The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-12

The battle in which the Connec- ticut highway department has been engaged for the past two weeks in keeping the states two thousand miles of trunk line and state aid road free of snow. slush, sleet and ice has been the worst which it has encountered in several years and one of .he worst in the departments history. according to a statement is- sued today by Highway Commission- CT John A Macdonald.
 The difficulties in the snow fight have rested not so much in the quantity of snow to be removed, out in the wide variety of ammunition used by the clements. Before one type of natural fall could be swept from the highway pavements and shoulders. the New England climate devised another type which forced the work to be done all over again, but with an entirely different and more difficult mode of attack.
 All in all, the highway depart ment's two hundred motor trucks equipped with blows brushes and scrapers and the army of workers manning them having been con- stantly at war with the elements since the night of Thursday, Jan
 
 about thirty-six hours. the crews have ben working night and day since that date in their efforts to make the highways safe for motor ing.
 Besides the removal of snow and slush and the sanding of grades and curves as safeguard against ice conditions, it has even been nec- essary for the highway department to undertake large amount of tree trimming. The weight of the snow and ice on the trees in many places, particularly in the southwestern sec- tion of the state, became so great that the branches were borne down over the highways and upon the communication and transmission wires. To prevent all chance of accident it was necessary to cut off the unrrly branches.
 Although the snow was more abundant in the northern sectors. it's removal from the roads was not as difficult as in the lower parts of the state where the weather ar- rived in great and whimsical var iety.
 Nor has the battle yet ended. Commissioner Macdonald stated that the snow fighting crews were still at work on sanding operations Tn several parts of the state and will continue in action until the period of unsettled weather has passed.
 Weather conditions at this time are causing what are, perhaps, the worst driving conditions of the year." said Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Robbins B. Stoeckel in bulletin prepared for and read from WTIC, the Traveller station this aft ernoon in the interests of safety on the highways. Numerous snow falls clog the roads, narrowing the space available for cars. Ice is dis guised by thin covers of snow, pro- Niding skidding traps for the un- wary. These same conditions pre- vent vehicles from stopping quick lys Pedestrians find walking more about with the usual agility at crossings.
 "No other time of the year de- mands more attention from operat- ors. The carefree attitude of other periods. when motorists can feel as- sured that good road conditions are in front of them, must abandoned. Every operator must develop the ability to vision conditions which may be met short distance ahead and so drive as to be prepared for all emergencies.
 "PrOdigies are being performed in the removal of snow from our state highways, but many of our cities and villages are not so fortunate in fa- cilities for getting rid of the snow. Dangerous conditions which are ex- traordinary exist on nearly every street. It Is seldom possible to ap- proach an intersection and bring the car to an abrupt stop. If a car is