The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-31
Motoring Notes,
Good Road News
and Trade Matter

Al track If the Alec traasc9nti-
mental truck Wa% lost Tor tnrae days,
when owing 10 the distance apar. ot
towns and teiegsaph stations che crew
were cut off from communication
while travelling across tn Great SAT-
Lake desert.
| When last heard from the coast t.
! coast truck wits headed for Elku, Ne
vada. after reporting at Keit"n. Utah.
in the northwestern part Of the State
with distance cred o. 3.I5i miles
and With 500 miles Of It's trip from
Philadelphia 10 Petaluma. Cal, yet 10
be negotiated. At this point the
truck had a record OF thirteen state
lines crossed,
The heat from latest reports las
been excessive: despite the great
height above sea level. tha tenpera-
/ ture has lowered in the upper
/ eighties.
/ Good -oads. through U.aa we're re-
= ported by the crew in contz3st to the
series OF foods, cioudhursts and other
difficulties in Wyoming. Advantage
I was taken of the condifiau OF Utah
/ roads, q wide detour being made 10
/ the north through well cultivated Sec
lions.
Considerable interest has been
shown through the far West demon
STATIONS being requested by a mum
Der Of mine owners. who are on the
/ point OF suppianting horses and mules
( with motor trucks. 1t Is said tina!
horses are too slow for the ions
heavy hapls from distant mines &
railroad shipping terminals
=
Road Building Abroad
The manner az n ma mr. road aCy,
stracton is carried out mere care
I fully in Great Britain than In tn,
/ utted States. Road construction /,
F usually paid Tor there with money
raised by loans, but only with the APP
proNal Of the local government
board OF the character Of the WORT
and for a period not exceedtng\the lif,
OF the work, with suitable provision
for the amortization of the debt II
! addition the government road board
/ which has been recently esta blish et
Tor assisting the local authorities, dis
tributes. according TO Its good judg
ment, the proceeds OF the license Ia.
! on motors, varying from FIVE to on,
/ hundred dollars per annQm. and of
tax on motor spirit of six cents a gal
Ion. fund which viii amount in 1871.
! TO over six millions OF dollars, ans
! VIII increase from year to year
! would seem that something OF thi
description must be done In on
states. AT present this Is realized I,
| certain extent in some OF then
where graded tax upon motors is ii
/ force. depending in amount upon tn
! horsepower of the vehicle. The ia,
I On gasoline has not even been pro
posed, but it must come In. time I,
place the burden OF the cost, of main
tenance at least in part where 1t be
| longs
The location, foundation and drain
age of roads may be of a permanen
nature II properly carried out, anC
may ha paid for by the proceeds of ,
long-term bond issue, as improvement
/ in these respects will be durahl
| one. Too often, however, the founda
eons and drainage are constructed IL
! an Unsatisfactory way and possess n,
permanency. Should the policy be in
I itiatcd of providing all our highway
/ with Portland cement concret
foundation before expanding none,
FOR the surface, the States would hav
an asset to Show for the money OK
pended which could be counted upo
for many decades. and possibly for
century. Harper's Weekly.