Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-02-19
NATIONAL GOOD ROADS CONVENTION
Interesting Account Of that Great Body
Some Good Points Gathered.
Feb. 18th, 1904

|
i Feb. 18th, 1904
Editor Spectator.
1t has always been my custom to
give an account of my stewardship. ]
do not think it right to light a candle
and put it under a bushel; to know a
thing and keep it to yourself does no
one any good.
| My trip to Hartford, Conn, was for
the benefit of the public. and 1t is With
pleasure l make known to them what
| saw and heard while there. Although
the thermometer registered IA degrees
below zero the hearts Of the people
were warm. and they gave US hearty
welcome. Never In my life have been
more kindly treated than at Hartford
The convention was held in the State
capitol, and there were over eleven
hundred delegates from all over the
United States, and more intelligent
body Of men l never witnessed. All
seemed to be of one mind-each seem
ed to have message of good road
making to report, except Virginia
She could only say we are doing moth
ing along that line. Some counties in
some Of the States reported anywhere
from three to ten miles of good road
being built every year. Old Augusta
had to report twenty miles in forty
years-just one half mile per year, and
that hardly more than a tow path
when compared with roads being built
up north.
The State of New York appropriates
six million year for building good
roads, and many other States give
from to 5 hundred thousand a year,
while Virginia gives nothing. New
York is building road that costs Is
thousad per mile; Massachusetts is
building one that costs p thousand
per mile, but most of the roads that
are being built in the. New England
States cost about 5 thousand per mile; /
We could build very good road hero
in Augusta for 2 thousand per mile.
There were read before this conven.
ton laws governing road making In
the different States. 1 think the New
Jersey law the best suited to condi-
lions in Virginia. This law provides
for a State Highway Commissioner,
and carries with it State appropria-
lion, yearly, of 8 hundred thousand
dollars. Now as to how it works-I
will take the New Hope road for exam.
de, If the land owners along that road
Wished to have pike they would petit
ion the Highway Commissioner to
build the road; it Ia then his duty to
70 there with an engineer and view
he road and estimate the cost and the
Importance Of the aoad. He then re- I
'orts to the Commissioner of Agricnl.
ure whose business it is to furnish
he State aid if the road is ordered
'uilt. The land owners along the
QUITE is taxed 0per cent of the whole
ost, and the balance Is paid half by
he State and half by the county. To
make 1t plain-if ten miles OF pike
Fould cost $4,000 the land owners
7ould pay $4,000, the State SO, 900 and d
be county $4,000. This seems to me =
o be fair proposition, much better l
han to bond the county, and leaves !!
he matter entirely in the hands of u
be people. r
But whether this is done or not, we
re going to get better roads. 1t is q
onceded fact that Congress will pass
law at this session carrying with it
n appropriation for the betterment of
be roads throughout the United
tates. This will act as a slim ulous y
the people of this State, who seem .
o be almost dead on this subject, more
specially our law makers. The SEN +
iment for good roads is growing q
and it will not be long c
'efore all the States and all the people !
will fall Into line and get on the for )
ward move.
Now here is the way it will be done +!
first, National aid; second, State
i'd; third. convict labor; fourth, coun
y aid. These four great forces com. ]
lind are bound to make things go. 1t
vas clearly proven at this great con.
7ention by States that have tried it
hat 1t saves nearly half the cost to use
'onvict labor, and it was also proven
hat the convicts greatly prefer work.
ng in rock quarries to laying between
prison walls, and it is much better for
heir health. c.. T. HARRIS.