The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-06-30
EDITOR COMMENTS ON
ROADS AND SCENERY
Latter At Its Best In State But
Some Of Roads Are Far
From Being Asset

ILullOl JOllu IL A9DuNhNANh VI Wv
Burlington Free Press, received on
the outing OF the Vermont Press asso-
citation In st. Johnsbury, New Tnont
shire, Newport, etc, con 0osel
week with President Frai I've
of Bennington as chief gulde-and boos-
ter for the OUTFIT
The annual summer outing Of the
Vermont Press association Is intend
ed to be call from labor to refresh
ment," yet it affords an excellent OPP
portunity to make survey Of the
states physical conditions, particular
ly our roads. Incidentally 1t gives the
scribes a chance to enjoy Vermonts
beauty spots anew and to note chan.
ces for improvement, politically as
we'll as otherwise.
We take up the matter Of roads
first, because that was the first topic
to force itself upon the attention of
the tourists. On this tour we saw our
roads at their worst as well as their
best. The prolonged rains had shown
rconcusively what kinds OF roads
stood up" We also saw towns at
their worst as well as their best as
to the care Of roads. You did not need
to be told when you crossed some
boundaries.
The tour as a whole emphasized the
fact that in the final analysis, 1t mat
ters most not Of what material road
is constructed but how it is main
tanned. We saw hard surface roads on
/ the ragged edge" gravel roads flat
tened, rutted and spoiled, as well as
narrow mountain roads of native soil
that were genuine Joy as compared
with the valley nowadays.
To begin at home the same deluging
rains fell on South Burlington and
Williston, yet when the tourists from
vhis region started out Thursday morn
ing, you would not have supposed you
were in the same country from the
criterion of roads. Going through
South Burlington the auto occasionally
touched bottom. judging from the
bumps. AS a rule, however the boat
was floated on a sea of mud, almost
hub deep. And yet only few years
ago the state had helped put that high
way in the pink OF condition.
In spite of the prolonged rains the
road from French hill in Willlston Ia
the checkerboard house railway over
pass little west of Richmond was
almost entirely free from mud, de-
spite rain at the time showing that
gravel roads can be made to furnish
excellent travel under fair treatment
Richmond is learning this lesson.
This alienation of deep mud. like
the entrance to Montpelier, and tbs
well. rounded gravel roads beyond, wa
encountered throughout the entire
journey Of 400 miles. From Lancaste
where the itinerary led into New
Hampshire, north to Colebrook, the
party passed over 30 miles OF the fam
Gus Granite state roads. For shor
distances this road is hard surfaced
but II is gravel for the greater part
and the condition Of the gravel com
pared favorably with the concrete
which had begun to 20 to pieces, OF
the edges particularly.
The road across the north end from
Canaan to the Averill lakes and tn
/, famous Quimby camps, where the PAL
: ty spent Friday night and enjoye,
!. fine lake trout banquet, was far bel
ter than some of the roads in Soutl
Burlington and other supposedly NOR
j.. civilized communities. From the Aver
= III lakes region to the Island Pom
\ highway we enjoyed the benefits
- the state appropriation fora road tina
! would connect that northeast regio
!, witA the rest OF the state without th
" necessity Of going into New Ham,
shire or Canada. II Is the famous "rC
3. Ter coaster" road, an almost constar
: succession OF hills with the impetu
: gained from going down one hi
!. carrying the auto almost up the mex
!, The gravel road itself was in perfet
= hcondition despite the rains.
From TIE Canadian boundary. abol
y "a miles to Sherbrooke, extends III
= Queens highway. This is grav,
: roadway for the greater part of II
p" distance save for a few miles OF Co
crete Just south OF Sherbrooke. Fro
y that "farthest north, point for Il
editors to Newport, Hyde Park, STOW
and Waterbury. the return trip W;
over an almost unbroken stretch
100 miles of gravel roads that were
constant delight Even through Il
> heights near Eden pond those roat
o. we're as smooth as could be imagine
T, The washboard effect was never e'
W dent In Canada. and not until one a
W preached Waterbury was 1t encour
~ cred
III The benefit OF well.rounded su
s' face for road was evident even In u
10 the mountains, where the freshet W
" thrown to the sides by the curved ct
~ tour leaving the road intact.
We we're pleased to note that
e. tween stowe and Waterbury STREET
"A. of roadway approaching Telford
ce being constructed This kind of ro
ot Is made by any community and fC
ig Vermont towns have no stone.
is consists of stones set up on edge
,e, a depth OF foot or so with small
at stone on top and gravel as a fir
NO covering. This Is the sort OF 70
- Lieut.. Gov. Foote advocated In
speech at the st. Johnsbury meet
OF the association. He showed that
ay stretch OF this road in Cornwall cC
ar. structed at cost of $1,000 m
years ago is still intact. while
would cost more now, Il is still wi
- In the reach OF every community.
Reference to the lieutenant.gov
l.uN Ia ~