1900.] ESSAYS. 125 



to do fewer and do them well. It seems to me :i disgrace that 

 the city of Worcester hasn't got pride enough to continue the 

 State road over Chandler street to connect with the live miles 

 of magnificent road the State has built to Paxton. Chandler 

 street route is better than Pleasant street because it avoids high 

 grades. The Holden road is one of the best instances of the 

 State roads. The Shrewsbury selectmen have been repairing 

 the damage done to their State highway by the storm and I do 

 not see how the town can be prevented from doing the work, for 

 there is a question in my mind if the town cannot be held liable 

 for damages in case of accident on a bad place in the State road. 



S. B. Parsons spoke of the roads in Hayti, where he spent a 

 winter. Transportation being by mule, wide roads are not 

 needed and eight feet is wide enough. In 1857 when he crossed 

 the continent to the plains of Nebraska there were few roads 

 and those of poor quality. Mr. Parsons said it was so cold his 

 whole face peeled off and the mercury froze in the thermometer. 

 He was in Chicago when the streets of that city were a mass of 

 deep black mud and half an inch of sand was used on the floors 

 of all the stores, in place of carpets. Now, there isn't a finer 

 piece of road in the State than Michigan avenue. Mr. Parsons 

 told of his efforts to get the road from Worcester to Leicester 

 straightened and said his plan saves half a mile and gives a 

 lighter grade than the present. Mr. Parsons said to straighten 

 the roads and make them wide are two of the prime consider- 

 ations in road building. He thought 100 feet is none too wide, 

 and if 125 feet, so much the better. 



Burton W. Potter said it has been settled by the courts 

 that the towns through which run State roads are not liable for 

 damages due to any defect in those roads, because they are in 

 the care of the State highway commission. Mr. Potter did not 

 agree with Mr. Parsons about straight and wide roads, because 

 he said it is often nearer to go around a hill, here in New Eng- 

 land where hills are frequent ; and as for width, 18 feet clear of 

 any car tracks is enough for all ordinary purposes in the country. 



