The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1911-11-08

y
q history has the good road move.
ment in the United States re-
ceived such an impetus from an
official source as in the procla-
nation which has just been is
sued by Governor William
Hodges Mann, of Virginia. The
state paper written by Governor
Mann calls upon all tho citizens
Of Virginia to set aside the
week beginning November 10.
1911, as Good Roads Week ;"
and asks them to devote their
united efforts "to the accom-
phshnent of some practical re.
suit within the zone of their in
fluence."
The proclamation OF Governor
Mann carries TO its zenith the
road movement in Virginia. AS
result of the work of Charles
p Light, chief field representa-
tive and the ablest organizer on
the executive staff of the Amer
lean Association for Highway
Improvement, twenty six Coun
~ Good Roads Associations
have been formed in the State,
each containing in its member
ship some of the leading bust
ness men, farmers and profes-
slonal men in each county.
While Mr.. Light has been or
ganizing road Improvement as
sociations throughout the coun
try, his work in the South is a
matter of local pride since he
was formerly highway commits
sioner of West Virginia.
The trip of the Southern Rail
way Company's Good Road
Special" was concluded so re-
Gently that interest in the i'm
provement of roads and the
modern devices for constructing
roads to meet the demands Of
modern vehicles is still at fever
pitch. Incidentally, the Allan.
me Coast Line Railway will
start it's Good Roads Train on
November 2l, from Richmond,
the day on which the big con
gress of the American Associa-
tion for Highway Improvement
M that city is brought to a
close.
With the people of the State
aroused to realization of the
great commercial advantages
of system of improved roads,
the proclamation of Governor
Mann, unique among all state
papers, will strike a popular
chord.
Governors of oil other states
IN the union will be requested
to issue similar proclamations
SO that the entire country may
be alive with the activity of
farmers actually engaged in the
Improvement of the public
highways during that week. Ill
is intended to make the week
the most notable in the history
Of the road movement in Amer
lea. At the present time over
Sl,O00,000 per day is being spent
ON the Improvement and main
tenance OF roads IN the United
States. In the week beginning
November 18th, it is expected
that $1O,0OO,OO0 VIII be invested
m the improvement Of roads
from all the various states,
counties, boroughs and road
organizations. In addition,
thousands of farmers in various
sections of the country will do
nate their service to the actual
work of improving the nearby
roads in order To demonstrate
Just what can be done by con
centrated work.
Logan Waller Page, the
President of the American AS
ISOLATION for Highway I'm
proyemenu, whose convention
is to be held at Richmond No
yember Goth to 23rd, inclusive,
says that the proclamation OF
Governor Mann will result in
capitalization of the sentiment
Tor good roads throughout Vir-
glnia, and when followed by
similar proclamations in other
states, will produce the same
effect throughout the country.
j. IL. Pennybacker, Jr., the ex
ucetive secretary of the asso-
citation, and Charles p. Light,