Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-02-24
rlonterey,Va. Friday, Feb. "a, 1911

Some time ago we tenderedspace
in the RECORDER to those who felt
disposed to discuss the question of
road improvement and have been
disappointed in that our people are
so slow in taking advantage of the
offer. 1t is not due to lack of in
terest in the subject, for better
roads is the theme of discussion
around every fireside and street
corner. An interchange of views
on the subject, through our columns,
would prove profitable, and this
medium would enable one man to
correct his own ideas or improve on
those of his neighbor, if the subject
is taken up seriously and with a
view to arriving at the best con-
illusions and reaching the Lest re-
suits. This cannot be done by
scolding or severe criticism OF past
or present management. The keep
ing up and management OF thepub-
lie roads is a problem to be solved
bv our best thinkers and business
men. and the best results cannot
be realized by INDUCING in abuse
and adverse criticism. AS we said
above, interest in the subject is not
lacking and the wave of road-im-
provement is just as sure to strike
Highland with force as it was to
sweep other counties, and the soon
err we direct attention and consider
alton to it the better we will be
prepared to take it up ina practi-
cal, intelligent way and move along
with the procession.
Almost every county in Virginia
has the matter in hand, and the
course of many of them would lie
regarded as reckless or mad until
the subject be presented from every
viewpoint, studied and properly
understood. Augusta proposes to
convert every mile of her roads into
the high class which she has been
building for few years, and her
commonwealth attorney, at the
request of many of the taxpayers,
has asked the supervisors to callfor
a bond-issue of million dollars for
this purpose. Many other coun-
ties have taken similar steps, and
the question will be up to every
county very soon as to how the I'M
provement is to be made. In
many places, no doubt, the ends
will be accomplished, or attempted,
at least, by piece-meal or gradual
effort. This is our reason for writ
ing and urging discussion.
Meantime, by all means let us
abandon our present-day methods.
No argument is needed to prove
that they are wrong and wastetul.
Even where the contractor earns
every dollar of his money--and this
is rare-the county gets but little
good of it, because there is nothing
permanent or lasting about it. Sure
ly the mind of every intelligent tax
payer and citizen is made up along
this line, and they can but admit
and deplore the waste of thousands
of dollars in throwing soil and sand
into the road-bed year after year
only to be washed back to the side
ditch and shoveled in again. Don t
we need rock-crushers-lf so, how
many?
I Ought we to procure, by condem-
nation or purchase, all the avalla-
BILE gravel banks and beds of the
county? Would it not be better to
put up, in permanent shape, only
a mile or two a year on each Sec
ton and let the rest 60 over till
next year? Ought we, if we can,
arrange with the State Highway
Commission to construct afew miles
of sample road--if so, when and
where? Here are some questions
for discussion, and there are many
other points to be considered and
determined Road Improvement
is a present-day issue, question and
necessity, and it is up to us.