The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-25
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
A Proposal to Have at Least Two Road
Commissioners.

A Proposal to Have at Least Two Road
Commissioners.
Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
ar.-W1ll you kindly permit one
who takes a great interest In sub
take an interest, namely. that OF good
roads for our State. to trespass on your
valuable time and space sufficiently
to give rough sketch of his ideas as
to how a very great and needed i'm
sprovement in our most excellent road
laws should be made?
. 1t appears to the writer that owing
to the great area of the State 1t is too
much TO expect of one commiss Ioner
every part thereof the attention which
~ should have and to which 1t is en-
titled IN the way of organization. con-
sultation with and advice to local att
thorlties, and planning ard overlook
ing the actual work OF construction
and maintenance.
The writer thinks that simple
statement OF the case will be very con-
riucing as to the correctness of the
above proposition.
There are 100 counties in tho State.
each of which has several hundred
miles OF road, most OF which can be
which is admittedly in poor condi-
tion.
II there is only one Commissioners
OF Roads for the whole State, as at
present, and he should attempt to
visit each OF these counties once each
year for the purpose of consultation
with and advice to the citizens and
county officers. he could at the very
best only devote three days in each
that no one will contend that this
(three days to a whole county In eacll
year) is sufficient time to make even
a most perfunctory examination of
conditions: to say nothing Of mal.-
lions and desires to enable him to give
advice best adapted to the needs and
conditions existing in. that locality.
thn More ,o, this estimate Of only
takes no account Of tho time of the
commissioner that is necessarily taken
up By other duties: such as office and
administrative work, nor Of time nee
ton and supervision Ono matter how
superficial such supervision and In
spection might be) of work contem-
plated or actually under construction
OF time taken by other unavoidable or
snecial calls. The writer thinks that
when proper allowances are made for
these necessary. and unavoidable calls
be found that the astual time remain
ing would only permit the commissions
er being in a county one day Tor even
less time than thls) each year. IL he
should attempt 10 visit eacA county
each year.
4 In the above estimate no account
has been taken OF tie necessity of ex-
planning to the people the workings OF
the Department and the need of con
ccrted and continuous action In order
to obtain the best results (and roads)
with the smallest practicable eXpendi-
ture OF time and money. nor Is any
account talsen Of time necessarily ex-
pended In organizing and consolidating
the effort in the several localities and
in the State as WHOLE very im-
portant work. The writer's understand
ing Of the intentonEcf the, road laws
of the STATE is to include all of the
above matters (aDd probably some 9th
ers) In tho duties Of the Commissioner
OF Roads. and also that the Intention
OF the laws is that each and every
section and county shall be well and
served and that In no man
ner shall one section or county be
favored above another.
Considering the above as truo
statement OF the conditions and OF the
intention of the laws, the writer would
submit that 1t is a physical lmpos-
sibilitY for one commissioner to carry
out tho provisions ard Intentions OF
tho laws over the whole State, even