Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-05-18
VALUABLE ALLY

Inc BlGoheld Leader has Joined
the newspaper force working for
good reads. 1t las pleasing style
CT conversation and is a valuable
ally to those Who we've already con
tending in this direction -Parke. s.
bug State Jou nal.
The Leader is not recent convert
to the idea, Uncle Presley, but has
been advocating good roads in sea
son and out for 10, these many
years. /. is in sea on asst Low, We
believe to urge upon the county
court OF Mercer county a continu.
ance OF the policy begun last year
of Llilding permanent roads, instead
OF spending thousands of dollars
annually in patchwork. Less than
three niles of good read were pro-
v.led for last year and are now IN
der construction between this city
an Princeton, but we predict thai
benefits will be so apparent durinr
the next muddy season that ever.
farmer and citizen Of the county
having 20 travel this road will be
firmly in favor CT good roads that no
backward step will be permitted IL
the future.
Our people are at last AWAKE to
the fact that in a far-reaching syc
tenn Of good roads lies the best hope
OF our future social, agriculture,
and Industrial development. Foi
too long we have moved along like
Bunyan's Man with the Muck Rake
with eyes fixed upon the ground
Immediately at our feet. We have
no@ taken a broad and comprehea
siye survey of our needs. The only
aspect of transportation which ha
enlisted our atteltion has been thS
railroads. But in the development
or a system Of good public roads we
would place ourselves very largely
IN a position or independence. The
growing use Of the automobile vehi
cles OF various kinds emphasizes
This phase Of the question.
The value of good roads as a sup
plement to, and largely as a sub
stitute for railroads, is shown in
France today, where the postal EN-.
ployes are on strike. Automobiles
were promptly brought into play
over those highways, which are the
finest in the world, and they are
making regular trips of two hundred
and five miles to carry the mails.
On this subject the Atlanta Jour.
nal in discussing the good roads
and reliability contest inaugurated
by New York newspapers, to TAXI
place next month between New York
and Atlanta, says:
The Importance of good roads is
brought home to us when we real
ize that, accordin to a conserva.
tive estimate, the cost of transpor.
taticn over the muddy public roads
Of Georgia is about fifteen million
dollars year. This is at the rate
OF twenty-five and thirty cents per
ton mile. On a system OF good roads
this transportation charge should
easily be reduced by two-thirds, thus
ehedilg saving to the people Of
Georgia, and particularly 10 the far
mes, Of ten million dollars per
year
- not the saving Of such a sum
worth striving for?
IL every state along the Allan
-, SEQ BOARD IS wasting ten million
uo'i@' per year by reaso of bad
o'l'' - ~ nc" the most elementary
- ~ 'sI''oA Oi common sense that We
"a" al .. 70 speha at least a few
'.''i. ,, ~ e'.h STATE IN order to
,'I' -oou IoauS
- '"'' saving on the cost
80 ,'''o" IS Du' the small
..r..-i ~ W .o"s'ueIed' Inc tax
H. -. - '"' ianu Will enhance
s..l. .,,..l p maze more
,.s,. -. '..7 una AeI towns ana
.nmsit.- ~, 80 ana every mu-
.t." i4'I td5'O value DY