The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-30


in It's history perhaps have the roads
| ever been worse than during several
months OF the past winter 1t is hope
| ful sign. however. that the people seem
TO be awaking at last 10 the absolute ne
| cessity for some Improvement In this line.
The root Of the whole difficulty In this
case, as in the case Of other economic
reforms. is ignorance The people do not
realize what these bad roads are costing
them: that they stand in the way OF
their financial and social Advancement
that they destroy the value Of their
lands: that they keep out immigration;
and that they stand as a constant en-
barge upon the progress and civilization
Of the community.
Any movement TO improve the public
roads is met with the objection that the
people are too poor to undertake such en-
terpriscs. To the contrary the people
are too poor TO continue TO waste their
scanty means in the shiftless methods
that have characterized our sO-called
road Improvement for more than CEN
tury past II the money which has been
wasted upon the public roads Of Virginia
since 1866 had boon intellgently expended
IL would have been sufficient as has been
shown by accurate calculation to have
Tnacadamized all the principal roads OF
the Commonwealth: and If with this eN-
penditure our roads have grown worse
instead OF better. can there be any eX-
cusc for any continuance of the same
shiftless and unsystematic methods
The plan Of State aid to road improve
ment. suggested by Mr.. Eldridge, in his
address, has been tried with excellent
results in many States. IT was presented
to the Legislature Of this state in form
suitable to our conditions, by the Good
Roads Association, four years ago, but
they were unable to secure its adoption.
Tt has the advantage OF placing the bur
den Of taxation for road purposes upon
the people Of the whole State in proper
ton to the benefits which they would
derive, and Of accomplishing a permanent
Improvement OF the roads instead Of
constant mending, without any perma-
nent results, and # does not necessarily
increase the rate Of taxation.
We cannot have good roads unless we
are willing to pay for them, and this can
be done either by spending the money
raised each year by taxation, in perma.
Of the roads. until all Of the principal
highways in a county are improved, OF
by raising money by the issue of bonds
The latter plan is preferable where it IS
practicable, and experience has shown
that the improvement Of the roads from
the expenditure Of money raised by the
issue Of bonds would so increase the
taxable values of property that the in
terest could be paid and the debt dis
charged without an increase in the tax
rate and in many cases the tax rate
could be reduced. As an illustration Of
this. the county in which Bowling Green,
Ky, is situated, borrowed S6oCo0 and i'm
proved its principal roads. and Though
the interest and a sinking fund on this
debt had to be provided for, the rate Of
taxation was reduced from thirty cents
to fifteen cents on the hundred dollars.
There is a widespread misunderstand-
ing as to the cost of improving the roads
In Virginia we have gravel or stone in
practically all the counties. Gravel
roads can be built at a cost Of from 500
to $1,000 a mile, and macadam roads can
be constructed at a cost varying from $500
to 50, 800 per mile. The roads in New Jer-
sey, which have become celebrated, cost
more but the stone was brought one
hundred miles by rail. The excellent
macadam roads built by Major Ginter
near this city, cost as we are informed,
about 500 per mile for every foot IN
width. that Is, about 81 800 for a fifteen
New York, eight foot roads have been
built at as low a cost as from 500 to
$500 per mile.
A road sixteen feet wide-eight feet Of
macadam and eight feet Of dirt-is all
that is needed in the country districts of
Virginia. and from our information We
are convinced that these roads can be
built at an average Of less than $500 per
mile. and in many cases as low as from
$500 to $1,000.
This is question Of vital importance
to our people, and we urge them not only
to consider it, but to take some practical
steps for the Improvement Of the public
roads.