Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-07-22
Complaint That Supervisors Are
Unjust to Enginemen
KERR's CREEK, July 1S, 1908.

| III fhSN W A%A - 49,
KERR's CREEK, July 1S, 1905
EDITOR GAZETTE: We motto
through the columns OF THE GAZETTE
that the act Of the Hon. Board Of Sup
ervisors in reference to owners OF trac
ton engines carrying timber with then
(supposed) to aid them in passing owe
bridges, culverts, etc. Now, | am no
a manager of traction engine on thu
road, but have been, and it seems t
me quite peculiar that such an intelli
gent body as our Hon.. Board of Super
visors, would pass such an act.
Let us make some comparisons in
this maneuver. The ordinary traction
engine az to IA horse power does not
weigh over tons or $4,000 lbs. Ter
cattle averaging in weight 1900 lbs. will
weigh just as much, and drove of %
will weigh more than twice as much
A wagon loaded with two thousand feet
of green oak timber, will weigh $4,000
lbs, not mentioning the wagon and
team. That was recently hauled over
our bridges here on Kerr's Greek; and
a dozen or more years ago we often
saw cars on trucks passing over the
roads. | did not see them cross the
bridges, but l suppose they did. They
weigh more than any traction engine |
eyer saw. Of course the weight OF any
of these is not so compact as the aver
age engine, but the weight is on the
bridge and plank just the same.
Now let US say an engine is to cross
bridge "a feet long. The driver car
ries with him 4 plank, 9 by IL and ~
feet long. He places his plank on
bridge end to end, goes upon them to
the emo of plank in middle of bridge.
How much support is that to the
bridge9 1t does not help the bridge at
all, but on the contrary, makes more
weight.
Again, a culvert is to be crossed; l
wonder if the County of kockbridge is
not able to put up such things strong
enough to carry the weight; if not they
should be smashed. The county may
also have to pay for the torn and brok
en- machinery, caused by the ends OF
timber turning up, or flying up in the
cog wheels, which are not usually
more than IL or IA inches from the
ground
This is not all, for it will necessari-
ly force the threSherman to take with
him an extra team and wagon, caus-
ing no doubt, rise in toll or pay ana
another team OF horses to be fed by
the dear old farmer whose hard labor
has won for him the dearest place on
earth and yet trampled on from every
side. It's wrong.
Why did not the Hon. Board and
our able Judge, when the Board of
decision came to stand
secure some good, wide awake farmer
to cast the deciding vote?
1t is not pleasant to any man who
moves an engine over any bridge or
culvert to break through; if there is
any danger visible he is not likely to
try 10 90 over until he has some idea
Of the safety. He cannot afford to
have his machinery broken NJ by run
ming such risks when he knows it.
Then, say, they should be smashed,
# they are not strong enough to bear
It's the business Of the several official
road commissioners of the county to |
ook after such things and not the bust
ness ofthe tax-paying thresherman and
armer to carry timber with them to
)uild temporary bridges for the coun-
Y.
IL this l think every farmer and
nreshermaD will think as | do; that
Us wrong, to compel these hard
working men to do that, when they
re only after an honest living.
This almost makes q fellow wish for
he air machine, which can fly with
afetY, from place to place, unload and
20 to work.
This means organized thresher-
men, leading to more toll or higher
,ay.
Submitted in the interest Of the
lrmer and thresherman.
Yours very truly, :
Roy HART.