Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-01-16
RADICAL CHANGE IN
VERMONT ROAD LAWS
Legislature to Be Asked to Con-
slider a Bill Abolishing Office
of State Highway Commits
siOner and Substituting a
Commission of Three Men

At the second dinner and meeting Of
the Vermont Patrol Committee. held
Thursday evening in the Van Ness House,
more than 275 leading men of Vermont
met to give an additional push to the
movement for better roads, and listened
to an inspiring address by Congressman
Elect Daniel L. Reed of the And New
York district. NJ. C. Weber of Rutland,
counsel for the legislative committee Of
the patrol committee, made his report
of re-draft Of the bill which will be
presented to the Legislature at this ses-
sion. While the draft of the bill is not
final and some changes probably will be
made in it. the general outline is OK
pected to remain.
The meeting Thursday was a re-
markable one. not only in the number
who attended. but in the enthusiasm
which ably demonstrated the interest the
people in the State take lin good roads.
The number was more than half A hun
dred in excess of those expected.
The proposed bill does away with the
state highway commissioner and sub
stitutes in his place a commission to be
composed of three men appointed by the
Governor. This commission will serve
without pay and will possess all the
powers necessary to build and maintain
the roads of the State. It's powers will
give 1t authority to purchase or acquire
land. and, in fact to do anything legiti-
mate In it's effort to secure for the State
better highways. 1t will appoint State
engineer and other officers.
The bill will be entitled: "An act to
establish a State highway department,
and to define it's powers and duties; and
vesting therein powers and duties now
devolved by law upon the State highway
commissioner"
A summary Of the bill follows: The
highway department will be in charge
of the commission, which will be appointed
for terms of three years excepting the
first commissioners appointed. who will
serve one, two and three years, respect
lively. The Governor may fill any vacan-
cies as they occur in the makeup of the
commission. The organization shall be
completed each year with the election OF
chairman and secretary, the latter
to be an employee Of the commission
The commission will meet at least 1;
times year.
The commission will appoint the engi-
neer. who shall be a qualified and COM
petent engineer and who shall have had
actual experience in road and bridge
construction, and he shall devote his
entire time to the office. The commission
also may appoint deputy and assistant
engineers. also other employees. The
engineer shall put up bonds Of $500,
and the deputies of $3.50.
The offices will be in the State House
at Montpelier. where suitable quarters
will be provided. The necessary ex.
penses of the commission shall be pro.
vided. The bill then goes into detail
such as have to do with the keeping OF
records and files, which shall be open tc
public inspection at all reasonable times
One of the most important duties of the
! commission will be to conduct an inves
tigation into the best system of high.
way construction, the location of roat
material etc. and to report, with recon.
mendation. some definite plan before OF
during the next session of the Legisla
| ture The amount to be appropriated fol
this work was not mentioned in the draf
Of the bill as presented last evening
but it was the general opinion of thos,
present that $4,000 would be a suitable
sum. The work Of overhaulng tn,
method Of road building in Vermont will
be a large one and the commission Il
empowered 10 nlTc the neID necessary
| Other features to be taken care of in tn,
bill will be to handle the federal money
All unexpended balances on hand in tn,
department when the new system begins
will be handed over to the commission
and most of the sections will remain a
in the present highway law except tina
| the word commissioner" will be stricken
out and commission" inserted.
| TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR ELECT
Warren r. Austin, chairman of tn
State patrol committee, presided at tn
meeting Thursday ana seated will
him at the head table were State High
way Commissioner S. B. Gates. G. +
l.. Badlam, chairman of the Rutlan
board of trade, Judge Edward Griffith
NJ. c. Weber, who drafted the bill
Claude A. Rich of Manchester, Edwar
f. Tretz of California and Congress
man Reed of New York in addition t
A. J. Canning president of the Bur
lington Merchants association an
others. Fred A. Rowland of Mont
pelier who was to be one Of the speak
ers. and Lucius f. Wilson of New Yorl
and East Dorset, who was also t
speak, were unable to be present be
cause of illness.
Before the dinner was throug
Judge c. H. Darling arose to his fee
and proposed that telegram be sen
to Gov.-Elect p. w. Clement. The mo
ton was carried enthusiastically an
a committee consisting Of Judge Darl
ing, John r. Weeks and Charles =
Harris was appointed to write the tele
gram. The following was sent:
To the Hon. Percival w. Clement
| governor-elect OF Vermont:
The patrol committee for the Stat,
in session at Burlington, sends greet
ings and best wishes for the success
OF your administration as governor O
Vermont.
(Sgned)
| c. H. Darling,
| John Il. Weeks,
| Charles A. Harris.