Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-10-12
APPALACHIAN GOOD
ROADS CONVENTION
An Interesting Meeting Held in Roanoke
last Week--LiYeIy Fight For Next
Place of Meeting,

OOoShclu ApphkaCnldu GOOu rOau5 AS
socistion held in Roanoke closed on last
Thursday afternoon, after being in ses-
sion for two days. Though not so large
ly attended this year as at former ses-
sions, the meetings were highly sue
cessful toward accomplishing the pur-
pose for which the organization was
formed.
Deep interest in improved roads was
manifested throughout the sessions,
and the earnest purpose of the dele
gates was shown by the manner in
which questions were answered and sub
jects discussed by those present. Es-
pecially noticeable was the enthusiasm
Of local men present interested in good
road building, and the benefits of the
meetings will doubtless be seen in the
improved conditions of the country high
ways in the near future.
The economic side of the good road
was the basis of an instructive talk by
E. ]. Watson, of Columbia, S. c., on
Thursday afternoon. He said that it
was too late in the worlds history for
him or any other man to tell how high
ways formed the basis of all commerce.
In the early days of barter and trade,
good roads were the necessary means of
transportation and communication be-
tween those who had things to sell and
those who wished to purchase. All of
the glory Of Rome had faded and had
nj ha- ~
ways, which yet remained to show how
true was the expression that ''all roads
lead to Rome"
He spoke of the manner in which the
great cotton crop of the South was mar
keted and how, with good roads, thou
sands of dollars would be saved each
year to the grower. Ninety-nine per
cent of all the crops in the country, said
the speaker, were hauled over country
roads and that from two to three hun
dred million dollars was practically
thrown away each year by hauling them
over bad highways. The people must
see that their representatives in Con-
gress and in the State legislatures re-
deem the promises made before cleo
ton, regarding good road legislation
and State and Federal aid.
Fl. E. Wernicks, representing the
Southern Railway Company, was the
next speaker. He spoke of the pioneer
work in the good road cause which the
Southern Railway had done and was
yet doing by means of a good roads
train which has toured the South.
Mr.. w. L. Spoon was called upon,
and in his remarks answered query as
to the practicability of sand-clay roads
in this section. He said that this would
depend largely upon the proximity of
the products. He had not been thorough
ly over the country of this section, but
thought that limestone would probably
be more advantageous. The life of q
sand-clay road, the speaker said, de-
pended largely upon the kind of traffic
The automobile, he said, was its best
friend, and it was the cheapest of all
roads to maintain, and pointed out a
number of cautions to be observed in
building road of this kind.
Another interesting matter discussed
during the meeting vas the manner of
securing rights of way, and it was
shown that in Virginia the method pur-
sued was tedious and often resulted in
delays. In North Carolina the roads
can be first built and the land con-
demned afterward. In Tennessee con-
demnation proceedings can be instituted
either before or after the road has been
built.
G. Hampton Rich, of Winston Salem,
N. c., who is editor of the Carriers
Messenger, the Southern organ of rural
carriers, introduced a resolution at the
session of Thursday afternoon which
had as its purpose the cooperation of
the association with the rural mail car
riers in the improvement of the post
roads and thus the securing of Federal
sd for such highways.
The following resolutions were adopt
ed by the meeting:
Whereas, The splendid attendance
upon this convention and the encourage
ing reports here presented of the real
and tangible progress being made en-
phasize most clearly the increasing in
terest among the people of the South
ern Appalachian territory not only in
the building but in the maintenance of
public highways along the most econom-
ical and prominent lines, as we'll as q
most striking justification of the hopes
and ambitions of the organizers Of this
association,
Therefore be it resolved:
1st. That we most earnestly recon-
mend a reiteration of the principles up
on which this association was formed, q
strict adherenca to the original nlana of