The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-14
SPENDS MILLIONS
ONNEW HIGHWAYS
Virginia Is Investing Greater
Amount Each Month on Per-
manent Roads.
SOUTHWEST is MOST ACTIVE
Wise Leads in Bond Issues.
Roads Now Connect for
Long Stretches.

Approx.ma tely s7.5oo.ooo has been
spent In Virginia in the construction of
permanent roads during the last four
Z years. under the direction OF the state
Highway Commission whose annual
report is now in the hands OF the
printer. The exact amount would be
difficult TO ascertain, since in many in
stances the convict camps collide with
State money aid and also with county
appropriations.
The thing has been cumulative. One
after another the counties and cities
have gotten into line and made special
appropriations and issued bonds for
permanent improvements to the public
highways In many cases projected
bond issues. nrst defeated. have been
later approved by the voters, indicat-
ing the growth of sentiment
MccklcnburE Awake.
Among the counties that have been
most active in taking advantage of
: state aid 10 good roads and in going
into their own pockets for large appro
priations is MecklenburR. The map
issued by Commissioner Wilson, to he
part OF his report, shows a perfect net
work of the red lines that indicate
road building. Radiating from Boyd
ton, from Chase City, from South Hill
and from Ciarksville. roads go in all
directions. most of them connecting
these prosperous towns in that pro-
Eressive county.
Culpeper and Orange show extensive
road work. and the lines In the map
indicate definite purpose of reaching
f. travelled routes and Of having con
nected roads The northern part OF
Spotsylvania County is thick with red
lines Henrico has a very respectable
share, indeed III this marking, as have
Dinwidde Nansemond. Brunswick,
Holloway. Augusta and Halifax.
Southwest spends Most.
But il is Sglill,VpSt that 1palc
all the rest in the matter of road
building. Misc County is first in the
State having voted morc than $1,000, 600
B In bonds for permanent highways, all
OF which is not yet expended. The
county is now nearly covered by Il
system of roads that will be there al
ways, anordinG travel in all directions
The cost OF construction there is very
great' for the county is nearly all
mountains. and grading is trcmen-
dous item Besides. the proportion of
farming land is not large. But the
mine owners, who pay the bulk of the
taxes. have not hesitated to indorse
the bond issues and to stand for the
taxation necessary to provide interest
and redemption funds
Tazewell, also in the Southwest
comes next, with ii bond issue OF
Sb2', 600 This was not accomplished
without good deal OF strife. accom-
panied by the usual argument of pay
To- be now nearly a thing of the past.
with the single exception of Meckleu-
burg. Tazewcll shows more completed
and prospective roads than any other
county in the state
Could Take Long Trips.
With the building of all the roads
authorized in the Southwest. it wille.e
possible TO travel over modern high
ways from I7lueteld w Va, on the
stat, state line through razewell, Russell,
wise ana Lee Counties, 10 the Tennes-
see and kentucky borders with but
one or two small gaps. or. with "A road
projected from Abingdon through y
cap of the mountains into Russell
County. trip may be made from Bris-
tol 10 Blueheld.
As far as the Southwest is concerned
the Bristol to Wa shington highway is
almost fact y continuous line car
res road through Washington County
and most of Smyth Wythc County is
uoinS It's part 10 point near Pulaski
county, through which the chain is
almost complete Montgomery is likely
10 he the stumbling block, for that
county mas apparently not caught the
good roads fever. Nor has Buchanan
Which is mostly mountain. Scott and
Giles have used up their part of the
state ana IN building BRIDGES
Five Millions of Bonds.
Counties authorizing bond issues IN
TO september 80, 1912. are as follows
mere having been several additions
since. including Wise:
Accomac tAtlantic DISTRICT. $4,000;
amherst, $4,000: Amherst (second is
suel, $4,000; Augusta cone district.
$4,000; Brunswick two districts1
$4,000; Charlotte. 100000; Culpeper
tone district, 5000; Culpeper zone
ADDITIONAL district, $4,000 Dickenson
tone districD, $4,000; Dinwiddie. sl0a.
c"p; Faupuier zone district) SIS 900
Greenesvlle $4,000 Lee (four dis,
Ilctsl S854.0o0. Luncnbure CRrown,s
store District. $4,000: MeciSlenhurc
seven districts. $4,000. Norfolk
coo; northampton cone districD
$4,000; Orange Zone district. s5O006
orange two additional districts. sI2a.
600; Phtsylvania cone district. 500
COZ; Pulaski tone district. $40 coo. Tn.
aski dublin District. 500. 00O Ran
pahannock zone district). $50. 600: Rock
ingham cone district, $40. 900 Russell
S!pocoo: Russell (second ISSUED So7h
oVo; Sfnyth tone district. 500 o00.
Spotsylvania 1.-TWO districts). 500 900.
Stafford 100000; Tazewen, s626'o00.
warren Gone district), $4,000; Wash,
ington. 100000: Wise (frst issue,
100000. Total, 81 ,9sG. 900. ="