The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1914-08-20
WELLER OPENS
WAR ON THREE
MILE HIGHWAY
Richmond Man Gets Three
Hundred Persons to Re-
mOnstrate on Boston Pike
Improvement.

The fight against the construction OF
roads in Wayne township under the
provisions of the three mile gravel
road law. has been launched and the
first skirmish will probably result in
victory for those opposed to such
method of road building.
Recently a petition, signed t( 154
citizens, was fled with the county COM
missioners for the improvement Of
South Ninth street, south of E street,
and the Boston pike for a total dist
ance Of three miles by making con-
crete roadway. 1t was estimated this
improvement would cost the taxpayers
Of Wayne township between $4,000
and 100000.
Realizing that If prompt action was
not taken to check the steadily in
creasing tax rate, now at an abnormal
figure and rapidly approaching it's linn
it because of the influx of three mile
gravel roadway petitions, John Weller,
q Richmond real estate man, stepped
into the breach and opened the fight
against the objectionable law in
Wayne township by preparing a re-
monstrance against the Boston pike
improvement and personally circulat-
ing It.
Gets 800 s!snatures.
Today there were over three hun
dred signatures attached to this re-
monstrance, double the number of Pc
titioners, and Mr.. Weller declares that
the improvement has been defeated.
Signers Of this remonstrance are men
in every walk Of life, business men,
professional men, city officials, manu-.
facturers, mechanics and day laborers
For the moral effect 1t will have Mr..
Weller will continue the circulation of
this remonstrance until the date it is
necessary to file it with the commits
sioners. He expects to have between
400 and 500 signatures to it by the
day Of presentation.
At the present time four other peti-
tions for road improvements under the
three mile law are being circulated
one In West Richmond, one in Fair
view, one on Williamsburg pike and
one on the Arlington pike. 1t is under.
stood that the Fairview petition has
over 800 signatures but remonstrances
are to be circulated against all these
petitions.
Many Fight Petition.
Those who are leading this fight
which has been SO successfully launch.
ed say that the popular sentiment
against the construction of streets
and roads under the three-mile act is
widespread now In Wayne county, es
pecially in Wayne township. They are
opposed to this law, they say, not only
because 1t breeds excessive taxes, but
because many of the roads which have
been macadamized under it's provis.
ions have been the means Of wasting
public funds. One contractor who
built such road frankly stated that
he had torn up a gravel road, which
could have been satisfactorily re
paired at small expense, to make way
for macadam road which would be
almost useless within three years
They are against the bricking or con
creting of county highways because OF
the heavy tax burden such improve
ments impose on the taxpayers.
THE new county highway superin
tendent by the excellent work he has
done since assuming office has con
clusively proved that no better roads
can be made in Wayne county thar
gravel roads because Wayne county
has the material to make such high
ways" said Mr.. Weller today.
Praises w. O. Jones.
Will IIlC uldICIldl VIC nave d
hand, hard, well wearing and endur
ing gravel roads can be constructed
much better from the standpoint O.
wearing than the crushed rock road:
and much easier to repair. If Com
missioner Jones was given heavy
road roller and a sufficient number O
King drags he could make grave
roads which would be the best of thu
state. Look what he has done will
the New Castle pike which runs from
Richmond through Greensboro ant
Hagerstown. 1t is made of gravel ant
has been expertly conditioned by Mr.
Jones and it is by far the best pike il
the county. On the other hand look a
the expensive macadam roadway OF
tho National road leading west from
the city. 1t has been down a compar
allvely short time but it is now break
ing up from one end to the other
eve people who are fighting thi
three-mile law are all advocates of
good roads, but we want the right kin,
of system and the right kind Of ma
terial used in making them"