The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-05-18
GREAT PROFITS
IN GOOD ROADS
Are Shown by Leaders of the
Movement at Enthusiastic
Mass Meeting.
PROBLEM IS TACKLED
Harrison County Situation is
Reviewed and Good Sug-
gestions Are Made.

AtsS LHSH thursday III the COURT
house, the Harrison County Good
Roads Association was organized, as
the result of work on the part Of
Charles P. Light, OF Martinsburg,
special representative of the Ameri-I
can Association for Highway I'M
proTement and formerly state
highway Commissioner.
Officers Elected.
Officers were elected as follows:
George B. chorpening, president.
Ira c. Post, vlce-president.
"a. NJ. 7. Cunningham. secretary.
William H. Lewis, treasurer.
The object OF the association is soI
encourage the construction, admin
istration and maintenance of good
roads in this county. 1T is similar
to other associations organized att
the instance OF the American Asso-
citation for Highway Improvement,
which is composed chiefly of rail-
road presidents OF the country and
which is spending 100000 year in
spreading information concerning
better roads and the profits to be
gained from them.
Besides forming the association,
attention was given to the problem
of better roads in the county by Mr..
Light, representatives of the federal
Bureau OF Public Roads and the ag-
ricultural experiment station at
Morgantown and others, all OIL
whom made interesting peeches.
DIR. J. NJ. Smith called the meeting
to order and asked George B. Choir
pen!ng to serve as temporary pre-
siding officer. A. NJ. T. CunniRs-
ham was chosen temporary secre-
tary.
County Division System.
M. o. Eldridge, statistlcian Of the
Bureau of Public Roads of the
United States Department OF Agri-
culture at Washington, was the first
speaker introduced. He denounced
the road labor tax as archaic and i'm
practicable, advocated the adoption
of county division system under
supervision of county engineer and
suggested the issuance of bonds TO
the amount of $750.OOO for the i'm
provement of the main thorough
fares OF the county. The taxes from
the increased valuation OF farm
lands, made by better roads, would
more than pay for their making, in
his opinion.
On a seven mile stretch the road
from Ben Hur to Jonesville in the
southern part of the state. the
speaker said, certain teamster for
merly hauled a load of 1000 pounds
with two horses in one day, but with
the Improvement OF the road the
same man hauls two tons, bitches
on another wagon loaded with two
tons and makes two trips day be.
tween Ben Hur and Jonesvine.
Attract Population.
Eleven counties of West Virginia
showed a decrease of $1,000 in inhab-
itants during the last decade in the
last federal census, said Mr..
Eldridge, and he pointed out that
there is not single mile of good
roads in any of these counties. The
only way to attract capital, industry
and population is by means of good
roads, as people will finally go to
the sections that do have good
roads.
Improved roads, said the speaker,
will enhance the value of farming
land from SO to $40 an acre and
he cited several illustrations to bear
out his statement. At the rate oil
S. an acre, fifty million dollars
could he added to the wealth of the
state, which would more than pay
for the improvements; and at the
same rate the wealth of this county
could be enhanced nearly 100000 |
1t is general rule. declared Mr.
Eldridge, that better roads are
more than paid for by the increased
valuation made by them.
Bond Issue Urged.
In urging the issuance of bonds
the speaker said levy of 10 cent.
would be sufficient for all present
needs in this county as only the
main roads. which bear the most o.
the travel anyway, would ha*e to be
Improved; and by so doing the cost
OF construction could be cheapened
and the people could be using the
roads while paying for them. Such
a levy would pay the interest on the
bonds and provide a sinking fund
Tor their gradual retirement.
In closing, Mr.. Eldridge urged the i
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