The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-04
ASK COUNCIL TO
HELP BUILD ROAD
Chamber Sees Great Oppor-
tunity to Advance Business
Interest.
CITIZENS MUST ALSO AID
Special Demands Just Now Are
tor Gordonsvillc-Old Point
Highway.
CITIZENS MUST ALSO AID

Tor building up the section of country
immediately surrounding Richmond by
constructing reads leading from all
directions. the Chamber OF Commercs
sent to the Common Council last nisbr
| d series OIL resolutions asking co-opera-
tlon in extending municipal aid TO the
Improvement OF important highways
leading into the city. 1t is suggested
mat such aid should not exceed $500
| per mile for distance of ten miles
from the corporate limits of any one
| road, and that such assistance in eacb
! case be dependent upon the contrihu
ton OF like amount being raised nv
private subscription or otherwise
ne chamber especially asks i'm
| mediate and favorable consideration
oil the proposed plan for the improve.
ment of road from Old Point to
hichmond, and from Gordonsville to
h'ehmohd. The city is asked for So
ooo toward the approaches of such a
road into the city. TO be available when
IKE amount has been paid by citi-
zehs or other sources. Officers of the
chamber express the belief that there
is large field for development in
trucking and agricultural in the sec
ton lying directly about Richmond
ieeu all of It's business into the CITY.
and fill its markets with produce.
thus serving the double purpose OF
pudding up the outlying territory. and
lowering the cost of living to citizens
by providing convenient sources of
supplies, without excessive freight
charges.
Chnmbers Petition.
The chambers communication. sent
to the clerks of the Council last night,
| follows
Honorable, the City Council, Council
Chamber:
The General Assembly of Virginia
approved February II, 1910. an act to
enable Incorporated towns and cities
to contribute to the building or i'm
provement of public roads and bridges
leading to such towns or cities. which
reads (chapter 81. section ~:
Il. Be it enacted by the General AS
semoly of Virginia. that any incorpor-
ated town or city, acting by and
through Its Council, may when in the
judgment of such Council such action
Will tend to promote the material in
terests of such town or city. contri-
bute FUNDS or other aid within the con-
troll of such town or city toward the
building or improvement of permanent
public roads leading TO such town or
city. or bridges upon such roads; pro
he made toward the building or i'm
provement OF any such road or bridge
at any point more than ten miles be-
You'd the corporate limits of such town
or city. as measured along the route of
such road"
In the opinion of the chamber the
enactment of this law was most time
ly and important, as the roads in Vir-
ginia are VIGOROUSLY bad and inferior.
for the most part. to those in any State
in the Union of equal wealth and pop
ulation especially such as lead into
Richmond. is capital and its largest
city.
To convey to your honorable body
what the chamber considers a most
significant statement in reference to
this important question. II begs to
make brief reference to n recent publi-
cation based upon the most reliable
data obtainable. In this monograph re-
lating to transportation it is astima ed
that the annual cost OF. wagon trans
portation was almost three times that
OF the entire water transportation of
the United States and was more than
half as great the vast sum paid for
railway transportation. 1t was fur
ther estimated that the average cost
OF wagon transportation was % cents
per ton mile. which might be reduced
to 10 cents Oh first class roads
This large reduction practicable in
| the case of wagon trans portation is
not. however. the most valuable con-
sideration. much more important
one is the stimulus it would give to
agricultural production. especially in
the vicinity of Richmond Va The
| markets here are now largely supplied
with vegetables and other country pro-
duce brought from distant points
while the lands close at hand pro-
nonnced suitable for trucking with
proper cultivation. lie idle and neg
lected. With the roads radiating from
the city put in hrst-class order the
suburban population would be greatly
Increased; Intensive farming and gar
dening would be fostered: our markets
would be better and more economically
supplied. and much more profitable
| trade would be developed and estab-
lished between the merchants Of Rich
mond and the residents of adjoining
agricultural districts.
Strong Plea for Aid.
| Prompted by these considera tons.
the board Of directors of the Richmond
Chamber of Commerce. at a meeting
! held July !. 1911, to consider "A report
| from its committee on streets. roads
and parks. unanimously adopted the
| following resolutions:
| lst. That the Richmond Chamber of
| Commerce earnestly petitions the hon
orahlc City Council of Richmond. act
! Ing under and by virtue Of the au-
thority vested in it by the enabling
act of the General Assembly. approved
! February L. 1910 to adopt policy
of extending municipal aid for the
| Improvement of important roads lead
| ing into the city of Richmond when
| in its judgment such action would tend
| 10 promote the material interests of
the city. such aid not to exceed an
average of $500 per mile for a distance
of Ten miles from the corporate limits
OF the city on any one road and the
extension OF such assistance In each
case being dependent upon the CON
! tribution OF a like amount raised by
| :rlVat, subscription or otherwise.
I'd. That the Richmond Chamber OF
/ Commerce asks immediate and favor
able consideration on the part of your
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