The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-21
GOOD R0ADSIN VIRGINIA
WHAT THE STATE ASSOCIATION HAS
BEEN DOING.
County Organizations Already Formed
and the Movement stilI in Progress.
The Outlook for Good Roads,

The sentiment in favor OF the perma-
ncnt Improvement OF the public roads
IS increasing IN a way that is very graft
flying to those who have the interest OF
the cause at heart. The greatest bar
r,er A me way Of road Improvement in
Virginia Is lack OF appreciation OF the
effect OF bad roads upon the financial
prosperity OF the people. as well as the
case with which good roads could pe
provided. The only way to overcome THIS
difficulty IS by means OF campaign "a
education" The Virginia state Good
Roads Association has undertaken tn'S
educational work. and Is giving attention
The collection OF information IN regard
10 the conditions as they exist, the as
tribuiion OF literature on the sub(ect oI
road Improvement, ana ORGANIZATION OF
the people into local associations Tor the
discussion OF this subject.
COLLECTING INFORMATION.
While the work OF collecting reliable
information as 10 road Improvement ana
she condition Of tie fodis IN NlIelEla IS
attended with great difncuity the associa-
ZION Las already succeeded in collecting
a considerable amount OF valuable data
on the subject. aII TINS store is pcinS
Increased each day. Ia the cole ton OF
Information the assOci8.i0n IS largely de-
rendcnt upon the clerks of the county
courts and OF boards OF supervisors. Many
oil these have answered The questions sent
out with "a prOmptncss which lnGita'eS
"a due appreciation OF tie Importance
of me work. while others Rave been sl1'N.
The information thus collected whch
covers all points bearing upon the sub
ject Of road improvement. is tabuidied
Under various heads. and viii be pup
lshed for the guidance Of those Who
have charge OF The work.
RIBuIIos OF IERATUHE.
In the work of distributing information
and literature the association Is AIDED by
the Road Inquiry Bureau at Washing
ton, and so there have tCcn distrbut"I
in Virginia within the past few months
over ten thousand bull s.ins ana puDilca-
lions barring directly upon tie subject OF
road improvement The ASSOCIATION IS
now preparing a list Of ten thousand
additional names. including all OF the
prominent farmers and business men, as
well as county officers. TO whom shis in
formation will te scrt in the lear future.
The association has also sent out direct
from it, office in Richmond about three
tn usand copies or a circular treating
The improvement of dirt roads and Is
endeayDring to establish system OF
CORES ysnisnts Ia each county IN the
State through whom information can be
more readily collected ana distributed.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
A result OF the distribution OF this in
formation has been marked growth OF
interest in the subject OF road improve
ment. and the State Association has
been trying. with some success, 10 get
the people 10 meet and discus1 the cues
ton, and whenever possible, TO organize
local associations in the respective coun-
Tues.
Inc first organization of the kind was
effected IN Montgomery county by lIO-
fessor Randolph. of Blacksburg, Judge
Pierce and others, who called mass
meeting of the people at ChristiansDurg
on April 18th for thorough discussion
Of this question. An excellent influence
upon the road-impOvement work In the
county has thus been cNerted.
On July 18th theLs was a meeting at
buchanan, BOtetOurt county, at Whlch
"a county association was formed, with
judge Allen for president and DR.. r. II.
Iatauc secretary.
On Monday, the 22d instant there viii
be county road conventions held at HOus-
ton, Halifax county, and Bedford City,
Bedford county, at both of which county
organizations Will probably be formed
Where these local associations are FORM
ell they always result In strong and
organized public sentiment in favor OF
read Improvement and a corresponding
Improvement In the highways. The edu-
cational value OF these associations can
hardly be overestimated.
ROAD WORK.
As a result of the campaign of edu-
cation now in progress road work is now
receiving more attention and more good
Is being done with the money expended
than at any time since the war. The
first step in the direction OF improved
machinery. and, though the data on this
subject is not Yet complete, IL may be
safely asserted that there has been more
road machinery purchased In Virginia
during the first half of the year 1895 than
for any whole year ia the history of the
State. Reports received up to date would
Indicate that majority OF the counties
in the state have purchased road ma
chineTy this year, many counties having
purchased as many as three or four
wheeled scrapers. The wisdom OF TINS
course is evidenced by the fact that
whore these machines are being used they
are giving great satisfaction and result
in large saving OF money. and their use
IS being constantly enlarged.
CONVICT LABOR
Convict labor is now being used by only
two counties or the public roads Bed
ford county where this labor has been
I'm use for a number Of years, now has
thirty-four convicts. Russell county now
has thirty-twO convicts at work on its
J, ads. Reports from the counties That
have used this labor indicate that 10
work convicts in small bodies on dirt
roads Is more expensive than the use Of
hired labor A number Of counties are
working tramps and persons confined in
jail for slight offences or the roads, and
IN many cases the results have proven
satisfactory.
GOOD ROADS CONVENTION.
The STATE Association is making ar
rangcmcnts for a state Good-ROa1s Con-
vention. TO b. held In Richmond on tho
10th and iith of October, during the pro-
Frcss of the State Fair. In addition TO
the members Of the association. an cf-
fort will bee made 10 have representatives
from every magisterial district In the
State present at this convention. lNe
programme of the convention Will be both
Interesting and Instructive.
ROAD fXHIBII.
The association is also arranging for
an exhibit Of the various classes Of roads.
showing the advantages OF each. at the
state Fair, which viii be held October
Sth 20 18th. inclusive In addition TO the
exhibit. arrangements will be made for
a competition OF the various road ma
chimes on one Of the days fixed for the
convention. This will give those attend
ing the convention an objcct-lesson IN
bodybuilding. and will enable them TO
determine the merits Of the various ma
chimes.