The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-25
DESCRIBES VALUE
OF GOOD R 0 ADS
Department Of Agriculture Off
cial Urges Better Con-
struction.
DEMAND FOR ENGINEERS
Inspections Made OF Twenty
Eight Object Lesson Roads
i'll South.
DEMAND FOR ENGINEERS
Especial to The Times dispatch.

Especial to rhe Times Dispatchl
Washington, D. c., December H.
The Good Roads Division of the De-
partgncnt of Agriculture, under the d.
rection of Logan Waller Page, is deep
~ interested in the matter Of better
and moro scientific road construction
all over the south. AZ evidenced by the
annual report OF Mr.. Page, just mads
public.
when The mes-Dispatch CORE
spondent called on Mr.. Page to-day TO
ascertain what had been done in Vir-
rinia during the last year, he round
that official glad TO talk Of his work
in the past and OF what nc expects TO
accomplish through intelligent effort
in the future.
During the last fiscal year" ar.
Page said, inspections were uisde OF
twenty-eight object lesson roads, at
the following places: Eufaula, Ala,
Opelika, Ala; Scale, Ala; Union
Springs, Ala; Montague, Cal: Fernan-
dina, Fla; Gainesville, Fla; Jackson
Vile, Fla: Americas, Ca. Athens Ca;
fIincsvile. Ga; statesboro, &C.; Way
cross, Ga. Pendleton, ore: Salem, Orc:
Southport y. c.; Cumberland Gap
Tenn; Beaver Dam, Va; Emporfa. Va;
Norfolk, Va, and williamsburg, Va
Some were found in excellent, some in
fair and some In very poor condition.
Very few received systematic muinte-
nance, and many had received none al
all. In some instances the nature and
amount OF traffic have changed very
greatly since the road was built. The
road, which may have been suitable for
the conditions and traffic at the time
of it's construction, may not be suit
able for the conditions that later exist.
THE road built In 1906 NJ Jackson
VILE, Fla, is good illustration OF
this change. At that time the country
was sparsely settled. and no great
amount OF traffic went over the road.
When 1t was completed 1t was the
best road around Jacksonville. and the
traffic. whenever possible, was diverted
from other roads to II.
In a ycar the traffic over IL had in
creased lourfold y brickyard was
established by the road. and very many
heavy loads were hauled over It. As
Jacksonville has grown. the road nov
carries city traffic. Automobiles have
increased in number from 100 In 1905
10 s75 in 1912
The value OF maintenance IS well
illustrated In the Cumberland Gap
Virginia kentucky road.
The entire road was built In a similar
manner. and the condition of the road
over Its entire length should now he
the same; but this Is far from being
case. The Kentucky section has been
well maintained and is in excellent
condition. while the Virglnla- Tennessee
section has received very little atten-
ton The side bitches have not been
cleaned out, and az q result. in any in
stance where n eeep occurs on tbs
upper side OF the road. the foundation
has become snftened and the surface
OF the road irregular. On account o!
the road being built in a sidehil cut
with a grade OF about per cent, sys-
;emat!c maintenance Is imperative. and
any neglect OF il Is shown immediately
by the rapid deterioration of the road
Almost without exception. no i'm
proved roads had been built at any
of the places inspected prior TO the
building of the object lesson roads
In fourteen of the twcnty-eight place.
the Improvement of roads continued
and 100 miles have been built. Bonds
also in the amount OF s1,5o0,000 have
been Issued In the other fourteen
places. while no surface roads hav,
been built, owing principally to til,
lack of funds. decided improvement
was found in the work done upon tn,
dirt roads.
1T is the intention of the office t.
inspect all the object lesson roads a
soon as 1t is possible TO do so. TIL,
demand for engineers to build thes,
roads has been SO great that ever,
available man has been so employed
and the inspections made this year wer,
OF those roads which were most con
veniently located" p II. McG.