Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1904-10-29


+ ment has received a good
- ~ deal OF attention from the
- legislators IN the Eastern
States. notably in Massachusetts, and
New Jersey Careful study q the road
question In these States soon developed
the fact sha the counties and towns
were doing little and in many cases
nothing. ard that the roads were grad
nally becoming worse instead % bet
ter. In Massachusetts, the idea was
first conceived % having the state and
civil subdivisions thereof cooperate IN
the Improvement OF the roads. 4 State
law embodyiug this principle Was
adopted IN New Jersey about the
same time as in Massachusetts,. AMI
| for the last ten years remarkable pro-
gresS has been made in these two
I states Indeed. the principle % State
| all has become 80 popular within tho
\ last Few years that this same principle
/ has been enacted into law Ina the States
% Maine. New Hampshire. Vermont.
! Rhode Island. Connecticut $ew York.
| Delaware and Pennsylvania. and the
idea is being carefully considered ~
/ the legislatures Of many % the south
ern and Western States.
Nfr n - r.,dridge. Assistant D!rcc-
tor. once % Public Road Inquiries 81
the United States Department Of Az
rIcalture. recently made an Inspection
/ trip thruch the states OF Maine. Mas
sachusctts. Rhode Island. Connections
and New York Tn an Interview Mr..
Eldrid-c had the following 90 sav Ia
regard 60 the road conditions In these
States.
Il am fully convinced from my re-
cent trip that the roads which have
been built In the East through the all
Of the states and under the direction
~ highway commissions are thc best
roads in the United States and are
. equal 30 not superior % thc best roads
. in the world This is due 90 che fact
that these roads have been built under
/ Intelligent supervision. by sNliifus
workmen. out of the very best mate
, rails and with American road building
7 machinery. whereas most % The roads
that I have seen ia the old country
were built by hand and have since
1 been maintained in the same way. In
, spite OF the lonE drought which pre-
i. vailed throughout the New England
i States durlu- the spring aud summer.
i. the state roads were arm and smooth
and although I personally Inspected
over 500 miles of Improved -oads.
did not see single one which had
= ravelcri. or which had signs % wear
z from the recent dry weather. In ths
,r southea stern part 81 Massachusetts,
IA and along Cape Cod Bay. and ln ths
I'M southern part 90 Connecticut. the old
ie roads were composed entirely ~ sand
,,. hut In spite of the dry weather. tbs
,r state roads built on these sand founda
be- tions are remarkably hard ans
ie smooth
or Nlr. Eldridge was asked if ~
sc thought that the people of the Easterl
,n States. who had already built som
OO good roads and " ho have organized Q
continue the work along the preseu
IA lines would be willing % accept "a
CO cooperation of the Government. The
lie have been building good roads FOR Oh
lis past ten years. yet the work OF con
or plotting the system has just fairi
of started. Even IL the present plar
81 and liberal appropriations are contil
ne ued. 10 Will take many years 10 in
.rs prove all the important highways
na. / these States. AID consequently the pc
s~s pie are anxious 20 sccure any add
mo / tional aid possible. The State Hlg
D.. way Commissioners OF Afassachuseti
Connecticut. New York aad New il
scy expressed themselves as being
favor OF national aid and believe In
iys al good roads people n the. Taste
ind States are in favor OF IT,