Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-08
RAMBLER ON ROADS.
pICYCLIsT GIVES THE DISPATCH
A PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION.
Surplus of Labor from the Convict
Farm Could De Advnnfngeousiy
EmrIoxed Upon Our Highway
Question a Vital One to Virginia.


To the Editor OF the Dlspatcn'
recently went from this city to Gooch-
land Courthouse and back on my bicycle,
making the distance OF thirty miles go-
ing there) In four hours. The road as
far "a Henrico extends, TO the bridge
over Tuckahoe creek. is good; as good
as any one could expect or reasonably
desire. Beyond that It is bad great
part OF the way-so bad that having
once tried IT, I should certainly not again
undertake the trip for pleasure. The
River road. which is the road leading
from here 10 the Courthouse, goes through
the State farm" as 1t is called-ths
farm run by convicts from the peni-
Tertiary. A gentleman at the worknouse
who is well known in public affairs told
me IT, was an impossibillty for the coun-
ties TO construct and keep In GOOD con-
dltion the public roads, and he tnought
there should be a State tax leviei Tor
that purpose, in that way distributing ,he
burden on the cities as Wen as lne
counties He remarked that the people
OF that county were never poorer IMAM
they are now, and that II was Simply
impossible for them 70 Keep the roaus
good that the county now had TWO ROAD
machines, and that under their operation
the roads had been greatly improved. but
that there were 40 miles OF roads IN
the county. and it was an ssloillty
for the county 20 keep them goo1. Al
the state farm" the conyicts had worked
the public road throughout tho length Oh
the place. and the roads there. some or
which had been VIGOROUSLY bad, were IN
better condition than ever seen before.
TIL, same gentleman told me he was
going 10 try TO get authority from the
state, by appropriate legislation, TO nave
the convicts on the farm, the number or
which Is large enough. he declared, 20 In
woke the inventive genius Of the manager
a. tlrnn. 10 find occupation for them all,
10 work upon the public roads In the vi
cinitv OF the farm say for q distance not
exceeding five miles; that work within
that reach would not require any aldl-
tionsl guards. and the prisoners could be
taken back home each night, and In tnat
way safely kept. They have In less IMAM
twelve months OF occupation completely
changed the face OF the earth on the
farm. and il would seem that after they
have once gotten 1t cleared and dralned
that there would be surplus OF lapor
HIOFle1 IE uUNdtAs VI wv
hands, which might be, without q triment
10 any interest. employed in making good
roads In their vicinity. This gentleman
stated that these cOnyicts did not buy a
dollars worth in the county; that II was
OF no benefit to the county TO have them
there, but really n disadvantage, mas
much as IL took away from the taxable
values Of the county. l could not help
approaching the value of his remarks.
II the State, agrIculturally speaking, is
! ever to recuperate any Of its lost estate
II must be seen. with the slightest OBJ
servation. that good roads is the problem
nearest her doors the free-sllver issue 20
! the contrary, Notwithstanding. II may oe
| that my new method OF locOmotion (the
fascinating wheel has given me keeher
power Of observing when road is goOd
/ and when one is bad: bat whether 50 or
not, II is a fact which thrusts ITSELF
! prominently before me. that, as 4 STATE
we have abominable roads. or course,
/ the obvious effect OF such a condition Of
| things IS the low price Of land in the
| market; the Discrimination Of persons
| living In the towns 20 gO 20 the country
| TO dwell, and the fOrsaking OF the coun-
| try by its inhabitants to live in town.
which prevails in this age. Il rural HE
| never to regain its erstwhlle favor? Are
| the good. old times, when peace, plenty,
! and happiness not TO say. luxury, pre-
vailed throughout the counties IN the
state gone 20 return 10 mcre7 Alas
| there Is much 10 discourage the hope that
| the palmy days will come back. But IN
| an age OF ineress and egress Of peoples;
| Of untold and hitherto unheard-or I'M
| Elements and machinery for travel; OF the
| mingling Of the peoples OF all lands, is Il
| TO be expected that a country that you
| cannot safely and conveniently and
readily get about in will be sought for
and peopled?
/ Ii would be worse than Idle 10 dream
| OF such a thing There are too many
/ inviting fields that allure the home
| seeker and the immigrant In this great
| country OF magnificent distances and
/ sparse population.
/ II IS but justice 10 the county OF Gooch-
| land 10 say that the probable explana-
| ton OF the fact that the Henrico portion
| Of the River road IS better than hers Is
| that few years back the county OF
! Henrico employed the convicts In the
| penltentlary. and with them built = road
! that II has since required only moderate
| outlay to keep UP. BICYCLE