Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-02-11
ROAD IMPROVEMENT IN
ROCKBRIDGE.


The demand for better roads is
being agitated in various counties
of Virginia. The request of
certain residents of Natural Bridge
district, presented Saturday before
the board Of supervisors asking
the cooperation of the county in
the construction of macadamized
road from the Natural Bridge to
the Natural Bridge station on the
Norfolk and Western and Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroads, brings
the question to the direct consid-
Grafton of the tax payers of Rock
bridge.
That our county roads reed i'm
provement is a self-evident propo
sition. That the present method
of working the roads by re vairing
with dirt is unsatisfactory, is
equally evident. This method
calls for an annual expenditure of
about $4,000, and still this work
has to be repeated time and time
again. The work Of weeks may
be destroyed in few LOurs by a
heavy rain, necessitating renewal
of the work, if the funds in the
hands of the district road boards
permit. The fault of bad roads is
not due to neglect of officials, but
to the present system of improve
ment, and the movement for a
change of system comes from these
officials themselves.
The opinion of those familiar
with road making is that the most
economical road is the macadam
road. The outlay in the construc
ton at first is great, possibly
averaging $1,000 mile, but
when properly made the road is
good for years, practically for
all time with slight repairs. The
comfort in travel, the saving in
wear and tear of vehicles and horse
flesh are matters to be taken into
consideration.
AS a concrete illustration the
roads of Lexington district may
be cited. Within the past eight
years Supervisor j, H. Whitmore
has succeeded in having nearly
half of the 40 miles in his district
macadamized. Before this improve
ment the Postum Hollow road,
three miles south Of Lexington,
was, in the winter especially,
almost impossible. Now it is one
of the best pieces in the county.
On some roads the macadam is not
very deep, but rock was put on as I
thick as the road fund justified.
In many instances residents along
the roads or of the community
made contributions either in money
or work. TIE last statement seems ]
to be Il solution, partial at least, to |
the problem. Farmers along the {
county roads could haul stone to ]
the roadside, which would be
crushed by the district and thus
pl aced on the roads. This plan is
being successfully used in Rock ,
ingham county.
just how much more taxation {
the county can stand for road i'm
prOvement remains to be seen. At -
present two districts, Lexington
and South River, have already
reached the maximum levy, 20
cents; while Natural Bridge has .
Is cents, with margin Of cents; y
Buffalo and Walkers Greek 168
cents, and Kerr s Creek Is cents. y
The levy might be increased to 20 v
cents in all the districts, which o
would give at least a surplus rs the Il
basis for fund for macadam G
-oads, and this supplemented, as
las been suggested, by the CO. ,
operation of citizens in the dis
riots, would insure the beginning Z
II improvement to our county f
Dads, which eventually could 4
include all in Rockbridge. V
PENSION FOR THE SLAVES. :,