The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-16

started to como home 1 found to nv
| utter dismay our engineer (the fellow
who manages my Pet) in tho fifth
Heaven-that is to say, drunk as the
very devil. What was to be done? All
eyes were turned on me; we were thirty
miles from home, and the women began
to fancy they were all to be murdered.
An engine cannot be driven like horse,
and don't suppose there was man
nearer than New York who could man
age one. See what a little boldness can
40. Kicked the drunken villain off
the engine, and admonishing everyone
to take care of his neck, | took charge
myself. blistered and blackened my
hands, but gained immortal honor
among the innocents who fancy an
engine as little less than the DEVIL
In 1899, to his brother: 81 am about
publishing for tie edifcation of
the pudding heads a letter prov
ing how egregiously they have
been humbugged in the matter
of railroads. Or, in plain English, am
asking for higher rates of transporta-
ton on our roads. l shall get them, and
II the times were not so sadly out of
joint would get half million to boot to
lay our tracks with heavy iron. These
wooded railroads are the hardest things
a man ever had dealings with. l be-
lieve 1 shall be the first to open the
eyes of the public to their dement's, and
II another one of the kind is ever made,
1t won't be my fault"
Mr.. Clarence Coleman admitted that
his statement was an error. Some
months ago he correspondent with Major
Whitcomb On this subject and he first
called his attention to tho mistake.
The major said he had always been
under the Impression that the Richmond
and Fredericksburg railroad was the
first passenger railroad in the State
but found in Poors Manual that the
| petersburg and Weldon was the first
Mr.. Oscar Saabye's paper was on
public highways and roads in Virginia;
their construction and maintenance.
Mr.. Saabye spoke of the excellent
roads in England and France, and said
that this country was far behind other
countries in this respect. The roads in
Virginia are about in the condition of
the English roads at the beginning of
the eighteenth century. In fact, they
are nothing but mud holes.
The writer gave splendid descrip.
ton OF road making, and favored the
employment of skilled engineers in
constructing them. He thought that
the roads should be built with macadam,
and thought that a road forty feet wide
WOulo w Oh Inc proper width.
He thought that limestone would be n
good thing to use in the construction of
the roads. He also claimed that the
maintenance Of a road is equally, if not
more important, than the construction
OF it. No matter how we'll roads are
built unless they are we'll looked after
they will soon be in bad condition. The
State should be put in control of all
common roads. An engineer should be
appointed to look after the maintenance
OF these roads and he should be allowed
to appoint assistants who would be paid
good salary. For every five or six
miles OF road there should be salaried
roadman.
Mr.. Saabye's paper provoked a gen
eral discussion, which was participated
In by Messrs. Pechin, Saabye, Yeat-
man, Rice, Cummings, Fits, Church.
i'll, Osborne, and Humphreys. Mr..
Pechin said that only day before yes
terday he read an extract from Lon
don paper that to him, as resident of
Roanoke, gave great satisfaction. be-
cause there seemed so be other places
as muddy as Roanoke. The clipping
gave an account OF the visit of gentle
men residing in London to Liverpool.
This gentleman was walking along tho
street and saw a hat lying on top Of the
his cane and was surprised to see that a
mans head was under il. He asked
the man what he was standing in the
mud for and received tho following
answer:
standing thunder. am sitting on
top of an omnibus
This joke brought Mr.. Yeatman to
his feet, who said that as a former resi-
dent of Liverpool he would like to put
in good word for its streets. When
he left there about seven years ago thew
we're considered the finest paved in the
world, and if there was any foundation
for the story related by Mr.. Pechin they
must have degencrated terribly since
that time.
Mr. Pechin did not agree with Mr..
Saabye in regard TO the use OF limestone
and in this he was Endorsed by Mr..
Churchill and Mr.. Osborne.
The discussion brought to light some
very valuable suggestions in regard to
the building and maintenance of county
roads. The association is unanimous
that the roads should be improved at
once and the only question is how this
improvement can best be affected
After the discussion of Mr. Saabye's
paper the association ad journed until IL
o'clock this morning when tho routine
business will be transacted.
Spain and France Fail to Agree.
MADRID, Jan. Is. Especial l-Nego-
tiaticn between Spain and France for
treaty Of commerce have failed of re-
ault Altar tho hret NJ Eahruorr 49,.