The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-02-10
improvement in Virginia.

- HL
OF all the States in the Union that
have adopted measures for tho i'm
provement Of highways, none can
show better results that Virginia in
proportion to the money expended.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has
gone into the question very thorough
ly of late, n has induced the Gov
erdor to make public a statement re-
porting progress. The Governor has
long been deeply interested in the i'm
provement of roads, which he deems
next in Importance to the education of
the people along practical lines and
the care of their health and physical
development. With superior advan-
tages in the matter Of transportation
by rail and water Virginia only needs
good roads to make amazing strides
toward fixed prosperity. Governor
Swanson emphasizes the absolute ne
| cessity of roadways ove+ which horses
can travel and draw loads with the
minimum of fatigue. The days.of the
packhorse were numbered first N Viz
ginia when roadways became fit for
wheeled vehicles, long before other
States began to show such improve
ments.
General LAFAYETTE, travelled i'll that
State considerably, and found to mis-
delight that the bign-wheeled car
riage which he used was seldom
stalled within the boundaries of Vir-
| ginia, whereas in other States the
deep mire was frequently up to the
Inv1oe Tho n1,,ka-SsnC o.r,So. rF ELo
North and South invariably found the
marching much easier in Virginia
than elsewhere below the Mason and
Dixon imaginary line, and the army
wagons, artillery teams and the cum
brous merchandise trains" always
rolled easily over tle old solidly
packed dirt roads of Virginia. Not
until comparatively recent years were
there any highway commissions or
State aid. The natural lay Of the
common highways, however, was such
as to help materially any lcral co..
lective effort il keeping roads in some
sort of reasonable repair. Governor
Swanson prevailed upon the General
Assembly to adopt and carry out a
! system of State aid ard supervision
of roads, and ne states in his commit
nication to the Times-Dispatcn that
the two last sessions Of the Assembly
will always be remembered. FOR the
Highway Commission created and the
inauguration of a system OF road bet
terment.
To-day many miles OF excellent
roadways exist in the State because
by law it has been ordained that pris-
oners in iaiis shall be worked daily
on the highways. and not only make
new roads where required, but keep
the old roads in repair season after
season. There are about $50 prison.
ers worked in this way every day
throughout the open season. These
men are divided among twelve camps.
The demand for these gangs of men
Is much greater than the prisons can
supply.
The use OF these prisoners is, of
course, a great saving 10 the State.
The prisoners ere far healthier than
If kent walled up in yards or cells,
and they take readily and agreeablv
to the work. The State takes care Of
the prisoners and furnishes equip
ment. etc., while the local authorities
supply the stone and ether material.
The State Is now in a fair way to have
constructed under the present system
no less than 5O4 miles of new roads,
equivalent to two complete roadways
clear across tlc State from north ia
south.