Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-19
CLOSING SESSION LAST NIGHT.
More Topical Addresses Made and "a Con-
stitutIon Adopted.

Road Bridges" was the caption of the
first paper. which was presented by MT
G. G. Wentworth, OF Roanoke, vice-presi-
dent Of the American Bridge and iron
Company This gentleman started out
by declaring that part Of the making OIL
a good road lay i'm the making or the
bridges good also. He SAID a good bridge
WAS one that. at reasonable first cost.
IS strong and durable. accommodates the
traffic, and requires the least possible
expenditure yearly In its malnt<nance.
Mr.. Wentworth explained In detihl the
essential elements Of a frst-class county
road bridge. Iron structures could now
bee built almost as low az the wooden
ones. and as little timber WAS being used
as possible. Only the flooring should be
Of wood in the building OF good, substan-
tal bridges The speaker said the ma
soury ought ~ be made Of reasonably
wcll-shaped stone laid up IN real cement
mortar All other points In bridge CON
structiOn were deliberately dealt with,
and the paper was attentively listened TO-
STONE AND SHELL ROADS.
stone and Shell Roads was the topic
superbly handled by Professor d. {.
Humphreys. professor of civil engineering
at Washington and Lee University. lie
traced the art Of making good stone roads
from its origin under the Romans. re-
ferred to the IMPROVEMENT In road making
I'm England by the celebrated MacAdam.
said that there were to-day many disputes
corcerninor highway constructions The
speaker went into an extended treatise
on the subject Of grades going into the
abilities of a hOrs" u pull loads over
roads Of stipulated grades. In sum-
ming up Professor Humphreys said a
good macadam road should be made az
nearly level as possible allowing only
sl0ue enough for drainage about three
quarters to ono foot per leo; the founda-
ton should b. a good dirt road, smoothed
of and we'll rolled. as a dry foundation
was very important; the lower layers Of
a macadam should be Of an hard rock.
of irregular shape, So "a to resist frost,
while the stone for the surface should tie
broken with either crusher or by hand
The materials and construction Of other
classes Of roads were discussed.
VIEWS OF OTHER SPEAKERS.
Then followed the impromptu talks
uUon these topics.
captain Orris \. Prowne Of Cane
Charles. Va. smoke al some length con-
corning -qhat had been done In his county
I'm the matter Of road Improvement. and
he threw ont some valuable suggestions
concerning dirt and shell roads in the
eastern part 81 the State.
Or. T. r. Baker representing the
League Of American Wheelmen. called the
attention Of the convention To- the great
damage done TO highways by narrow
tired wheels lie said that by this STYLE
Of tires and the fact that aNletrees
OF the wagons were. as rule. the same
length. dld much to break UP the roads
OF the State.
There was some further discussion upon
-
"m'scellaneous business
THE CONSTITUTION ADOPTED.
Mr.. II. w. Anderson. chairman Of the
Committee on Organization and Consti-
tuition. then called up the report Of that
body, which was. after slight amend
ment. adopted az follows
Article J. The name of this organization
shall be- the Virginia State GOod-ROads
Association.
Article 2 The objects OF the organization
shall b. 10 awaken general interest in the
Improvement OF public roads, suggest
methods Of building and maintaining
them. secure the legislation Estate or
nationaD that may be necessary Tor
their establishment and support and 10
conduct or foster such publications as
may serve these purposes.
Article 3. Any citizen OF the Common
wealth of Virginia who Is inter sted in
the general improvement of the roads
OF the Commonwealth may become a
member OF this association upon the
payment Of an initiation feet Of p cents
and a zee Of p cents each year thereafter
payable at the time Of the regular an
nual meeting.
Article t. The officers Of the association
shall be a president. a first Vice-presdent
ten second vic presidents zone from each
congressional district Of the state, all a
whom shall BE- elected by the association,
and a secretary and treasurer. who shall
be- elected annually by the General Board
Article .. The management OF the andlrs
of the association shall be vested in A
general board. composed OF the PRESIDENT
and the eleven v!ce-presidants. They
shall fix such rules for the conduct Of the
business Of the association AZ they may
deem proper. Any vacancies IN the Gene
raj Board may be filed by the president
Five members shall constitute quorum
Section . There shall be an executive
committee. composed Of the president. the
first vice-president. and the secretary and
treasurer. who shall control the affairs
OF the association when the General Board
Is not in session.
Section 3. The president shall. at the
annual meetings, appoint the Following
standing committees:
on Finance, five members.
on Legislation, five members.
The committees shall perform such du-
ties as may be assigned 10 them by the
Executive Committee.
Article s. Any vacancies that occur
may be filed by the General Board.
Article Z This constitution may be
amended az any regular meeting of the
,t.t i,s "A majority OF the
members present.
PERMANENT OFFICERS CHOSEN.
Mr. Anderson then submitted the report
Of the Committee on Recommendation OIL
Permanent Officers OF the Association, as
follows: ~
President, Hon. j. hoge Tyler. Of Mont
gomery.
First e-President, Hon. 5. Wexford
Corbln, OF King George.
Second Vice-President-First District,
CAPTAIN o. A. Brown. of Northampton
county; Second District, Richard Is.
TunstalI. OF Norfolk; Third District, {.
+. Ashburner, Of Henrico; Fourth Dis
tr,ct. Colonel Thomas +. Goode, OF Meek
lenburg; Fifth District, II. |. Anderson
OF Plttsylvania; Sixth District, IL. W.
Anderson, of Roanoke; Seventh District,
IL. l.. Lyman. OF Albemarie; Eighth DIS
triCt, FRANK hume, Oh hieAoh'iio' -'"iNi'
District, Henry C. Stuart, OF Russell;
Tenth District, Judge Lyman Chalkley,
of Augusta.
Mr.. Corbln thanked the convention for
the honor II had conferred upon him, but
said he felt that he must decline this
last courtesy. as his duties might conflict
with those he had already undertaken
az president OF the State Board OF Agrl-
culture. Mr.. III. W. Anderson. OF Roanoke.
who has taken such profound interest
in this matter was chosen nrst vice.
president. and was roundly appiauded.
Mr.. II. 8. ellis. OF Roanoke, was Sc
iected as second vice-president Of the con-
veation, In the place Of Mr.. Anderson
from the Sixth District. Mr.. c. Il. Ash
burner. Jr., was elected temporary see
rotary and treasurer OF the association.
The thanks OF the convention were ten
dered TO the Chamber OF Commerce ana
the city OF Richmond for the courtesy ex-
tended its delegates and to MT II. a.
Dunlop the efficient secretary or the
meeting, and to the press OF the city.
The hody then djourned sine die. -