The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-02
THICK COAT OF DUST ON
ROADS TO FAIR GROUNDS
Neither City Nor County Has Taken
Steps to Put Main Thorough
fares i'm Condition.
BOULEVARD EXTENSION POOR
Only Half as Wide as Improved Por-
ton, and Has Never Been Oiled.
Hermitage Road in Same Shape.
Bridge Needs Attention.

With the Virginia State Fair just
two working days off, no apparent eff
fort has been made by either the
authorities OF the city of Richmond or
Henrico County to put the two main
thoroughfares leading to the grounds
into condition 1T for travel Both
roads, tho Boulevard extension and the
Hermitage Road, are. as roadways 20.
mr. nut nothing TO boast Of They are
fairly level, and the depressions are
not too deep. but one vehicle can raise
cloud of dust heavy enough to choke
a score of pedestrians. not to mention
the occupants of electric cars and the
vehicles themselves.
Whose duty II Is to get the roads
into condition is a debatable question.
At present they are in Henrico County,
hut being within the lines OF anneSa
ton, they Will be a part Of the city
within month from now. Conse-
auently the county authorities are not
inclined to spend their money on the
necessary repairs. Only ono thing
seems clear. and that is. the patrons of
the fair Will suffer tormcnts from the
dust next week if there is no rain in
the interim.
PORTIONS OF BOULEVARD
PUT IN EXCELLENT SHAPE:
The city Of Richmond has put the
Boulevard iuto excellent shape as far as
Broad Street, but the extension is only
hali as wide as the improved portion
OF the street, and has never been oiled.
The roadbed is of gravel. which from
years of heavy and constant travel
has been pu,verizcd into dust several
Inches deep. The ruts and gullics
formed by the rainfall have filled up
level with the roadway. and while the
and an automobile travelling at fair
pace raises "A cloud that hangs in
the air for many minutes.
The Hermitage Road Is in practi-
cally the same condition, and with the
heavy automobile traffic of next week.
II VIII be unbearable. Yesterday, with
only few vehicles on the road. auto
mobile drivers had to SHE'D their eyes
TO Keep from being blinded BY the
dust raised by other cars. A pedestrian
would be unable to stand the dirt, If
any could risk the running OF their
clothing ny using the road
ACCUMULATION OF DIRT
On BRIDGE OVER TRACKS
Another disagreeablc feature which
VIII worH against the fair patrons Is
the bridge over the railroad tracks
which must be used by every one enter
ing the grounds. Dirt has accumulated
Tor the past two years, and here again
the dust Will be raised In choking
clouds unless preventative remedies are
adopted.
me Whoie situation can be easily
remedted by the application OF oil. II
would cost considerable sum to allay
the dust nuisance, but from the stand
point of the fair patron, il would be
money well spent, as there is moth
ing worse for a holiday crowd to stand
than dirt.
II is hardly probable that the same
condition Will prevail another year, as
the city viii then control this territory
and VIII extend the Boulcva I'd to the
Fair Grounds. and will keep the highway
IN good state OF repair. Business men
are urging that some prompt steps be
taken this year to aid In the elimina-
ton of tn" dust nuisance