory committee of eight mem bers, one from each county, who shall serve for. two years from July next. This commission is to coop crate with the highway commission CT and shall arrange in cooperation with granges, farm bureaus, schools, churches, chambers of commerce and other civic organizations for at least
 
 the next two years to be held in each of the 1S5 towns of the state, for two annual county conferences in each county and a state conference of two days in Hartford each year. The commission of eight Is to serve with out compensation, but their trave Hing and other necessary expenses are to be paid by the state and for this pur- pose an appropriation of $10,0OO is provided, . For the assistants and other expenses incurred by the high way commission under the bill there l is provided an appropriation of $2O,- 900. Unlike the New York law or similar import the pending bill does l not provide that any part of tho out l lay for actual construction shall come | from the state treasury.
 w. H. Hill and Rev. MT. Cunning ham were the only applicants to ap- near before the board of relief at their 1 first session held on Thursday last. 1 The former represented the Seth Todd estate which had been listed by the assessors at the same figure as last year despite the sale from 1t mean while of standing timber for con- sideration of $1,400. MT. Hill urged that on this account there should have rlx hxy ho members that the proceeds from the sale remained a part of the estate in- dicated that they did not agree with him. They are yet to render 8, formal decision. MT. Cunningham expressed the opinion that the $400 assessment on his auto was too high for a $500 car in the second year of it's service. The board met again on Monday, but had no callers, probably on account of the stormy weather. Their two re- maining sessions are to be held on Monday next and Feb. 21. It has been surrhised that Commodore Luttgen would be one of those appealing for reduction but he has not as yet been heard from.
 The body of Henry Porter was 1n- tered in the Ridge cemetery on Tues l day without committal services and with no attendants except the under taker and the two men who filled in the grave. The deceased died in New Haven hospital and the remains | were shipped to Undertaken Bouton at Georgetown and thence brought to the Ridge for interment. He was A years | of age and son of Rev. Nelson Porter, ! who was pastor of the Center Meth odist church in 1SS3-9. Of a rowing disposition his whereabouts had until recently been unknown to his family for about 15 years. The late wife of Arthur Todd, formerly of the west side and now of New Haven, was his sister and he is survived by brother living on Long Island
 A sawmill was last week moved in-
 to the woods owned by George S.
 Banks preparatory to bis resumption tof numbering operations which will
 clear tracts aggregating between 80
 and 100 acres. These include two parcels the wood on which MT. Banks
 recently bought from George Tread
 well and Levi Gilbert.
 The pending legislative bill estab- fishing a new layout for the Bridge port-Danbury trunk highway from l Bedding Ridge northWard specifically designates the Putnam Park road as
 part of the new line. First Select l AIIdu OSUOTu duU OII0TS IdVOT the sum- set Hill road as the route above the
 Five Points, but feel that the choice 1 should be mainly governed by con-
 alterations of an engineering 'charac- I ter and therefore that the question
 might properly be referred to High
 way Commissioner Bennett for final l decision. When the bill comes on
 for a committee hearing an effort
 will probably be made to have it ] amended to that extent.
 | The mild temperature on Tuesday l of last week encouraged a big black
 snake to emerge from it's winter re- | treat into the open where young l Georgie Banks was cutting brush on his fathers property. He promptly attacked and dispatched the reptile
 which measured five feet.
 Deeds have been executed convey ing to the Bridgeport Hydraulic Go. the Fred Crouch property in the Glen district along the Saugatuck river
 and eighteen acres from Levi Gilbert located near Little river in Sanford town. The water company has also 1 made known it's desire to acquire from the Henry Osborn estate a tract of
 about forty acres situated in the San fordtown district near the Goyn Tal-
 mage place.
 The personal tax enumeration was
 made up this year by Charles Hagen of the board of selectmen and was