The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-10-04
State Roads Discussed
BY c. A. Mentznel'

the top down. These poorly con-
structed roads have, unfortunate
ly for New Hampshire been paid
for by isuing bonds and have nat
uraliy, started to go to pieces be-
fore the bonds have matured.
This clearly shows that New
Hampshire has been led into a
policy that had no preparation and
did not take up the construction OF
modern highways with any degree
of intelligence, and that is just
exactly what Vermont is liable to
do if it does not start to prepare.
Now would it not be just as we'll
for the press of Vermont to dis
cuss modern highways like the
one from Plattsbsrg to Lake
Placid in New York state, or the
: Boston to Worcester, Massachus-
etts State highway, both of which
were built by engineers well quail
flied to do this work and who pro-.
duced highways built from the
bottom up with bituminous maca-
dam and finished by the so-called
penetration method.
Those highways ana thousands
of miles similar to these construct
ed all over these United States are
achievements not experiments and
they have already stood the test
OF traffic, weather and time suf-
ficient to demonstrate to the most
doubling Thomas that they are an
asset and not Il liability to the
states that constructed them.
With this kind of construction,
the first costs are high, but they
are the cheapest possible kind of
highway in the long run and they
are not outside Of the reach of
Vermont. In fact. we cannot az
ford to build anything else on our
trunk lines. The pleasure cars,
trucks and jitneys that need and
should have them can and will pay
for them, once they have been
asked.
Perhaps the reader is acquaint-
ed with someone in Vermont that
owns $4,000 automobile rated at
30 III. p. that pays tax the first
year Of $50. Perhaps you should
know that that same automobile,
if owned in any other New Eng
land state, would pay a tax Of
from two TO three times that
amount. You certainly do know
that a home or farm right here in
Vermont assessed at $4,000 pays the
annual tax Of from $50 to $75 and
this kind Of property does not get
reduced rate the second and third
year.
Now why should the automobile
owner Of Vermont expect or wish
to get by that easy and at the
same time kick and growl because
our small town farmers are not
giving them the kind Of road they
ought to have. The land of Yer
mont, in it's present state of de-
will stand. Trunk line highways
Of modern construction have be-
"o~ne " r'nreSsj+v ard Their cost of
construction and maintenance will
have to be taken care of by q re-
venue collected from those that
make these highways necessary,
there is no other wav. This is the
most important problem before the
people of Vermont today and it is
one that absolutely will have to be
faced by our next Legislature.
Think this situation over scri-
ously and see if your good judg-
ment does not say, ave better pet
prepared TO answer that question
before our next legislature conven-
es." Our present state policy is
driving our good farmers TO their
wits end trying to produce the tax
recersalv TO build aond r'7intain
roads for these $4,000 road locomo-
tives to pillow up. That policy is
the direct cause of over-expendi-
lures by our small towns anG road
deficits are piling up at rapid
rate.
| have seen figures within a
week of towns having $4,000 to
$1,000 road deficits or March /.
1921, which existed in our $40
towns, is several millions Of dol
lars, and we will again add this
year a substantial amount and
this is all brought about by trying
to keep pace with "Lizzie" and be-
ing led by a State policy that is
Anticipated. Now arc we to con-
tinue that policy, or are we going
!. to frame up a policy that will lift
our Vermont farmers out of the
mud and give the automobiles
what they ought to have and ought
to be willing to pay for?
The states where intelligent mo-
dern highway construction has
been carried out, farmers have
quickly become their biggest boos-
tiers and Vermont farmers are not
so much different that they, in
turn, will not also be boosters,
once they have been shown a st9te
policy that is all wool and yard
wide. The building of highways
that will stand up is no longer a
mystery unless you have some
special reason to make it appear
that way, but they must be built
from the bottom up and by engi-
npelS that do not pueSS but know