Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-01-27
GOOD ROADS MOVEME NT

The question of good roads il
being agitated in all parts of th'
country. Virginia is coming t.
realize its importance and the
press, public and business men
farmers and all others interested
are persistent in their efforts fOi
this greatly to be desired improve
ment. And during this winter
weather the issue is forced upon
the people of Rockbridge as never
before. The county people espe-
cially want better roads and will
not Je satisfied without them. The
farmers are class conservative IN
their views, and slow to move.
They do their thinking first and
their talking afterwards.
Responding to this demand, the
Hon. Walter p. Brownlow, member
of Congress from Tennessee, has
introduced bill in the House of
Representatives providing for the
appropriation of twenty-four mil
lion dollars by the National gov
eminent to supplement the aid by
State governments for the purpose
of building good roads throughout
the country. The money thus APP
prOpriated is to be distributed
among the various States in pro-
portion to their population. Vir-
ginia's share would be 1888, 600
in three yearly instalmer is. Every
State receiving National aid must
appropriate and spend a like
amount.
A similar bill has been intro
duced in the Senate by Senator
Latimer of South Carolina. In
the course of his speech in advo-
cacy of the measure, Senator Lati-
mer stated that the average cost
of transporting a ton over a dirt
road in the United States has been
found to be twenty-five cents, while
over the improved roads of Europe
it is but ten or twelve cents. He
discussed the moral and social adj
vantages of good roads, which
would bring the agricultural class
es into closer touch with the cities.
The bill sounds well enough and
if passed and supplemented by
appropriations from the various
States would bring untold COM
forts to our rural population.
Such blessing may come in this
way, and they may not. Who
would enjoy the comforts of life
himself must make them possible.
And so it is with good roads. Each [
county of every State must take
the initiative. Rockbridge's proper :
ton of the National appropriation Y
would only be a little over five u
thousand dollars, and that strung Ii
out for three years. A like amount "
from the State would increase the :,
sum to ten thousand dollars. This
would construct six or eight miles '
of macad am road. .
Some counties of Virginia have "
successfully and economically used /,
convict labor, and have thereby @,
been enabled to build good roads IL
ut a cost OF about one thousand b
dollars per mile. A practical bus y
ness man, discussing this question a,
A few days ago, suggested as a S
solution that Rockbridge issue
)O.ds to the amount Of one hun
ired thousand dollars and apply
he proceeds to fOad-buiidlng. Of
With convict labor and tins bond w
ssue one hundred miles of road o.,
ould be built in the county. The IT
advantages arising from such i'm o.
would soon become APP ar
'arent in the advance Of property is
nd products. OF course the ques- po
ion of raising six thousand dollars -
early to pay interest would have 90
o be considered. Our people are os
and hesitate before en-
ntering into such obligations, but u, I'll
t seems the results would be so -.
desirable that the end would GER ca
ainly justify the means.
------ cu
Hon. John w. Daniel was yester- ~
ay for the third time elected by IN