Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-05-05
GOOD ROADS AND ROADS
OF HIGHLAND COUNTY

lectS that may seem more interest,"
ing to you than this one, but none
quite so important to the people OF
Highland County. This topic has
been selected not because it is a
common theme, but because the
building of good roads benefits
every class of the human race. 1t
is the greatest convenience of mod
ern times.
The road improvement questit n
is sweeping over this nation like
wild-6re. The flames are tanning
every county into action. In some
instances the ignition is slow, but
experiences from adjoining COM
munities will eventually sweep away
the old ideas of road making.
The matter of road making is no
experiment. England, France,
Germany and many other foreign
countries have enjoyed the reputa
ton of fine McAdamized roads and
boulevards for centuries, and ex-
perience has convinced them that
it is economy to build good roads.
To-day nearly all of their public
highways are macadamized.
Let us come back to this country
and see what the different states
and individuals are doing along this
line. The state of Pennsylvania
proposes, through it's legislature, to
issue bonds to the amount of fifty
million dollars for the construction
of highways throughout the COM
monwealth. This is the largest
scheme in the way of good road
building ever considered by any
state in the Union.
The Buckeye state has also made
a good appropriation.
Maryland has appropriated five
mi lion dollars to build system of
roads in every part of the state.
In addition she has appropriated
one million dollars for a boulevard
between Baltimore and Annapolis.
Mr.. Dupont of Delaware has offer
ed to give two million dollars to
build splendid boulevard from
one end of Delaware to the other.
This number of states will give some
Idea how the 10th century road
improvement is spreading over the
United States.
Virginia is doing nicely in aiding
various sections of the Old Domin-
ion. With the state aid numbers
of counties are going ahead and
building splendid McAdamized
roads.
The county of Highland, with
its abundance of resources, will
soon awaken to the new ideas of
road making, and will not allow
herself to fall behind in the process
ion. Of course there are many
people who have never enjoyed
good roads, are opposed toit on the
grounds of expense to which it will
put the county. This is an erron-
eous idea. The question arises,
"How will good roads affect the
prices of lands when every road is
improved?" Some contend that
the lands will revert to the old
prices, which is not true. Anybody
who wants to buy land will pay
from third to a half more per
acre if it is on a first class road
leading to a good town. Purchasers
realize that time is saved, and pro-
long the life of horses and vehi-
Giles. Look at your horse after he has
travelled three or four days over
these roads and see if the faithful
old animal ought not to be retired
on a liberal pension of oats and
corn the rest of his short life. Have
YOU ever noticed the difference a
bad road made on horses? 1t is worth
your consideration, even from a
humane stand point.
The people of this grand old
county are situated differently from
most of the outlying counties of
Virginia. They depend solely on
the public highawy for an outlet.
1t takes US nearly whole day to
reach our railroad, travelling the
old way with horse and buggy.
Isn't there every reason why we
should have good roads? Nature
has blessed us with beautiful scenery
and fertile land, but do not let us
depend on nature for roads. Let
US hustle and have roads. Picture
in your mind this county checkered
with McAdamized road from one
end to the other. 1t would make
US all proud, and make the tourist
open his eyes. Then imagine the
feeling of the trusted old family
horse travelling over the same road
which he had pulled many heavy
load when the axle dragged in the
mud. Speaking of mud reminds
me ola little instance which accur-
ed a few years ago over in our
sister state. A man was driving
a four-horse team over a very
muddy piece of road when his team
mired in the mud and the more the
driver tried to extricate himself the