The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-06

(By Otis VI. Alfriend. Secretary Nir
ginia state Automobile .AssUriaton-}

Z
ginia state Automobile Association-}
( The Virginia State Automobile AS
ISOLATION was organized in March.
! 1905, by a handful OF motorists OF
Richmond and Norfolk, who had just
started in their respective cities small
automobile clubs, comprising the few
owners of cars at that time. The
State association has grown rapidly,
/ and is at the present time composed
| OF clubs from all over Virginia har-
! ing representation from nearly every
section Of the Commonwealth. The
Richmond Automobile Club At the
| capital of the State; the Ttdewater
( Automobile Club Of Norfolk and W.
! cinity: the Roanoke Automobile Assoc
/ citation Of Roanoke: the Peninsula An
tomobile Club. composed of members
from Newport News. Hampton and
/ old Point Comfort: 49, Lynchburg
Automobile Club. the Albemarle Au-
/ tomobile Club of Char OF tesyille. and
the Fredericksburg Motor Club con-
stitute the membership % the Virginia
State Automobile Association. 1t Is
! hoped that the Valley Motor Club OF
! Stanton. situated in the famous
Shenandoah VALLEY. and the clubs OF
! Danvile and Petersburg Will join
shortly. With these clubs. the state
will be copfnietely covered.
In organizing the state association
/ il was not so much with the view of
! becoming a part of national asSu-
citation of motorists but more from
desire that by cooperation the best
results could be obtained in ssourfns
/ Just legislation affecting the interests
OF all users OF automobiles, and also
with the idea of seeing that motorists
compiled with the laws, so that other
? ,.f ha hir
would not be hampered by reckless
and inconslderate drivers of cars. This
| and the big proposition Of securing
I Improved roads in section OF the
country which virtually had no high
. WAYS as far an the Use of an autone-
bile was concerned. has been the work
/ Of the association and the clubs COM
posing it for the last three years,
Improvement in Roads.
| The matter of just laws has been
we'll accomplished BY the able law
! makers OF the state, II will only take
a casual observer. especially II he had
seen the condition Of the roads IN
| Virginia few years age, to NOTES
the wonderful Improvement which
has been made Of mud and sand roads
into up~to-date highways. under the
able supervision Of Virginia's High
way Commissioner. the Hon J, ~. du-
| liam Wilson.
/ Every big road movement in the
State has been started by one or more
of the automobile clubs, the Rich
nond club being the first to take the
question up actively. This club start
ed and organic the Greater Highway
Association of Southeastern Virginia,
/ which was accomplished by able
speakers stumping and canvassing the
| entire State. Among other improved
roads, this movement resulted in the
building OF the Petersburg pike to
Petersburg, Va, about twenty~ihree
miles south of Richmond. and con-
neoung with roads into North Caro-
lima. which form part of the capital
10 capital route. This will be the ui-
innate way of going from the North
to the South when the direct route
from Richmond to Washington is
completed. In other words. II Is the
same route that the tourist now takes
by rail. and passes through the capt.
tails Of the States on the Atlantic sea
board. all OF which are crowded with
popular resorts and points OF historic
= interest, ~ -
Routes From Washington.
In the meantime there are several
other routes from Washington 10
Richmond which are, on the whole.
better than the ssNerage--tnat Is, for
the most part they are good macadam
%roads, With. g. few indifferent, sections
of sand The only possible objection
Ito these routes. az compared with the
Richmond- ashington route via Fred
ericksburg, is that they are longer.
This h. 81 na GoHssaneace to-tAe
average tourist, especially II the
longer Route carries him through a
more beautiful country. as wohld be
The case In coming down from WASH
ington via Leesburg. Winchester and
through the beautiful Valley of Vir-
ginia. thence over the Blue Ridge
mountains by a new maeadam road,
! enshsing one ~ TIN Gag up the
8 mountain on high gear. On the other
eide of the mountain we have Alton,
Charlottesville, and then on to Rich
mond, which can be made in about
four hours. OR. II desired. one can
come from Washington, following the
Southern Railway via Manassas and
Culpepey. thence to .Gordonsville. the
latter point being a few miles south
Of Charlottesville. II the tourist Is
coming south from Philadelphia or
further north. the route is by Gettys-
hurg to Hagerr,ewn. Md, thence to
Winchester and stanton,
Officers Of Association.
Mr.. Preston rselvtn. OF the Richmond
a
the Virginia state Automobile Asso-
citation. and a wide-awake. up.to-dase
hustler.
VI. c. Elliott, OF Roanoke. is now
FIRST Vice-president, MIR. W. A. Post,
OF the Peninsula Automobile Club. OK
Newport News, was elected second
vice. president. but he has since died.
and the club having not elected his
successor we have no second VICE
president al present
! ". $. Emhrey of Fredericksburg.
is third vice-president.
G.. E. Barker, OF Lynchburg. is fourth
1 Wee president,
/ W. NJ Lille, of Charlottesville. is
NTH vice president.
! r. palnatory, of Richmond. f.
sixth vice. president.
Matter of Membership.
In addition 10 the clubs We have a
number Of individual members who
live In the State remote from cities
49, al .b. -. .t.xk NJ.