The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1914-01-14
Good Roads


GINA n million dollars annually
III the excess cost of hauling
over poor roads.
Will keep the Young people
on the furm hy creating social
life III the country where insu-
lntion il no W the rule. We
need the young blood to intro
duce up-;o-date farming and
produce larger crops. In the
last ten years thirty three coun-
lies in Virginia lost population.
Good roads will check the rush
to the citiessand therefore tend
to lower the high cost of living.
Means Better Education.
Government statistics show tif-
" per cent better attendance at
schools in rural districts with
good roads than in poor road
sections. Higher morals At
tendance al churches is much
better in good roads districts.
win help women 10y making
social life more attractive.
There viii he more visiting.
more church going, and better
school and civic leagues.
Win increase Land Values.
Beal estate agents experience
no difficulty in selling at high
prices farms situated on good
roads where good roads have
been built in Virginia. Many
farms have doubled in value.
The United States Office Of
Good Roads was established
seventeen years ago with seven
employees and an annual ap.
preparation of eight thousand
dollars. The Office now has
one hundred and sixty-iive per
manent and temporary employ
ees, and Il yearly appropriation
of two hundred and two thous-
and one hundred and twenty.
Logan w. Page, q Nirginian, is
director; Captain = ST. Julien
Wilson, until recently State
Highway Commissioner of Nir
GINA, has accepted an impor
tant position with this branch
of the government service.
Federal Aid for road build
ing is just now engaging much
attention. Many good roads
associations have endorsed the
propositions, Senator Claude 4.
Swanson has been introduced
in Congress. The American
Roads Congress at it's meeting
in Detroit in October nineteen
and thirteen. went on record as
favoring the appointment by
the president of commission
to study the question of FEEDER.
al Aid and report upon its av-
disability.
Last year Congress- made an
appropriation of five hundred
Thousand dollars "to he expend-
ed on post roads" in the sever
al States. 1t is provided that
in order to avail themselves Of
this appropriation, the States
or localities Interested shall
contribute two dollars for every
one dollar contributed by the
National Government.
The State Highway Commis-
aion OF Virginia was establish
ed in the year nineteen and ak.
George =. Coleman liz the pres
ent Commissioners with Office
in the state Library building,
Richmond, Virginia AppIica
tions To he commissioners
office viii bring complete in
formation on such questions as
bonds use and State aid for the
Improvement OF county high
ways Thirty-hve States in
Union now maintain State
highway commissions, the es-
adjustment of which is regard.
ed a s the greatest advance
made in our country towards
the building and mnintainance
of public roads.
Roard Mileage ana Expendi-
lures. In the United States are
TWO million two hundred and
fifty thousand miles of public
roads. L he annual expendi-
lures III nineteen and twelve
were one hundred and sixty
four millions of dollars. 1t is
estimated that Virginia has
hfty-two thousand IN i es Of