The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-02
.GO0DR0ADS TALK,
THE FAMOUS DRAG.
(continued From First Page.)

CONTINUED From tlrst Taseo
Fnrreil took me out few miles from
Emporia to show mo some really good
roads. He had an old ten-year-old
horse ilitched to Jamestown Exposi-
ton buggy. and there are but few
automobiles In any garage IN the State
that could have made better time than
did this horse. Ten years ago horse
OF that kind could not have made any
such time In the same county. But
about three years ago the people OF
Greenesville county, and espec' ally
that lively bunch OF them who live In
the town OF Emporia, walked up to
the necessity OF good roads. They
were business and calculating folks,
too. they were, and right we'll did
they know that the way to get good
roads is somewhat similar to the way
OF getting good hats or good over
down In your pocket for the money
and paying for them. Greenesville
county people determined to buy good
roads. because that was the only way
to get them. and they needed them.
This question was decided three years
ago. and 1t Is no use to go into de-
tails about the work The results
speak for themselves.
Now and Then.
Commencing with the good roads
business less than three years ago.
tnere are now in the county thirty
Ave miles OF arst-class good roads,
reaching out in three directions from
the county seat and opening up mar.
kets for Emporia that 1t never before
knew.
These roads cost money, OF course
they did. They cost just s1.1o0 per
~ an and hrs hos
stood from two years down to nve
months without costing a cent for re-
pairs. These roads are made of sand
and gravel loaded down on solid clay
bottom. The sand and gravel when
properly laid on the solid clay foun-
dation were properly pressed down
with q steam oller. and II may BIO
we'll enough TO remark right here that
n steam roller Is an essential In road
building. That is true, but roller
ts no good. and gravel and sand are
no good unless there Is the proper
drainage and the proper guttering to
carry off the water.
These Greenesville county roads are
properly drained. properly guttered,
properly rolled. and in every way
properly built. and Greenesville coun-
ty has sand-gravel-clay roads that
are really better than the genuine
macadam road. and that viii last a
lifetime.
Where They Pay.
Now as to the profits. Well. the
town OF Emporia figures the profits
immensely. because people, are coming
to market in that town and getting
back home before nightfall, who never
before knew the town. They are COM
ing from twenty to fifty miles. The
country people are also figuring large
~ on the profit side. / saw little
farm on one of these good roads the
other day (and beauty 1t was), and
I asked the owner what he would take
for it. He said he didn't want to
sell it. but after seeing the Drift of
my inquiry he told me that IL for any
reason he did want to or needed to
sell he would have no trouble In get
ting $50 per acre for the place. Four
years ago. before the good roads came.
this man paid $3.50 per acre for that
land. Judge Yarrell told me that this
vas but sample OF what would find
in the way OF comparative hgures all
along the lines of those good roads
Well. one good road leads to an
other. for a good road is an object
lesson that speaks louder than all OF
the columns and pages that I or any
body else could write in a month.