The record., 1913-04-03
HISTORIC ROADS IN VIRGINIA
Irregular Force Of Hands Past
Machines Now Help.

When the good roads movement
began few years since. a movement
that nov embraces nearly every coun-
ty in the state of Virginia. Charles
City county fell into line and since
then has kept step with the march of
progress. along the plan of better pub
lie highways.
! have just made a little trip over
some of those greatly improved roads.
and as ! was preparing to take n pho
tograph showing n section that had
been worked. an automobile spun by
at such n rate of speed as to make me
wonder at the transformation in that
same piece of road where in days
gone by mot so long ago, ether, 1t
took a good team of mules or oxen
TO drag a load over 1t. writes J. NJ.
Ball in the Southern Good Roads.
The same may be said OF the ma
jority of the public roads of this his
toric county-famous as the birth
place Of two presidents of the United
States. William Henry Harrison and
John Tyler, also congressman. judges.
etc, who are remembered for their
good work in their separate lines. In
connection with the good roads ques-
tion here. il may be said that history
recounts the fact that when Thomas
Jefferson married the fair widow Shell
ton. of The Forrest" in Charles City
county, he began his wedding jour
ney TO Monticello in a coach, but be
in AlLemarle county, the coach was
deserted on account Of the roads Ut
was the month of january So the
distinguished statesman and his bride
made the rest of the trip on horse
back. II was consoling to know that
the wedding coach was able to tray-
erse the Charles City roads even at
that Gate. and that the bridal couple
got. past the county lines before they
took 10 horseback.
Since that early period and along
up to the past five years ! maintain
a certain reticence in writing up the
history Of the public roads OF this
particular section of the old common
wealth. Enough has been said Of
them by others. those who perforce
had 10 travel them regularly and in
all seasons. The day of the old-fash
loned road overseer seems to be past:
the irregular force Of hands. each
bound to give a day or so in labor
each year to the maintenance of the
roads. has past
This county, divided into three dis
tricts, has a regularly appointed road
superintendent for each district.
whose duty ii is to employ good
teams, machinery and men to work
the reads of his particular district
By this method the money furnished
for read work can be expended in such
manner as to give the best results,
and the work done is of not only a
better but a more lasting nature.
On or near many sections of the
roads there are gravel beds, and when
possible quantities Of this material
are used. especially on pieces of clay
road. which become miry in wet
weather. A thick layer of this gravel
and sand does wonders in solidifying
these stretches. The road machines
are helping much-in fact, are valu
able in rounding up the roads and
raising them In the center. Clearing
up the timber on each side of the
roads. admitting light and sun. has
iried out places wet so long that up
10 recent date the memory OF man
runneth not to the contrary. Many
Did bridges have been replaced by
in places terra-cotta piping has been
installed for cross drains.
1t is gratifying to note that in the
neighborhood OF two hundred miles
Of public highways in this county are
In such fine condition at the present
writing that they can be traversed by
automobiles with safety and pleasure.
while the ordinary citizen who so far
has not been able to become an auto
owner, can speed his nag along at the
best pace OF which the nag is eapa-
BILE without any fear of his plunging
into broken hedges. bottomless mud
holes or the like, provided he stays
In the road.
II looks today as IL Charles City
county. SO famous as the birthplace
Of great statesmen, fine plantations
and old-time hospitality. will soon be
equally famous for its good roads and,
In passing. let me say that Superin.
tendents Adams OF Harrison district.
Walker of the Tyler district and Davis
Of the Chickahominy district are
building very lasting landmarks In
the way Of fine roads In their respec,
tive districts.