The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-05-24
Public Road Work.
Vance County Falling in Line in the
Matter of Improved Public High
ways--Work of the Road Force
Showing Up to Good Advantage.

/ Vance county is falling in line with
! other progressive counties OF the
! State in the matter Of improved
/ public highways. The first step was
/ IL $4,000 bond issue Gt ought to
/ have been ut least $5O,OO0) and this
fund is being expended to good adj
vantage. There has been opposition
/ and criticism as is always the
case in every progressive movement
but us the work has advanced
resulting in better roads approval
and communication now take the
place OF criticism and opposition.
The work now shows for itself and
the people are satisfied.
TO see for ourself and get first-hand
opinion of what had been done in the
way OF road improvement, at our
request, Chairman Amos took us on
Il little road inspection trip Tuesday.
We went out on the BObbitt road
and as far us the Franklin county
line. We drove IL fat horse and did
not drive faster then a "dog-trot. 3"
The distance to Bobbitts, 9 miles,
was covered in one hour and ten min
utes Eight miles an hour is pretty
good travelling. This road is in
splendid condition and can be driven
over in a trot practically the whole
distance All that is needed is a rain
to pack it. Every red place has been
soiled, hills have been cut down and
bottoms filled in. Trees, stumps and
rocks have been removed aud the
roadway widened. In many places
the telegraph and telephone poles
were removed and when it was nee
essary and practical the road has
been Strengthened and the distance
between points materially shortened.
In some places the old road-bed was
abandoned and new road built,
graded and filed in as the situation
required.
From BObbitt we drove through
to kittrell and came back over the
kittrell road. This has been more
recently worked and is somewhat
heavier than the Bobbitt road. But
it has been wonderfully improved
and rains and another going over
and shaping up with the machine
later on will make it still better.
The Lynbank road will receive at
tentiOn next and by the end OF July
every main road leading to the coun-
ty lines-Warren, Franklin, Gram
vile and Mecklenburg, will be in first
rate condition-so that heavy haul
ing can be done to much better ad-
vantage and a buggy or other light
vehicle can trOt over them most OF
the way. These are not macadam
roads to be sure but they are good
dirt roads-a great improvement
upon what they were before the road
force began work on them.
All the roads in the county could
not be worked ut once. nor could
they he put in good condition the
first time they were gone over. Road
making is Il slow process even under
the most favorable conditions, and
with limited funds at their disposal
and IL small working force those who
have the matter in charge have been
badly handicapped. But the GOLD
LEAF does not believe the money has
haaa- wAsted the contrary. the
wisely and economically expended.
Chairman Amos and Supervisor
Swain deserve the thanks of the pub
lie for what they have done for the
cause of goodroads in Vance county.
Mr.. Amos has given his time and at
tention to the work without pay
save the satisfaction of knowing that
he is laboring in il good cause, realiz-
ing that i'll oway could he serve the
people the county better than help
ing to secure good roads.