Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-22
THE COUNTRY ROADS.
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE CON.
CORNING THEM.
Discussion Of tho Advisability of the State
Assuming Control of the Great
Public Highways
u ne EdAar of0.e Dinnloh ;

Please allow me 10 express my hearty ap-
rrcciation both Of the public spirit and the
ability which the DISPATCH has always
shown in dealing with the road problem,
n was notably evidenced by your peril
nant editorial on "0ur Roads" in last
Tuesdays issue.
No greater service can you, in my judg-
ncnt, 90 the state than 60 press this Ques-
tlon with undated v,gor and use your
VIDE influence in aroLsinc the people TO
proper action, and that is. think, what
you so forcibly advocate--State control of
oaT roads. and would add of our bridges
also, though that may be implied.
With a competent. reliable civil engineer
On charge of State bureau of construc-
tan and maintenance OF roads and
bridges. with q well-Orgauized corps of "a
s~.a1ts, this great and important work
could hc prosecuted with thoronghness.
o uniformity, a dispatch, and, believe,
c's1pEsSS absolutely unattalnable by any
local individual effort. no matter how
earnest.
New Jersey has taken control of her
rolds and the plan. II IS said, is proving
highly sal siactory and is being watched
by other States. In several Of our coun-
t's-Loudoun, FRuQuier, Jionrico. Spot
pylvanla-the roads are be.Hg let by con-
tract, much 70 their Improvement. COM
Farstively. But while this plan or some
thIng similar. We're IL adopted by each in
CVltua county and well carried out.
would be certainly "A vast change for the
betfcr over the old "overseern system
yet the result attained could not possibly
b. that which could he gotten through q
pool as II were. of the road and bridge
Interests Of all the one hundred counties
a. e.s }. m L
bureau OF engineers IN charge OF
The work. Tho counties are making CO.
operative effort IN other matters TO great
advantage. why not extend Il to this point
in the matter OF certain material and par
tcuiarly of bridges, there could be great
saving through State bureau, which could
buy at wholesale. and which like a biz
railroad company, could always have
supply Of bridges of diferont classes on
hand Tor an emergency, so that when q
Yroshet came a bridge could be replaced
Just as quickly as energy and brains and
proper appliances could DO II, and the pub
llc be lot left, as now in some cases. 10
boat u or coon II on log" until the
Vocal engineers and the contractors can
solve the mechanical and financial problem
Of how successfully 10 make third-class
bridge do for a frst-clAss crossing
place.
As the law now stands each male between
sixteen and sixty has 10 furnish IN person
or by substitute two days labor per an
Dum on the roads subject to the call OF
the rOad-master or overseer The penalty
for non attendance Is 70 cents per day.
Now. why not have q capitstion rOad-tax of
el5O. but allow all who wish TO do SO to
continue 20 work out this amount under
the proper supervisor and toe given re-
CeIpt for such service, 20 be rendered III
lien Of the money-taX? II necessary, make
the payment of this tax "a prerequisite 10
voting. or have q county chaln-gang
by which such delinquent labor could
lie enforced, and by which. too, some
a the Migrants and criminals that infest
our county Jails might DO made of more
profit 20 the taxpayers than they are at
present. Then the aggregate amount Of
TINS Capltauon-taG could be supplemented
iy q levy by each county sufficient to meet
Is Obligations 10 the State for the work
CoLe. BE the general cost heavy or light, il
would be money well spent that would
eventually be returned more than an hun
bred fold in more than an hundred
ways. And l believe that the people, after
fully understanding the advantages 70 be
gained, and with proper assurance OF ade-
quate returns for the expenditure, would
gladly respond.
The Hanover County Alliance has q Road
Committee appointed 10 try and devise
some better method than the present-the
old, inefficient, farCical "oYerseer sys-
TEN, and Il j. hoped that some recon-
Mendatlons Of practical value may be
made. This would be q good subject for
the State Alliance to take hold Of at its
next annual meeting in Richmond in Au-
gust, "Dirt-road reform Is fully as i'm
pOrtant, II not more so, as railroad. In
the mean time let the work of road edu-
cation" be pushed.
With q fine system Of well-made, we'll
kept roads. with our unsightly, unstable
wooden bridges replaced gradually by
strong, light, tasty iron structures, and
with the institution of an "arbor day to
stimulate the tastes Of our people in beau
tifying their homes with trees, shrubs,
vines, &c, the face Of the old State
would, indeed, in q few years, wear q
changed look and prosperity and content
ucnt reign in many places where poverty
and squalor now exist. Respectfully,
FRANK holland.
CFcy. Hanouer county, "a, March II, 1891.
The Condition Of Our Roads.
BY A. L. BARTR.
GoRpoysvuLE, VA. March II, 1891.
Al this time the roads across the country
ne rs the Hon. Shelton L. Leake said on a
memorable occasion, impossible. not
oven Iackassable." They are almost bot
t5mlc.s in places. Some means, either
legislative or otherwise. ought TO be de-
yi-ei for the permanent Improvement OF
these county thorOughfares. In their pres
ert condition they impede business and
are detrimental IN many respects TO the
progress Of a community. II Virginia IS
- move forward she must have better
Eglways. Let us have the old macada-
m.zed roads either by individual co-opera-
toD. appropriation, or taxation. A better
road system IS badly needed, and II under
taken ty the people would pay ample re-
an wa q hOTHn-fiGEn. wheel
treakage, and blacksmith bills, to say
nothing of the business progress 1t would
eL-aLcc.
THE FTSCK-LAw.
The fence-law is another question which
OF -tt % be Rgitated. weighed, and adopted
by NiTgiuians. II would not only be for
the welfare of individuals, but for the unl-
versa. good Of the public. A law ought 10
te passed T. compel each person TO fence
hi- own stock and be done with the present
way ~ fencing his neighbours cattle. IN
der the present system the fence-tax is the
heaviest landowners have TO sustain.
Farmers GO on from year TO year making
miles and miles Of fence, at big expense,
% protect their crops, whereas II every !
person would enclose his own cattle at |
small expense the crops would be perfectly |
safe without any protection Of the kind. |
Natures source, our prlmeyai forests, are |
rapidly disappearing under the woodmans |
axe, but the landowner makes more ex- |
p.lslye fences without endeayorlng 10 de- |
vi,e a lees costly method. II the alliance |
men would make the fence-law success
ful rail IN their platform so many of them |
would not growl about depredators burn
iuc their rails. The suggestion Is worthy |
q trial The States which have adopted |
the felce-law are more progressive. 1t Is
true some Of cur counties have passed
them. bat % DO a success it must be uni
yersal
4 SOvIL BEEHIVE.
4 colored man in this neighborhood has
move. beehive. About five or SIX years
ago he placed an ordinary beehive IN
large goois-box, which holds about eight
or ten bushels. lie then nailed small
STRIPS across % hold the honeycomb IN
Place after the fashion Of beehive. put
2 '.p on the box left an opening for the
bees 10 20 aud come at will, then left
t.-u 20 I'll the novel hive with honey.
l-e bees have certainly multiplied since
u. b, and each queen-bee must have
fur,rn,ended her own share Of the busi-
ne, as they have about filed the box
WI honey without any Disagreement or |