Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-02-16
BETTER ROADS.

by the rcceit dtci- ion Of tho Courl
of Appeals of Virginia which renders
null and void the personal labor tax
which has heretofore been imposed
for tie purpose Of improving the
roads Of the Stnta, The Sia;o is IL,
once deprived of about four hundred
thousand dollars and tie efficacy OF
ihn present road law entirely de
,.toyed. While revision OF the
road law hns been ut all times dcsira
bic, the decision rcfe, red TO Row rem
ders the enactment of Il new law in
perative aud places cur legislature
face to face with some of the most
important legislation that has been
presented for lis consideration dur
ing the present. session.
TIE CONDITIONS.
1t may yet prove Fortunate thing
for the State OF Virginia. that such
conditions lluve arisen ms will demand
the imnedinte attention OF the legis
latnre on the subj of roads. We
are glad to note III this connection
that the engineers OF the H;ato have
been alive TO the Importance Of n
COOL road law for the State and that
bill enauating from the Associu
ton OF Engineers OF Nirnihn has
been introduced i'll both Houses of
the Les islniurc. The lille of this
bill commends it to the serious aud
attentive considerhtio" OF the L"gis,
lature-"An act 10 enable tho state
public roads and TO create an EugiE
eering Organization to lay out aud
supervise the same, aud To levy lax
for this purpose" We are satisfied
that this is move i'll the right ,lirec
ton. We have no right to cxpcc!
good results from the expenditure of
money for road construction and
maintenance when that Expenditure
is unnccompanied by scientific aud
sklilful supervision. No railroad or
other corporation attempts to con
Struct or maintain work without the
very best available engineering nj
VICE and supervision, and why should
the State be less foi tuuatc!
WHAT Is no ZEE DONE?
1t is Improbable to NOUN over
what has not been done in the pas.
but i'll our roads we have an Object
lesson that we should profit by for
the future. 1t has been said that
1.-The degree of States civilization
may be Judged from The condition OF
its roads If that opinion lnny BE-
regarded as IN aphorlsm, il should
rouse the pride of every YiyGiaisn to
wipe out tue stigma wh;ch il Mt.
taches. But we must deal with The
ipnterial rather than the sentimental
side of the question. No ono who
has observed can fail to believe that
The coudition Of our public roads hns
proved potent Factor III staying the
tide OF Immigration Witch our mate
nal resources invite. Rail fences and
bad roads have been IL rcproach 10
us for half n century. Rail fences
are harmless and picturesque, but
bad roads are perMicicut. la the
State OF New Jersey. considerable
work has beeu doua through The en-
actnent of The Legislature in proyid
ing for proper engineering direction
Ill The matter of roads aud that emf
nent authority on roads, Isaac Is.
Potter. wiring III the August nun
Der OF the Engineering Magazine for
1871, says: ''And even in New der
Soy, the quickenirg influence of high
class roads has begun TO assert Itself
among the more intelligent classes.
In Union county. the recently com.
pleted mNcadam roads have SO raised
the value of all adjacent property.
that recent official os!imate places
the average value Of Union county
farms at $20G per acre for the entire
State"
GENERAL PLAN.
The adoption of n general plan of
engineering direction md snpcrvi
sion Tor roads i'll all OF the States
where any attempt las been made
looking to their permanent improve
ment has Obtained, aud acting in the
light OF experience, it is WARNING
which we cannot afford to disregard.
We understand that the Association
OF Engineers of Virginia, in the prep
aration OF the bill presented by then,
to the Legislature, have examined
very thoroughly into existing road
laws In the United States and Cana.
da and the result of their labor is
condensed into the proposed law as
best suited to meet the conditions
present in this State. The whole in.
tent OF the bill being briefly: to pro
vide that money expended on roads
shall be spent under skillful direc
ton with view to obtaining the best
and most permanent results at a min
imum of cost.
WITH the adoption of standard
plans for roads and bridges through
a out the State suited to the districts
IN which they are located, and the
constant technical care of the seme
much niohf be anno,,,,i;bl -,