The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-10-16
GOOD ROADS
MEETING
Speeches by Well Informed Good
Roads Advocates
A FINE SUCCESS---SPLENpID DINNER

For weeks the good roads meeting TO
be held at Spotsylvania on Thursday,
Oct. l4th, had been subject of interest.
Ii eliminated in a great success and
was attended by nearly 800 people. This
meeting was held under the auspices of
the Fredericksburg Good Roads Associ-
alton, through committee composed
of E. w. Carter, Capt. M. B. Rowe
and T. H. Harris.
At an early hour the roads were filled
with carriages and wagons, on each OF
which were boxes and baskets contain
ing the dinner 10 be served. Then came
the Fredericksburg contingent, about
rs strong. Everybody evinced the most
marked interest. The meeting was
held to discuss the proposed bond issue,
on which CORTLAND and Chancellor dis
tricts will vote on Nov. 2.
At this election the four districts in
the county will vote whether Chancel-
lor and CORTLAND districts be allowed
to bond themselves for $4,000.
Mr.. L. NJ. Smith called the meeting
to order and in neat speech introduced
Charles II. Hoyt, Supt Of Road Con-
struction of the Public Roads Depart
ment at Washington.
Mr.. Hoyt showed how good roads In
crease property values, reduce the cost
of hauling and spread the work of popu-
lar education. He explained the differ
ent methods of making roads and the
most approved methods of keeping
them in repair. The building was
packed with people and their interest
was shown by the attention with which
Mr.. Hoyt was listened to. Several times
questions were asked the speaker by
people in the audience.
The next speaker was State Highway
Commissioner P. st. Julien Wilson. He
said this was the largest good roads
meeting he had attended.
He explained how the State aided the
counties in road making and directed
especial attention to the law requiring
a vote by the whole county on bonds to
be issued by the several districts. He
said this provision had been introduced
to avoid possible legal tangles. 1t did
not embrace the other districts. Liv-
ingston and Berkley, said Mr.. Wilson,
may rest assured that they cannot be
called upon to pay the interest on the
bonds of Chancellor and CORTLAND.
They can enjoy the benefit of the i'm
provements in Chancellor and Court
land without paying a dollar. Here
Mr.. Wilson was asked several ques-
tons, which he answered most salts
factorily. He was especially emphatic
that the county should not try to decide
upon the form of roads TO be built, but
to leave this to competent engineers.
DR.. Douglas H. Freeman, of the
Richmond Times Dispatch, was the
next speaker He said the eyes Of the
people of Virginia are on Spotsylvanla
and the action of the people on Nov.
would mean either a step backward OF
an era of progress. He discussed the
question of bond issue and pointed out
that the road movement was not local,
but involved the welfare of the whole
State.
When DR.. Freeman concluded every
body was invited to splendid dinner,
served by the Ladies Confederate
Memorial Association of Spotsylvania,
under the management of a corps OF
ladies, of whom Mira. 7. A. Harris
was chairman. 1t was spread under
the trees on the court green on a table
$40 feet long, and everybody enjoyed
the spread.
The meeting was great success and
will be productive of much goods.