Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-01
ROADS In VIRGINIA.
DETAILS OF A PLAN BY WHICH THEY
MAY BE GREATLY IMPROVED.
Mr. Boiling Suggests the Employment of .
Practical Engineer aud the Use
Of idle Convscts.

piephieu Nv ulfhs VIII prOYeOI INTEREST Juob
Of this time. as the Legislature to meet to-
morrow will certainly give earnest consid-
Grafton 70 the subject upon which he
writes;
ATLANTA Ga. November II. 1891.
To Q,e Editor ofRe Dispatch:
notice that YOU are very much interest
ed IN the improvement OF county roads in
the state. and as / have also for years past
been very much interested in the same
subject and have studied it quite tho
roughly / enclose herewith legislative
bill that prepared and handed TO one OF
the State representatives in the Legisla-
ture about two years ago, which you can
use II you think proper.
The principal objection have heard TO
using conyicts on public roads was that
Gs the work was necessarily light that
building quarters for them to occupy such
short periods would be very expensive In
answer to this / would say that have
worked large numbers of couvicts on pub
lie works and have found that the most
satisfactory quarters were tents. The con-
vets can be made perfectly secure and
comfortable in them and they are much
more easily kept clean and can be easily
and cheaply moved.
III the state IL not yet ready TO make
such expenditures tor the improvements
L
| diture OF money that could be made, the
same system might be carried out by indi-
vidual county action, though think 1t all
important that the location of new or re-
location of old roads and the construction
should be looked after By q competent en-
gIneer appointed by the State who shall
be above local influence.
The advantage TO the State of such roads
is too obvious to be pointed out The
nj Va W. VphInlQg
and lost time would pay good interest on
the investment, TO say nothing OF the
saving of animal power, and enabling the
farmer 10 othe principal part OF his haul
ing in the winter, when farming operations
are generally suspended.
Respectfully, CHANSISo NJ. Bolton.
MIR. Bottoms Btll.
The following is the bill:
A Bill TO PROVIDE FoR THE MORE Efficient
WoRBING OF THE PUBLIC ROADS OF TIE
STATE or VIRGINIA.
BE 1t enacted that there shall be appoint
ed by the Board of Public Works a chief
engineer who shall have charge of all pub
! lie roads in the State and shall report to
| the Board OF Public Works. In the APP
| pOintment OF sald chief engineer the Board
| of PuDlc Works shall select competent
! civil engineer who has had charge of I'M
! portant work for at least five years prior
| to his appointment, due regard being had
/ to the character of the work Of which he
! has been in charge for filling this special
position. The salary OF the said chief en-
glneeT shall be s. per AnuuIn and he
shall hold Office for a term of i've years
unless removed for cause. The said chief
| engineer is hereby empowered 70 have
! condemned such land as he may deem ne
| cessary in the manner set forth In the Code
| OF Virginia, empowering railroad compa-
! MES 10 condemn such lands as are neces-
sary for Their uses, so far as said act IS APP
plica6le TO the condemnation Of lands Tor
public roads.
MUST REPORT ANNUALLY,
The said chief engineer shall make an
nual reports at such tunes a. the Board OF
Public Works may appoint or oftener If
he deem it necessary or If he be called
upon by the Board of Public Works for
additional reports, upon such roads IN the
State as he NAV think proper to repair, re-
| build, or construct, stating how many
hands he can work TO advantage on SUCH
roads. The Board OF Public Works shall
then call upon the superintendent OF the
| peuitentlary TO furnish the number Of
| hands called for in SAID report or as many
az be can furnish of the quota from the
conyicts then ia the penltentiary, filling
/ the deficiency il he has not the tull num-
Der, at the time when the requlsltion Is
made, from others he may receive there
| after.
Before any road shall be worked upon
the chief engineer shall examine anu
make survey, where necessary, making
full report to the Board of Public Works,
when the Board of Public Works shall Sc
lee, such roads as IT may think proper to
/ be improved and direct them SO to DO.
The chief engineer shall appoint such
assistants az he may deem necessary,
rating their pay as folows-yiz: FOR a
resident engineer or one IN charge OF a
party S--per month; engineer assist
ants 70 the resident engineer, $ per
month: rodmen and chninmen, $ per
month axeman, 8 per month.
DUTIES OF THE ENGINEER.
When il has been decided as aforesaid
10 improve or rebuild a road or construct
new road, the said chief engineer shall
have laid out such work as he sees proper.
establishing grades and Arguments before
the work he begun, and have such engi-
neering supervision as he NAV think
proper given the construction. lie shall
also furnish plans for crossing all water
WAYS. railroads, etc, and plans for sec.
lions of roadbed. and when IN localities
where stone can be had the road shall he
macadamized or travelled, when proper
material can be had and there 10 no stone
convenient, TO q depth of not less than
ten inches ard twenty feet WIDE where
the cnlef engineer thinks IT necessary 70
have double roadway, or ten feet wide
where only necessary to have single
roadway. Where there is no stone OF
gravel to be had the road shall be pro-
perlv graded for width OF not less tnan
Where practicable oil railroads shall be
crossed over or under grade. The general
care and supervision Of the convict forces
shall be under the contro! OF the superin'
tondent of the penitentiaIY, but the dlrec-
ton of their work shall be in charge OF the
chief engineer, and the appointment OF all
foremen. guards, and free labor of all kinds
emnloyed on the work in the field shall bt
aDpointed under the advice and by tho
| consent OF the chief engineer, who shal
have the right to discharge any such fore
men guard, or free labor at any time ht
may think proper.
BILLS AND PAY-RoLLs.
For any materials and labor for which y
a necessary to pay the Chief engineer
hall. on or about tho first OF each month
send in bills and pay-rolls approved 10y
HIM 10 the Board Of Public Works, for ap
rrovsI when. when so approved, shall b'
Maid bv the Treasurer OF the State out Of
snch funds as shall have been appropriated
for such purposes
AT any time he may berequired by the Bo9IC
of Public Works, shall give detailed
statement Of what roads and to what ex
tent ne has worked on them, with q state
ment OF cost of same for the past year, witt
an approximate estimate OF probable ex
Uenditure for the coming year.
Phe superintendent OF the penitentiarJ
sbali select from among his copyicts, as b,
may think proper, who are mechanics q
sniiable for such purposes, and organlz'
with them a workshop IN the penitent ary
where he shall have manufactured and re
na,red. such carts. cars, wheelbarrows
harness. tools and other appliances thai
asortine ON public roads and shall furnish
the same on requsition from the chic
engineer.
The Earthquake in Japan.
letter lust received here from Japan
Rearing date of October 2Sth. gives tul
| osnnnt of the recent earthauake M tha