Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-05-31
WANT BETTER ROADS
THE AGITATION FOR GOOD HIGH
WAYS IN THE SOUTH.
Road Associations Organized and
Conventions Held--The Jenerson
Memorial Highway Hanna and
Governor MONTAGUE on Good Roads.

MONA organized unU
Conventions Held--The Jenerson
Memorial Highway Hanna and
Governor Montague on Good Roads.
II the people OF the southern states
do not have good roads in the near frI.
ture and plenty of them. il won't he
their fault. They are doing everything
in their power to secure better high.
ways, and the matter has been taken
up by some of their most prominent
men, including General FitZ-IIugh Lee.
During the past winter county good
roads associations have been formed.
conventions held and Thousands inter.
ested in the work of the trains touring
the south giving lessons In good road
building.
The recent convention held Mt Char
lOttesville, Va, was significant as evil
dencing the rapidly growing recogni-
ton Of the good roads movement
throughout the country. The cOnven
ton marked the end OF the tour of the
Southern railway good roads train"
which left Washington last October
carrying roadbuilding machinery and
road experts and made official stops ut
many points. The train carried many
carloads of pOnderous roadmaking ma
chinery. A single one of these ma
chimes. just by way of illustration, is
able to move 2.4OO cubic feet of earth
in day. The train covered some 5000
miles, congregated over 10000 people
I u al 1t,
of sample road.
Men Of national reputation spoke at
the convention, addressing an audience
of 1000 or 5000 people throughout the
greater part of three days. and road
to be known when it is completed as
the jefferson Memorial road. running
from Charlottesville about three miles
to Monticello. the home and tomb Of
Thomas jefferson. was begun.
This highway will extend directly
eastward from Charlottesville. n dis
lance Of three miles. to Monticello.
Eventually the promoters of the en-
tcrpriSe hope to extend it an additional
mile westward from the city to the
University Of Virginia. thus connect
lIiH JcntTSoD IOIllt WIFI tHt EItut tu'
ucatonal institution which he founded.
This latter part Of the project. how
ever, Is for the future. money to pay
for it being as yet lacking. The road
is to be of macadam. the finest mate
rial of the kind obtainable. and will
be seventeen feet wide. In the gorgrs
it will be REINFORCED by a retaining
IN sci,
der" and ditch on either side. General
Fitz-Hugh Lee is president of the as,
ISOLATION which has this enterprise in
hand, and the University of Virginia
is backing 1t earnestly. The money on
hand is not sufficient as yet. and sub
scriptiOnS are solicited from admirers
Of Thomas jefferson wherever they
may be found.
In his speech at the Charlottesville
convention Senator Hanna said:
1.-THE question OF good roads Is a very
practical one. The general subject OF
transportation Is one of the most i'm,
pOrtant that have ever engaged the at
tention Of mankind and has been es-
pecially important in this country. The
farmers and manufacturers and all
other producers are compelled to find
market for their surplus products. and
when the market is found they must
have some way of transporting their
products to 1t. 1t is not surprising.
therefore. that the focus Of our all alb
sorbing attention has been transporta-
ton and how to cheaper it. In this alb
sorp,iOn we have overlooked the Ques-
ton of home transportation. 1t Is
good sign to see the American people
going back over the ground of their adj
vnncement to pick up the missing links.
This question of good roads means
much to the people of Virginia and the
south generally. and the time you are
giving to its study is time most ex.
ccllently we'll spent.
Though the matter OF good roads
may seem small. it demonstrates that
the people of the south are awakening
to their own interests. and the thing to
do is to begin where you can do some.
thing. and then do it. II 1t is qucs-
ton of roads. build them. and build
them the best you can"
Governor Montague i'm his speech be-
fore the convention said:
mo matter how rapidly our civiliza-
ton may grow and develop, 1t can new
or take ON any form that will relieve
itself Of the necessity of public high.
ways. The first remedy is to have in.
tellgent design and superintendent.
We should have a road commission and
an engineer. Then get the material.
There are different ways to do this.
Money can be raised by the counties.
The state aid plan. such as is followed
by New Jersey, is another way. By
this plan the Legislature authorizes the
state to duplicate any amount for good
roads which any county may raise. But
the state insists upon the superintend-
ence OF the disbursement. That is very
proper under such conditions"