Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-03
KINDLY CRITICISMS OF
VIRGINIA HIGHWAYS
Charles +. Asfburner Writes Of Road
Conditions rs He Found
Them In August.
PRAISES WORK IN ,powHATAN
MIR. Ashburner, in 1902, Advocated
Federal Aid for Virginia Roads.
Wants Main ThorOugi,fares Placed
Under State Highway Commission.


Charles r. Ashburncr the first city
manager OF stanton. Va. now city
manager OF Springfield. Ohio, recently
visited friends in Powhatan County,
Va. having made the trip from Ohio
to Powhatan County, with his family.
In large touring car. While In Rich
mond pm the return trip Mr.. Ashburner
called at The Times Dispatch Office and
was given information on condition of
certain highways over which he de-
sired to travel lie promised TO send
the automobile editor some notes on
his observation OF Virginia highways
and the letter which follows is self
explanatory.
Mr.. Ashburner points out clearly tina;
great damage is being done TO Virginia
by tourists and hotel people outside the
State who warn the tourists against
travel over Virginia highways. He
suggests that the care Of main
thoroughfares Of the State should be
thorities aud placed under the care
OF the state Highway Commission
Praise. Work In Powhntan.
IN. road REINFORCEMENT work being
done in powhatan County was pleasing
TO MIR. Ashburrcr who. In a CONVERSE
ton with the AUTOMOBILE" editor. said
that during the past year n. had found
Powhatan County Rreati! improved
The benefits of improved roads. he said.
was found in improved farmhouses. in
beautified country places, in better
cared for school ana church buildings
and In tho pleasure the country people
T.. la To-.
prevented by the conditions OF the
roads
Ms. Ashburner's letter follows:
"Springhcld, Ohio, August 30
Automobile Editor. Times Dispatch:
II am sending YOU u few facts and
Impressions gained from two au,om0-
bile trips 10 Richmond in the summer
OF 1915 and 1916. AS yon may prob
ably remember. ] Was always an ad-
vocate OF good roads, and any crit-
cisms ] may ofer are In tn" most
kindly spirit. hoping that some day AN
automobile may -. ahi. To reach the
Capitol Of the old dominion from with
out the State with some degree Of COM
fort and safety.
Entering virginia by tn" valley
Pike good roads are found as far AZ
ALTON. and from there. In dry weather.
passable roads To Charlottesville.
From this point failed 10 hnh any
thing but "A permission to travel.
I'm 1918 was directed by the mid
die road from Charlottesville. coming
down through Goochland eight mil"s
an hour being all that could he mad"
or tho road. and I swor" then that
II i could get out Of the stat. would
not come back uutil some NAY was
made 10 get TO Richmond. In order
20 avoid the dcplorable roads. we
shipped by Baltimore. but lny desire
10 see Virginia and my friends again
got the better OF me. and ! made the
same trip in the early part OF August
this year as far az Charlottesville.
then inquired for some road TO Rich
n,ond and was directed by SCOTS
VILE | have prayed for the man ever
since who sent me that way eX-
hausted every means OF obtaining m
formation as - the best road ont of
the state. and decided 10 go by Louisa
TO Charlottesville. After ten hours OF
real cork with thoroughly exhausted
party, We arrived at stanton. having
had several experiences in ditches ana
mudholes on account az thunher
storms that afternoon. Taking the
Valley Pike or the Nationa! Highway.
Il is easily possible TO make ten miles
an hour more than on the roads from
Alton east
Tourist. Arc Turned HACK.
Now. these are facts. but there is
another side TO tho matter that vitality
affects every one III Virginia II Is
ths--that heading east on IN" National
Highway from the middle west at the
various hotels where YOU meet tourists
returning from Virginia YOU are ap-
preached by them and warned 10 keep
out Of the state We were repeatedly
told by people that they would not
make the back trip on any considera-
ton The night that arrived In
stanton they told me at The hotel that
turned back after getting the infor-
nation about the road 10 Richmond.
in 1892 wrote an article in tho
Richmond DisI atch advocating among
other things Federal aid for good
roads. This matter was considered en-
tirely too radical. an;i was not listened
TO by any who had the Improvement
OF the roads in the old Dominion at
heart. II was considered an encroach-
ment on state rights. hut am glad to
see that Virginia is in line for her
norton OF the Federal aid For' good
roads. | may be considered equally
radical when ! suggest to YOU that the
main thorouChfares of the state should
be taken out of the hands OF The coun-
ties through which they pass and put
In the hands of the state Highway
Department. Though the road passes
through county il should not belong
to the residents OF that county to the
detriment OF the INHABITANTS OIL Other
sections of the State. in my opinion.
Henrico and Richmond suffer.
The people in lIenrico and Rich
mond and other progressive points In
the State are Obliged to suffer from
poor methods adopted in counties CON
tiguous to them There are sections OF
road that l passed over in your State
that are as good as any one could wish
for. but before you know 1t you have
crossed an imaginary boundary and
find yourself In another jurisdiction
where every now and then little Gull
verts are found from six to eight
inches below the road surface. The
distance across these culverts in many
instances not being equal to the dis
lance you are thrown off the seat by
dropping down the aforementioned six
or eight inches.
Most OF my time I'm Virginia was
spent In Powhntan County. The road
now being built through that county
to Richmond has had an effect upon
the county. particularly that part adj
tacent to the road that Is nothing short