Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-11
VIRGINIA IS BUILDING
GREAT NE TW0RK OF ROADS
State and County Appropriations in
Past Eight Years Aggregate
SIO,356,S73.IJ.
$s, 800, 900 NOW BEING SPENT
Virginia Leads All Other States in
Effective Use of Couvicts for Road
(. Ruilding-Every County Receives
(! State Aid in Labor or Money.

Keeping pace with The progress Of
it's people in all the branches OF in
dustry and anSwcrinr tile demand OF
the time for adequate facilities for
improved methods OF transportation.
Virginia. during the ten years since
the organization OF the state High
way Department for the conCcntra-
tion OF effort in pcrfcctiug Il system
of modern roads through the State.
has made wonderful strides in the
building OF public highways through
out the length and breadth of the
CommoNwcalth.
From modest beginning in the
year 1907. when there were construct
cd under tho supervision OF the de
partment twcnty-four miles OF im-
proved roads. the States activities
have broadcucd from year to year.
until now. historic Virginia is tra-
versed 10y networks OF modern high
ways, reaching Il total mileage of over
5000. and councvtiuG. in some degrees
practically every section Of the state
each to each.
With the coming OF good roads. con-
ditions in the state have boon rcvolu-
tionizcd. Communities have been
brought closer to each other. The
farmer has been brought In more in
innate contact with tn" merchant and
the banker. Modern high schools have
sprung up in every section of the
State, central units. around which re-
volve the social and educational life
Of the communities Tho city has
been brought nearer TO the outlying
districts. changing the whole aspect
OF VirG.nia's economic life.
STATE HAS SET APART
SI0.35G,S13 FOR ROADS
Though much has boon done, there
yet remains much to be accomplished.
The majority of sections in Virginia
have caught step with the march of
twentieth-ccntury progress and have
fast broken away from conditions OF
an outworn age. hut there are Still
many isolated stretches of road i'm tho
State that need 80 hc connected in tho
chain of splendid highways that have
been built Within the last ten years
But the state is alive To the situa-
ton. Not content with setting aside
during the eight years from 1907 TO
1916 the sum Of $!O.356 S73..,, for road
and bridge Improvement, the state
Highway Department viii this Year re-
ceive from all SourCcS-thc state. coun-
ties and districts-a total Of S3,3oO.0OO
for carrying on the work OF road ANA
bridge construction. About twO-th!rdS
of this amount Will he expended this
year. leaving balance OF Sl,lOO. 900
for the year 1917.
The state is contributing in three
ways TO the highway work of the
counties by convict labor. hy state
money aid, and by AN automobile main
tenance fund.
VIRGINIA LEADS IN
CONNICT-nl'II.T ROADS
Virginia takes tho lead OF all the
States in the Union in the matter Of
convict labo! on roads. y larger mile
age OF improved highways has hccn
constructed with the aid of pcnitcn-
tiary ANA Jail prisoners in this state
than any OF the other CONFERENCE.-The.
Application FOR "a convict camp is made
in each case by the road authorities
of the county in which road improve
mcnt is contemplated An iuveStipa-
ton is then instituted by the engineers
of the Highway Department. and. If
approved, the men, varying III number
from thirty-Nvc 10 srvcuty-tiVc. are
furnished absolutely free Of cost to
tho county, the only stipulation being
that the county furnish the necessary
tools ana machinery. Camps, holding
nearly 1000 men. are now established
In thirty-foug counties OF the state.
The last Legislature appropriated the
sum OF $4,000, known rs the state
aid fund, which is distributed to the
various counties. not receiving the
benefits OF convict labor, for use in
the construction Of good roads II is
required by the law making the pro-
vision that the county in each in
stance put ul!i.:tn etNal amount Of
money with rhc.:Ssatc. At the present
time. all the countries In Virginia are
receiving State aid. either in the form
OF convict labor or money
In addition TO this. the Legislature
OF 1916 passed what is known ~ the
Automobile maintenance act" under
which license fees received from auto
m nh