Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1907-08-30
Advertising r 0toS Furnish
cd on Application
Entered at The Tazewrll Va. post
office as second class matter
RUSSELL COUNTY'S ROAD
BUILDING


try have been talking "good roads,
and taking il all out in talk, Russell
county has gone on without much
talk, and commenced, and is now ac-
tually building Il splendid highway,
according 10 the latest approved
scientific methods. Talk is cheap.
1t takes money and brains to build
roads, and Russell county has COM
bined both, OF which it has an album
dance, and gone at ii.
This writer had the pleasure of a
visit to Lebanon last week, and saw
the road builders at work, and takes
pleasure in giving al account of il III
this paper, hoping other counties,
Tazewell, for Instance. may bc some
what encouraged 10 take = step in
the same direction.
Russell has now vi work nfiy-liNc
cOnVicts, with number of other Lag
borers. grading a highway from Lclk
anon 10 Cleveland. distance Of
seven miles. o>cr jEc mountain. TIM
work has bCch going on about =
month. The road wa, laid out by the
state highway commission, and is
being constructed under the super,is-
ion OF skilled engineer, upon the
latest and most approved scientific
principles.
The county iSSuedSlJO, GOOin bonds,
so much 10 be used each year rs need
cd, nj low rate of interest. The pre-
sent piece of road. covering Z miles
will cost about 500, OCO under the
plan upon which the rOad is being
built. The county made application
for % convicts. which the state fur
nished free, paying transportation,
salaries of guards. tents. board. etc.
The county furnishes all necessary
tools, teams, machinery, bosses, and
pays the salary OF the engineers.
They have fine steam rock crush
er, roller, scraperS, stone spreaders.
steam drill, small tools. etc and
all other necessary equipment, and
they are going ahead. The convicts
are pleased, the people are bouyant
and i'm good spirits, and proud of
their achievements, as they have the
right 10 be. The bonds were issued
under what il known rs the Gent
Act-A law gotten through by Capt
Gent for Russell county, permitting
the Board of Supervisors To issue
bonds instead of Submitting the ques-
ton to n vote of the county. Too
much cannot be said in commenda-
lion OF the Board Of supervisors of
the county for their public spirit and
progressive action in this matter. 1t
is step Forward long step for
ward, and will do more 10 build up
the town of Lebanon and the county
generally than any other step that
could possibly have been taken.
And this road is moi all-only the
beginning. \ similar road will be
built from Rosedale to Honaker, a
distance Of six miles, and from the
old courthouse 10 Castlcwood-a dis
lance of 8 miles. This work will be
done later, and il is said that the en-
tire old Fincastle turnpike from the
TaZewell line to the western limits
of Russell, will also be rebuilt.
Now, that Il beginning has been
made the rest will be less difficult.
Too Inuch cannot be said in COM
mendation of this great work. 1t
shows progressive, sensible,
business administration of the great
county's affairs. Boards ofSupervisors,
backed by the leading, X-paying
citizens of the community can do
things-wil do things, when they
see their duty. What is $3.50, 600 TO
such county rs Russell? What
would twice this amount be to such
counties as Russell and Tazewell d?
Not half dozen taxpayers would
ever know such bonds were issued, so
far as the extra tax is concerned. And
Russell has gone about the matter in
the only real practical way. If we
ever have good roads, as this paper
has so often urged, we must build
them ossaEsetk 49,. viii. our own money.
The most amazing t1frfSg sip the world
is, that such rich countie as Taze-
well and Russell have not Eseen the
necessity long ago, of bettXF roads.
Just Why rich men, who love &c
make money and grow rich, will
squander money, strength and en-
ergy as the county roads impose and
have been imposing for years, is in.
explainable.
The example of RUSSELL will d,
good all over the state, goodness,
grant that the people OF Tazewel
may wake up, and see tie need
the pressing need, OF reform.