Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-23

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Bennett Puryear, Colonel Thomas Whitehead,
Colonel Morton Marye, DR.. x. A. Patterson,
Major f. T. ID. Meyers, Captain W. G.. Waller,
Messrs. X. Il. Chanin, Milton Cayce. John G.
jackson, Walter Grant, L. Y. Cannon, Major q.
w. CARRIER, Robert Is. Munford, Howard SWINE
ford, Major A. w. Harman. Judge Josiah Leake,
J. Il. jackson editor OF tho Southern Ptonter),
Colonel Frank G. Run1n Second Auditor Of Vir-
ginia), Alderman James Il. Gray Major A. X.
Courtney, j. Is. Winston Ureasurer Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railrOad). O.. NJ.
Holiday, NJ. Courtney. John Bpps, Captain
George Hopkins, w. Y. Mordecai, Conway Il.
Sands, II. Theodore Ellyson.
After partaking OF the eatables, the farmers
proceeded 10 business.
The president, Professor Puryear. In calling
| the meeting 10 order, said that 1t was gloomy
outside but radiant within. lie added that the
| TnckahOe Club attracted 10 It's meetings tne
most prominent men in society, "a was Illus
| trated by the guests present on this occasion,
| and stated that they were all more than vel
| come 20 the good cheer the crackers, cheese,
| etc) Of the organization.
ELECTION oP OFFICERS.
The club next proceeded to the election of on
| Gers. Professor Puryear said 1t had Afforded
| him great pleasure to be Mt the head ot the or
| ganizatlon, but no really thought some man
| more closely connected with agriculture should
| I'LL his place.
Mr.. Walter K. Grant renominate1 the PROBES
| sor, and this was heartily seconded. The dis-
| tinguished agriculturst was unanimously re-
| elected and made a happy speech OF accep,-
| ancc.
The name OF Mr. Walter f. Grant was next
| placed In nomination for vcc-present. lie was
unanimously elected.
Mr.. IA. Theodore Ellyson was unanimously ro-
| elected secretary and trcasurer
The Chairman next stated that the only once
| remaining vacant was that OF corresponding Sc
| cretary. Messrs. Winston and Swineford were
| nominated for the position.
When the ballot was taken II was found that
| six votes cast for each OF the nominees
| Mr. Swineford thercnpon nominated MAJOR
| Myers, and when the second ballot was taken
| the vote resulted as follows Swneiord, u VIM
ston. ); Myers, 1. No majority OF the votes cast
| being as yet accomplished, a third ballot vas
! taken, and this resLlted: q for SWinelOrd ana
| o Tor Winston. Each Of the nominees trled IN
| vain 70 withdraw, and 30 further deadlock
| ensucd. Then ballot No. 4 was taken Win inc
| following result: Winston, =; Myers, ., ana
SwineiOrd 4.
4 NTH ballot failed to bring matters 10 a
| change. and the following result was announced:
| Winston, d; Myers >; Swineford. >.
DROP THE LOWEST.
| A motion was made that the secretary cast the
ballot for Mr. SwInelOrd but this failed 10 receive
| a second. Another motion was madc Tor sixth
| ballot with the provision That the nominee re-
ceiving the smallest number OF votes be dropped.
Il received a sel ond and sixth ballot was thkon,
resulting Winston. , Myers. 4 Swineord, 3.
| Mr. Swinelords 3 name was dropped.
| Major Myers again said he would decline. but
| the members maintained that he had n0flSht 10
| do this.
| Major CARRIER being also placed in nomination
| another vote was taken with the same pro-
| visions, and resulted as follows: WINSTON, u
| GHrDer, . Myers, 4.
| This lett the contest between tho two railroad-
men, but again the ballot resulted In tie, each
| ot the "magnates" receiving six votes
| Upon motion Of Mr.. Cayce, 1t was decided that
the election Of this officer De postponed, as tho
| club seemed unable to reach n decision.
HOW TO MAKE ROADS.
Aftcr tho members had paid their annual dues
| Major Myers read an essay on Road-Making.
1 the relative Importance Oi good public ROADS,
| said he, has recently been acknowledged TO such
| degree as 70 warrant m expectation Of reform.
| The notorious Indifference to their condition IA
| the past has been due TO causes which IL would
| accomplish little TO set forth, however much the
consequences OF that Indifference may concern
| u5 at the present day.
| As population, wealth, and intelligence grow
| and tho energies eneendered by steam and cleo
| triciiy are awakened, all communities become
| impatient OF hindfanccs TO lOcomOtion OF any
kind. In the face OF this fact IL Is not 100 much
| 10 sav thai here in Eastern Virginia We are, as
| 10 our common highways, in little better cohdl-
| tion than was either the parent country at iho
| time Of the restoration. or than was virginia IN
her colonial days Had Eleep six-iOld tnat OF RIP
! Van Wrinkle descended upon virginia worthy,
| as no podded through the mud or panted
| through the dust OF the Old Dominion on his way
| 10 its capital whether from the mountains or the
sea, his awakening by the country roadside now
| would have been 70 immediate SURROUNDINGS Dut
| little changed, whatever maryels may oyerwneim
him al his journeys end
BY CONTRACT AND FOR CASH.
The Major further mentioned in reading his
| essay, which was an excellent paper the
| methods by which Virginia could better the cOn-
| dition Of her roads. lie said:
| /. Procure the proper legislation. Abandon
| the contributiOn-of-labOI system. think he was
| right when, in speaking of the roads In England
| in 1883, Macauley said: lone chief cause Oh
| the badness Of the roads seems to have been the
| defective state Of the law. Every parish was
| hound TO repair the highways which passed
| through it. The peasantry were forced 10 give
| their gratuitous labor six days In the year. 1
| believe the efficient way IL TO provide the COST Dy
| equitable taxation, and TO have tue work uohe'
| ike other pubic work, by contract and Tor cash.
2 Initiate the wisdom OF the housewife VINO
| demands, as precedent to dainty repast, "a
| skilful cook. She knows that the most apunuaht
| larier will not slnice without the presence OF
| that funcionary. so with the outlay on eooa
| roads. The work Is to be properly periormed
only by an engineer. Without him you VIII waste
vonr money and get no good result. recipe
book will not make though II may help q COOK.
| A treatise on roads will do little good IN the
hands Of any save those OF trained ana eApe-
| rienced engineer. When tho funds have been or ,
vided get an engineer 10 direct the work, ana let
him hold his Office on long tenure and not by IA
vor of the politicians. Get good one, and then
| forbear interfering with him.
| q After making n thorough survey OF each
| road 10 be treated, and he viii carefully reau-
| inst its alignment and gradients, ana suphit 10
the proper authority IuiI est'i.c S ~ ,nV r.
| before Undertaking any work. lie would pre-
| fereby form the roads Tor two, but for the pres
ent he would confine the wearing surlaco, ~
special provision OF that kind couid DC hhu a. al
| within his means, 10 one track, The general
| form of cross section would probably resempe
| that which have illustrated diagram submit
tedl which he might modify according 10 clrvuu'-
| stances. lie should employ the most a'aiiauis
| material for the wearing surface whether goou
| gravel or broken stone. lie should .oh pV.n .i.
| wearing surface and the roadbed win rohers y,
| proper weight and construction ior eacn. anu az.
| where no could afford neither the wearing sur,
face nor the rolling he might content hiihsenn y
with the proper forming and guanty OF the
| earthern bed. He should have the grazing
dichng and metalling done Dy =, s'is
rolling might better be under his own iinmeaia. m
| direction and not by contract. lie should 70
! oulre the contractor 10 keep his wofh III 49, 49,
for season after completion, ana he snoIs. ~,
| then keep up the condition by hired labor. IL,
| shouli II possible (and the law should mske 4
possibe) exclude from the use OF the road car Us
draws wagons, or other hcayy-draught von,oio'
| with tires OF wheels less than four ihcnes pio"A
TO DRAFT A LAW.
. A, the conclusion of Major Myerss remarks
| the question was further discussed py hessiS
, | Grant and Cbarnn. ,... - fan
Mr.. Cayce moved that committee OF zen J,
with Major Myers as chairman, bo appointeo =
| draft a good road law for Henrico, 70 pe euD
mitted TO the next Legislature. MIR. Grant oa,, !,
that several road laws would Do supn'.eu =
the General Assembly. and stated INA. !. rou,, W. ~
he hest 10 concur in some of the plans already Vi
Co,onel Whitehead said that the question
| would have TO be taken nOiu VI IN Scho'e
ut uc gave instances where the value
! properly had been greatly deprecated py pa'
roads - A. cinh,
Major Myers suggested that Chesterfield DO In
| cluded In the movement. .s,iop
Mr. i. H. Jackson next discussed the questiion
and gave an interesting outline VI road-Duil,
| in Kngland. He maintained that tno quo''"'
D could not be- dealt with piecemeaL
Mr.. Grant also spoke upon the question: ""'
deprecated the use Of narrow-tire wagons ., Nh
mr. Cayce thought all further discussion oi d., W
| onestion should come up before the coinin'''0
whose a appointment his motion suggested. u,
Nr. Grant offered an amendment 70 s,.,
| Cayce's motion that tho number OF tro wi o,a
miitoe suggested be less than ten. ihis va
| lost. . .v.vvn
, At this tuncture dinner was announced oy y,n tn'
host ana the Chairman stated tnat the noos ~, :
-omid be temporarily adjourned TO say snn JUG
tns meal and table were elegant woui. ~. y
,corly express Il, but the following Oil oI ias
speafs eioquently for ITSELF ana TINS u WAS ~
l 49,. 100 /. ea t,a rfoat