92 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



NOW A FIRM COUNTRY CROSSROAD WHERE FORMERLY SEVENTEEN AUTOMOBILES 



WERE MIRED IN ONE WINTER AND SPRING. 



ried on, and certainly it will be of in- 

 terest to our readers in other places to 

 learn of the successful experiment of 

 turning stone walls into roads. 



Everywhere in New r England there 

 are plenty of stone walls but in many 

 places there are not good roads. So, 

 as the old-fashioned saying goes, why 

 not let one hand wash the other ; that 

 is grind up a few of the stone walls 

 and improve some of the roads? Far 

 be it from us to advocate banishing 

 all the picturesque stone walls, but 

 there is no danger of doing: that, for 



O *J5 7 



a few stone walls go a long way in 

 making enduring roads. 



Stamford is proud of its roads, but, 

 of course that does not mean that all 

 roads have yet been put in the most 

 desirable condition. The work pro- 

 gresses every year and in the light of 

 what has already been done the out- 

 look for the future is favorable. The 

 credit for this is in large part due to 

 Selectman William R. Michaels for his 

 untiring efforts in application of his 

 knowledge of making an enduring road 

 at least cost. 



In the fall of 1909, on the recom- 

 mendation of the Board of Selectmen 

 composed of J. G. Houghton, William 



R. Michaels and J. J. Looney, the 

 town, represented by Mr. Michaels, 

 purchased a portable stone crusher 

 from the Climax Road Machine Com- 

 pany, for $2,011. It is less than five 

 years since the crusher was started on 

 the Emmet L. Weed property in 

 Springdale, Mr. W x eed being the first 

 townsman to donate stone for road con- 

 struction. During these five years eight 

 miles of durable stone roads have been 

 built under Mr. Michael's supervision. 

 Less than $500 have been paid for re- 

 pairs on these roads, and most of this 

 expense was incurred on Hope Sreet 

 in the necessary repairs after the lay- 

 ing of gas and water pipes. 



Hope Street, from North Springdale 

 to the Glenbrook trolley junction, and 

 Crescent Street and Courtland Avenue, 

 Glenbrook, Newfield Avenue, Belltown 

 Road and Oaklawn Road are among 

 the Stamford roads constructed of na- 

 tive stone. Among those who have 

 donated stone for these permanent 

 roads are Messrs. Weed, Mathews, 

 Toms, Raymond, Rothchild, Coe, Kerr 

 and Robbins and Dr. Barnes, the latter 

 being the largest contributor so far 

 having to his credit many thousand 

 tons from stone fences on his property. 



