The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-04
ASKS COUNCIL TO
HELP 5000 ROADS
CHAMBER URGES IMPROVEMENT or
HIGHWAYS TEN MILES OUT
FROM CITY
WANTS $500 PER MILE,
ORGANIZATION ALSO SUGGESTS
THAT H5.OO0 BE DONATED TO-
WARD OLD POINT-GoR-
LOUISVILLE ROUTE.

fhat the city council should ADOPT
a polcN OF extending municipal aid
Tor Improvement of important roads
1 leading into the city is urged in a
paper flied at the session of the COM
mon council last night by Business
Manager Dabney. of the Chamber OF
commerce. the understanding being
/ that such aid is no; L. exceed an
average OF $500 per mile for a dis
/ lance of ten miles from the corporate
limits OF the city. and the extension
OF such assistance being dependent
upon the contribution of a like amount
raised oy private subscription. or
. otherwise. Council is a lso urged TO
make an appropriation of $4,000 for
F improvement OF roads from old Point
to Richmond and from Gordons~iiie
to Richmond, the same conditions
applying.
The paper Will likeiY receive due
consideration AT the approaching
meeting OF the common council FRI
day night. adjournment being taken
last night soon after the Joint session
-
Text of the paper is as follows,
Passed by Legislature.
The General Assembly of Virginia
approved February II. 1910. An act
10 enable incorporated towns and
cities To contribute to the building
or improvement Of public roads and
bridges leading to such towns or cities
which reads. Chapter -. Section !
u. BE ii enacted by the general
assembly OF Virginia, that any in
t-t'f poratsstt town or city, acting by and
through its council. may. when in the
Judgment Of such council such action
viii tend 10 promote the material in
terests of such town or city. con
tribute funds or other aid within The
control AZ such town or city toward
the building or improy ement of per
manert public roads leading TO such
town or city. or of bridges upon sucn
roads, provided, that no such con-
irritation shall be made toward the
building or Improvement of any such
road or bridge at any point more
than ten miles beAond the corporate
limits of seleh town or cl1N. as meas
ured along the retlte al such road
Believe, Law Timely.
"A the opinion OF the cham Der the
enactment OF this Law was most time
~ anu important as the FtdES III
Virginia are notorioBsly bad and in
ferior. for the most part To those in
any State in the Union of equal
wealth and population. especially such
as lead into Richmond. its 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 il begs TO
make brief reference TO a recent pub
LEGATION. Passed upon the most re-
liable data obtainable, in this mono
graph relating to transportation ii is
estimated that the annual cost OF
wagon transportation was almost
three times that of the entire water
transportation of the United States
and was more than half as great as
the vast sum paid for railway trans
that the average cost of wagon trans
portation was IS cents per ton mile.
which might be reduced to 10 cent
ON FIRST class roads
Would Stimulate Trade
This large reduction practicable In
the case OF wagon transportation is
hot, however. the most valuable con-
sideration. A much more important
ors II the, stimulus. II wauld. .giya Ia
agricultural production. especially in
the ! leiniis- af RiahmoRd IA. hThe
nj arEsrs mere are NOW largely sup
Piled witt Negeta bles and other coun-
trs produce brought from distant
PORTS. while the lands close at hand.
pTofaur ,cst suita bic for trucking with
proper cultivation, lie Idle and II
ieeted.
With the roads radiating from rhs
rity put III first class order Tie
stft4t- tt,stT1 population would n. or aatty
increased; intensive farming ami gar
dening would be fostered; our NAL
sets would lie better and more eco-
noniicaily supplied: and much II .re
profitable trade would be de, eeped
and established between n iner-
chants Of Richmond and re- resi-
tisssss $50 aassts,Sng sgrieai euggei ras~,
tra :.