The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-18
county E2caaaEs.

County No II
The Tuckahoc Farmers, Club held its
Thursdays meeting DO the residence, on
Grove road, OF the venerable yfdow OF the
late ANTHONY RoDrssog Dr., By invitation
OF her son.. CHANNiSa an ROBINSON, Esq.
The session Of the club was interesting and
chiefly devoted to the discussion OF the sub
iect Of the county roads, and Of the proper
proceedings with the object q improving
The Con ition 81 those abominable highways.
Colonel cUrsHAw, City Engineer, was pre-
sent, and by request submitted his views OF
the importance, both to; the county and the
city, OF having better; reads for their'inter-
course. The county and the city should
understand one another, and cooperate In
the matter OF the location Of main lines and
the grading OF them, SO as that every facil-
lily to easy aud direct conveyance should be
given. This wouldi give the advantage OF
easy movement Of heavy wagons and quick
trips, saving. immensely to the farmer, and
promoting the comfort Of. the city and the
accommodation Of traGic. a.anf 80
Z His view WAS favored by Messrs. BEATTrE
and LYNHAa, DR.. CRENsHAw, and Mr., CHAN An
'SY ROBINSON. Or. .CRENsHAw alluded to
some jealousy that had been manifested by
some gentlemen in the county, who thought
Richmond would prematureiy extend her
boundaries so as to include them and bring
them under taxation for citysexpenditures
Colonel CUrsHAw, while not surprised that
such jealousy. existed, and aware that it did
exist, declared that it was altogether I'M
founded, Richmond already had some ter
rltory that she would be better of. without.
Improvements were asked which she could
not we'll make. Extensions sometimes ne
cessarily took in undesirable territory, but
there was no probability that the general
boundary OF the city would ever be extend,
ed unnecessarily, and when that took place
it would be beneficial to the population
thus included. 1t was important to the city
and to oil people living near the city that
the lines OF the streets should be marked
out into the county to let the people Of the
county make their improvements so as not
to obstruct the streets and not to injure
their own property at: some future day,
when, by reason of their relation to the
city, their land would be enhanced inn
mensely in value. This should be q mutua
affair, altogether favorable to both city and
county; but that the city limits were to be
unnecessarily and prematurely extended he
saw no reason at all to apprehend. n.:
An outside, menber-an honorary, SC
| called-earnestly urged active measures FOL
the improvement Of the county roads, anc
suggested the availability Of the convict
labor in making the roads. General JOHN
SON, of this city, had before the Senate las
winter scheme for employing convicts or
the, public roads, but it failed, we believe
with the mass of unmatured business. Col
onel CUTsHAW suggested that this labor would
he peculiarly effective in Henrico, as the
convicts could be worked during the day
and returned to the penitentiary at night,
thus saving the county a great deal of en-
pense.
A. committee was appointed, on motion OF
Mr.. LYMAN, to confer with the city repre-
sentatives, as well as with leading citizens
| in the county, to ascertain what could be
| done in the way OF improvement.
That Henrico has the neanest highways
in the world, considering. her very great
advantages as beng the metropolitan coun-
ty of the State, all are agreed. When we
consider that the roads are crooked and
badly graded, and are only tolerable in sea-
sons when teamwork requires the employ
ment of teams and hauling is mainly sus-
pended, it is amazing to observe the public
apathy with regard. to them. The winter
is the time for transporting manures and
ashes, and general refuse, which accumu-
late in cities, and the roads then are nearly
impossible. We see at once how that chief
point in farming-manuring the felds-ls
obstructed. Winter is also the time for
much heavy transportation to and from
the city. Compare the full loads that could
be hauled in winter, and the quick trips
that could be made upon good roads, with
the light loads and slow movements upon
our present highways in winter. What a
contrast! We look upon the wood-carts
and wagons that now excite the general
ridicule in our streets as representatives OF
Our present roads in the country. Some OF
the loads are so small that they barely buy
drink or two of whiskey for the driver,
who leaves home at early dawn and returns
at night in that happy state Of oblivious jo-
Vitality that recks not Of roads, or loads, or
those marks Of poverty which surround his
home and dispute with him the possession
Of the land: slashes, gullies, broom-straw,
and sassafras. Good roads would Danish
these invaders and supplant them with
green or well-cultivated fields, the neat bor-
ders and fences, the fruitful orchards, and
the blooming plants. ~. .f%5.i -" :. E;
We do trust that at last we are to have
something done that will be beneficial and
honorable to Henrico and II. Richmond. -
rive should not omit a fact OF interest to
-husbandry and especially to, lovers OF good
living that Mr.. ,RopINsoN's table was en-
riched with genuine e Old Virginia ham, y
the like Of: which has never been known
outside Of Virginia, 1t was the most de-
;liciously palatable we have tasted for long
time, and its fragrance we shall not forget.
We will not compare it with SLAUGHTER
.FIcKLIN's ham, because, truthfully, we
could not. We should have eur apprecia-
ton OF that reuived, or we could makejn no
s,,,A