The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-25
G00D.ROADs IN VIRGINIA;
PROGRESS AND HOW MADE
Commissioner OF Highways Coleman
Tells How We Make Better High.
ways in Virginia.
COUNTY AND DISTRICT BONDS
State Throws in Convict Labor Free
Of Charge to the Counties-Some
Splendid Results That Are Being
Shown.

The current issue OF the Manufae-
turcrs' Record is largely devoted to
discussion OF good roads all over tile
South. ament the assembling OF the
National Good Roads Convention in AZ
ianta next month. Among those fur
nishing interesting articles for. this
issue Of tile Record is q. p. Coleman.
Virginia.
Mr. Coleman makes short. pointed
and simple story OF tho good roads
work i'll old Virginia. Hero is his
report:
The State Highway Commission Of
virginia was organized in 1906. The
Legislature OF that year placed in the
hands OF the commit ssioner $4,000 for.
tho years 1867, TO be used in such
counties rs should make application for
State aid. The State a, the present
Time Is giving State aid in two forms
To the various counties OF the State
constructing roads or bridges.
One form. that of convict labor. In
supplied to the counties free Of cost:
that liz, the State feeds, clothes ana
guards the men, placing t;em, on the
work free OF cost to the county, but
II Is necessary for the county to supply
the tools, teams and machinery, and 10
that the labor furnished by the STATE
should be one-halc of the cost OF the
work. We have convict camps work
ing in thirty counties OF the State, and
tho number of men In these camp.
varies from thirty-fye on the lighter
class of construction 10 seventy I'VE on
the heavy work. Qn these various
camps we have a total OF approximately
loo men. 1t costs tile State to feed.
clothe and guard and otherwise take
care OF these men approximately so
cents per ten-hour working day.
GOOD MONEY FoR GOOD
ROADs-HOw III COMES
In addition to this. the Legislature
of the state appropriated for this year
$4,000 In money aid and the automo-
bile tax. which will amount TO s1i5,-
600, making total in tho State-aid
fund OF 100000. This fund Ia dis
tributed TO the counties not using con
r!ct labor. Where this form OF aid is
used the State requires that the county
shall put UP an amount equal TO the
amount supplied by the State. The
work under both forms OF aid Is done
under the supervision and general di- +.
rect:on OF the State Highway Commits.
sioner.
At the present time we nave under
way approximately 17o piece. Of road
and bridge work. distributed through
ninetyodd counties OF tho state, The
sections OF road work varying tom
mile 10 Twenty-Five miles At length, a
great many short sections being built
to connect up pieces OF rnai already
constructed. We expect 10 complete
this year betweeE 500 and 500 miles %
improved roads Mt IN expenditure. Of
about $500, 900. OF this amount the
state has contributed for the year 1919.
for road aud bridge work. aid to the
amount of s466,0O0 This amount will
ne Sqah IN r.pf
00o. The county levies arc raised
either from direct levies or by the is-
suance Of county and magiater,al dis
trict bonds. Up to the present time
thirty-fve counties have Issued BONDS
in the state amounting 10 iG,Gi5.l00,
and the State has appropriated 10 date
sI,5l7.o16, making total for I'll road
purposes of sS,3e..G16. or this amount
we have expended TO date approximate
ly s7,000.000, and have constructed be
tween $500 and $500 miles OF improved
roads and $50 bridges. These sections
Of road are scattered throughout the
different counties of the State. but they
are gradually being connected ur into
through systems OF road; thar is, we
will have completed in few years
three through routes from. Maryland
to the North Carolina line. and one
through route from the Sea through
the entire length of the State TO the
Tennessee Kentucky line. WITH nuIu
her OF shorter sections joining these
through roads. connecting the various
small towns and cities OF the State. In
addition 10 this, we are building
great many short sections connecting
the farming district with other ship
ping points.
No definite plan for system Of State
roads has as yet been adopted oy the
State as a whole, but great many
counties have laid out aystem OF
county roads which contemplate being
connected up with the roads OF the ad
Joining counties. and in this way the
State will ultimately develop fair
in complete system which will reach
every county and district OF the State.