The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-12-13
THE PATROL
COMMITTEE
MEETS HERE
Sixty Delegates from Nine
teen Cities and Towns
Present at the
Gathering
GOOD ROADS BILL
WILL BE DRAWN
Strong Sentiment that Yer
mont Is Deserving OF
Better Roads and a
Permanent High
way Policy

The first general meeting of the
Patrol Committee of Vermont was
held in the Pythian Hall Thursday
afternoon and evening. Nearly ou
delegates were present from 18 towns
and cities in Vermont. This IN
cluded delegations from Burlington,
st. Albans, Newport, Brattleboro,
Rutland, Bellows Falls, Manchester
and other sections of the state.
Claud A. Rich of Manchester, vice
chairman of the organization, pre-
sided and Judge Griffith Of Manches-
ter was the secretary.
At the afternoon session the re-
ports of the officers were given and
Edward F. Trefz, the executive or
ganizer of the movement, gave a
iforceful address on the value of good
roads and what a splendid chance
vermont had to pave the way for
constructive and permanent legisla-
ton. He said that southern Cali
fornia received $90,000,000 annually
from tourists in the winter season and
that Vermont could get its share of
the tourist travel in the summer if it
had better roads and also get share
Of the increased business that was
coming in auto trucks.
Short addresses on good roads
lwere given by Fred H. Babbitt of
lBellows Falls, James P. Taylor and
Max L. Powell, both of Burlington.
On motion Of Mr.. Babbitt it was
voted that the Patrol Committee con-
fine its attention at the present time
to good roads only with the hope of
securing the passage at the next
Legislature of good roads bill.
These committees We're appointed:
Resolutions, Max L. Powell of Bur-
, lington, P F. Hazen of st. Johns
bury, H. e. Stiekneye of Brattleboro,
E. A. Martin of Manchester; E. A.
Hamilton of Newport; nominating
, committee, F. H. Babbitt of Bellows
Falls, j. P. Taylor of Burlington,
A.. c. Mason of Rutland, WV. True
of Newport, H. w. Ballard of
Adams.
At the evening session the nominat-
ling committee presented the names of
: a legislative committee of Is to draft
: the good roads bill for the next Legis-
lature. Each county was represented
and the following men were elected:
al w. R. Austin of Burlington; R. E.
Healey of Bennington; George E.
u Chalmers of Rutland; John M.
Thomas of Middlebury; Juan Robin
son of South Hero; H. w. Ballard of
st. Adams; William Lawson of New
port; John S. Sweeney of Island
Pond; Gilbert Campbell of Lyndon
vile; Nelson Bailey of Wells River;
Walter NJ White of Springfield;
Charles A. Harris of Brattleboro; H
E. Shaw Of Stowe; J. M. Boutwell, OF
Montpelier; John Rowen of Barre.
The committee on resolutions pre-
sented the following which were
adopted:
II Whereas, we acknowledge with
gratitude the great improvement ir
our highways during the last decade
and congratulate ourselves that while
other states were experimenting al
great cost and with wasteful ex-
II travagance, we have been able to util-
iZe the abundant road material at oui
doors at a modicum of expense, and
III Whereas, the amazing increase ir
| the volume of traffic, and especially OF
the truck traffic, forces upon our i'm
i mediate attention new and perplexine
problems both as to highways anC
bridges, which require an entire re
/ II vision of our laws as to highways ant
bridges,
Be it resolved by the Patrol Com
Il nittee of Vermont, that the efforts
/ and energies of the Patrol Commit
II tee be directed exclusively to the i'm
/ provement of our highways, and that
we favor the passage of law estab
/ fishing a state highway department
to exercise all the powers now exer
clsed by the state highway commits
| sloner, with power to appoint a state
| highway engineer and assistant tx
provide for a proper audit for al
| / highway accounts; to establish ant
L maintain a patrol repair system fol
| | the proper and efficient maintenance
| of state highways, and to widen
! ! straighten and re-grade any stat,
| highway, and acquire any lands O
| | rights therein by gift, devise, pur
| | chase or by Condemnation.
II We further resolve that commit
tee be appointed with authority t,
employ counsel and prepare a bill tt
II present to the next Legislature in th,
| line of this resolution
I'LL Inasmuch as the Patrol Committe,
II has given its attention to good road
| exclusively, the following new pledg'
III card was prepared after some debat