The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-16
GOOD ROADS LEAD
TO GOOD RESULTS
City and County Alike Benefited
by Macadam Highways Running
Out from Charlotte.
VISIT OF ROANOKE C oMMITTEE
Highly Interesting and Valuable
Report on the Work, How
Done and It's Benefits.
Especial to The Times-Dispatehl


ROANOKE. VA, February 15.-The
Roanoke County Civic Improvement
League Is greatly interested in the sub
augurated an aggressive campaign,
which promises to result in great bene-
fit to the people of this section. A
committee from the league recently
visited Charlotte, N. c., and made q
thorough inspection of the splendid
macadam roads of Mecklenburg county.
The report of this committee is valu-
able paper. and will undoubtedly bear
fruit not only in this vicinity, but IN
other sections of Virginia in arousing
deeper interest in this very important
subject.
Mr. F. II. La Baume, a member of
the committee that made the inspection
and drew the report, discussing the
matter with The Times-Dispatch cor
respondent. said:
"There is no question but what all
OF the philosophical citizens of our
State are unit in favoring better road
conditions, and as soon as they can be
convinced that they are securing a
business-like, effective and economical
administration of their road funds, in
stead of the slouchy, indifferent and
Intellectual disbursement which has
heretofore been almost universal, then
they will rise to the emergency and
demand better road conditions in all
localities We hope to do some effec-
tive work here in Roanoke county. We
are going to start in small way and
feel our ground. but we trust 1t will
be nucleus that will mean very
greatly increased mileage of good
macadam roads for our county in the
not distant future"
The Committees Report.
Following is the full text of the COM
mittee's report:
CIVIC Improvement League,
Of Roanoke County,
Gentlemen
Your committee appointed to inspect
the roads of Charlotte. NIecklenburg
Co., North Carolina, spent the whole
day Of January 2Sth on, the ground,
drove over some twenty-five or thirty
miles Of these roads. inspected the
camps etc, and a complete report is
submitted herewith:
On arrival at Charlotte. we We're met
by Mr.. N. j. Wicks and Mr.. VIM. H.
Long, Chairman County Committee, OF
Mecklenburg county, and Immediately
after were driven out into the country
over as fine a system of macadam
roads as probably exists anywhere in
the South to-day.
The rOadbsd averages Az 1eeL near
the outskirts of the city, thus allow
ing them to put IL feet of macadam or
metal in the centre with room enough
, for dirt driveways on each side. Be-
You'd the two mile line. the macadam-
| lied road Is shifted to the left hand
side of the road going out from the
/ city and the roadbed from ditch to
ditch is narrowed to 80 feet.
This gives ample room for mac
| adamized road on one side and dirt
ROAD dis on the other, The macadam road
being on the right hand side facing
| toward the city, naturally gets all the
heavy traffic city bound, while in fav-
orable weather light wagons homeward
bound can use tho dirt road to good
advantage.
! All told. Mecklenburg county has
| completed to date something over two
hundred miles of well-built macadam-
lied roads, embracing some fifteen lines
| diyereing from the centre, and rang
ing in lengths from six to Twenty-Five
miles, with numerous cross lines and
| laterals in addition.
This campaign Of road Improvement
\ has added at least couple of million
/ dollars in taxable valuation to the
| county. and Notwithstanding this, II
i has not been a burden on the tax
4 payers. Mecklenburg county has never
4 bonded ITSELF for road Improvement.
All this work has been accomplished
Ins n result of a levy of one-fourth OF
/ 1 nerl cent on all taxable property, city
L -