Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-01-23

Jerry Beauchamp's, likewise, has no
been worked. Part of Hacks Necl
road was worked last year and nearl,
half untouched, except that on,
man shoveled q little dirt into som,
small holes during a part of on,
day. There were two holes 80 bat
that the. residents got tired of run
ming the risk of broken neck Of
death by drowning, and they go,
together and made q corduroy road
covering it with dirt and draining
away the water. There is no posi-
ble excuse for a rod of bad roads in
Hacks Neck. All that is necessary
is to utilize the numerous chances
for drainage.
One of the worst places used to be
from Alton church to Ophelia post.
office. Over five years ago Lee Bur.
CESS gave that section good work
ing with the road machine, and il
has been good ever since, because he
spent few minutes securing drain
age. The bitches have since be-
come filed somewhat and the water
stands, but if the present con tractor
will only let that piece alone it will
probably stay gooS for some years.
The contractor spent some time
around Reedville, but he appears to
have used most of bis time in pri.
yate road-making for individuals.
OF course no one ought to growl be.
cause be uses the public machine for
private work, but the time then
spent should have been on the public
roads.
Reedville is almost isolated on &C.
count of the mud, and the roads of
the whole section are one vast mud
puddle.
The contract says the roads must
be swell drained" | have never
heard of any draiuing, except by
private persons. IL that part were
done the roads could be kept in fair
order all the time.
= And there seems 20 be no remedy
for. all the trouble. The matter is
placed absolutely in the hands of
the Supervisors. They alone have
the power to compel the con tractor
to do his work, or forfeit his bond,
but they don't make any move.
0. V. Belts and L. r. Belts give
bond in the sum of nine hundred
and seventy-two dollars for the faith
ful performance of the road con tract
by 0. V. Belts, and it appears that
the only remedy is for the Supervi-
sors to enforce payment.
In justice to Supervisor Woodruff,
OF Fairfields, / wish to state that he
has constantly asserted that he In
sisted that the contract should be 80
drawn that no money should be paid
the contractor until the work had
been performed, but that he was
overruled by the Board.
1t seems strange that such an easy
method of securing good work should
have been voted down, but the
Board may have had their reasons,
and it may be that Supervisor Wood
hull does not examine the roads be-
cause he thinks the Board will turn
him down again if he reports un-
favorably as to the contract.
Just here occurs the thought that
the reason Mr.. Woodruff receives
SO little consideration from the Board
OF Supervisors is that he is . Re-
publican. and that his constituents
are to be punished for electing him.
However, those who expect the
Supervisors to bring suit to recover
for default of contract are very san
guine, indeed. No person need er-
pect the Board to ask their counsel
to bring suit against his own brother
in-law and his nephew.
This is not very pleasant pros
peet when our people are nearly suf-
located with mud, but there does
not appear to be hope of better
things in the near future.
However, in course Of time, condi.
tions may improve. There is a raw
OF hope in the possibility that when
the time rolls around the people may
conclude to make clean sweep at
the primaries and nominate a set of
new men, who may have the welfare
Of the county ct heart.
GEORGE H SuIru