Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-12
OUR ROAD SYSTEM.
PLAIN TALK FROM a WELL
WISUEIs OF THE STATE.
Money Needed to Make Good
Roads How to
Obtain II.

Some years ago, before coming 10 VIZ
GINA, ! remember hearing friend re-
mark that America was the place IN
which TO see the ups and downs OF life.
This remark, like many Others. passed
in at one ear and ont at the other. and
was only recalled to my mind when ar
rived in Richmond just after " snow
spell" and drove ten miles on our best
country roads.
! saw the cups and downs OF life,
and. sad to remark, during these four
years they remain IN almost the same
places, and have made friends who seem
TO have come u stay also. But We have
oil seen boys at school turn men to Hight
with stones why not let us citizens OF
Virginia, the pioneers OF civilization IN
America. arise and drive these small OBJ
stacles away with similar weapons, as
did our friend Macsdam many years ago
in the Old Country?
Many Of those who take tho trouble to
read this will say as they laugh or per
haps sheer, where's the money "a
similar question TO the one the Farmer
asks himself to-day, only far more easily
answered.
SOME SUGGESTIONS.
! would suggest
Firstly. Let .he road-taX be paid in
money instead of labor, which latter
system consists of half the working citi-
zens getting off free and the remaining
half telling yarns ard killing time.
Secondly. Let poll-tax for roads he
levied on every male, citizen or alien,
whether property-holder or not.
Thirdly. County bonds, at long time
and low rate OF interest, with tax on
property to pay interest and provide
sinking fund. know this is very much
against the theory OF some OF our citi-
zens, who would prefer to get the dirt
road in "good condition q first and
then try "better kind. Surely this
is like redecorating your houss on the
eve of pulling it down, and ten years
from now will find us still in the mud.
Fourthly. Let the State make an an
nual appropriation TO be used on the
roads Of most service to the State.
Filthy. And now am about 70 make
q suggestion which does not seem to be
at all popular with orr people.
1t is that we should claim national AID
on the same principle as the river and
harbor appropriation.
We can spend national money on our
rivers. it seems. but our roads the very
backbone Of our country, are to be ne
elected.
OF these five suggestions am heartily
in favor of the third, and vindicate my
choice 10y the example Of Passaic coun-
ty, n. j.
THE ROADS or PAssAIc.
Some years ago this county issued
road.bonds and started macadamizing
the main roads. Half million dollars
have already been borrowed for this
purpose. with the result that II is posi-
bic to drive for thirty consecutive miles
without leaving good macadam road.
The evidence Of property-holders and
bank officers is that Passaic county was
never in better financial condition than
to-day, and has q credit equal to that of
any State in the Union. The same re-
marks apply to parts of Orange county,
n. j., and Queens county, l.. ].
The increased value Of farm lands IN
New Jersey, where they have tried good
roads, is proof positive that we ought to
have good roads in old Virginia, where
farm lands are declining year by year.
We all know that the prosperity Of Il
State depends to a great extent upon lts
agriculture. so whatever tends to raise
the value OF farms will be Of value to the
State as a whole.
| will also say, with one of our super
ivsors, that / am decidedly in favor of
wide tires, but will add that any legisla-
ton tending to regulate the tires and
loads should come after q system OF
we'll made roads and not before. Such
tires tend to preserve well-made roads,
but they will never, never, never make
good roads out of poor ones.