Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-10
.CAAPPAWAMs|C- SWAMP
N0L0NGER TO Be TERROR
Worst Stretches Have Been Rebuilt
and Others Are Being
Repaired.
AUTO CLUB WANTS ACTION
Road Which Has Caused Virginia to
Be Stunned by Motorists Is No
Longer Worst Stretch From Maine
to Florida.

border to border routes will be the At
lantic Highway. according to figures
recently compiled by the touring in
formation board of the American Auto
mobile Association. East OF Portland.
Me-. and from Quebec. Canada, to Mi
ami. Fla. there Is now less than 100
miles OF unfinished highway in this
distance Of more than 1000 miles. or
this 100 miles. there has been about
eleVen In Virginia, divided into three
sections. that was vicious. with none
OF tho balance particularly bad.
The Washington bureau of the tour
ing board now reports that new road
has been completed for one of these
sections; a second section is now be-
ing rapidly put into good travelling
condition. and the contract let and
work started on the third section.
which was the worst of all. being that
section known all over the country as
tho Chappawamsic Swamp. In the
meantime the swamp" road has been
put into passable condition and is ac-
cepting several score Of cars per day.
State Highway Commissioners Coleman.
OF Virginia. has given the bad stretches
his personal supervision.
Tho Atlantic Highway being the main
artery for the North and South travel
in the fall and spring. was used by
several thousand tourists during the
present scion. who tempted fate I'm the
trip through the swamp" many of
them being pulled through. All In
dications show that this season will
SEQ an enormous increase in the travel.
particularly as the Information is
rapidly spreading that the trip south
from Washington has been robbed Of
its terrors.
Another dreaded section was the
Ogeechee Swamp south of Savannah.
This now has nne trcaded nacldam
highway for Its entire eight miles. For
tho Florida East Coast trip there Is a
shell and brick highway, except for
four miles. from Jacksonville to Miami.
Florida now has a State highway de-
partment. and Chairman Scott and
Commissioners Cooke predict that with
numerous county bond issues the State
soon Will have a connected road sys-
tenn.
AUTOMOBILE CLUB HAS
KEPT UP FIGHT FOR ROAD
The Richmond Automobile Club has
been persistent in its efforts to bring
to completion the work Of the Rich
mond Washington Highway Associa
ton. Under the title. The Chappa-
wamsic Again" tho Richmond Mo-
torist has the following to say about
this road and It's repairs:
ION Tuesday. July "a. Secretary W.
r. Walker and Thomas 4. Gebhardt, Of
the Richmond Automobile Club. made
trip to the famous swamp section
of the Richmond Washington Highway.
At Fredericksburg they were Joined
by r. Stuart Roger. city manager: G..
r. Howard. city treasurer. and G. p.
Slime, secretary Of the Chamber Of
Commerce. The party drove 10 point
that marks the beginning OF the dread
ed section, and just where the road
workers were located
The history Of the contract for the
completion OF the missing link in the
Richmond Washington Highway IL in
teresting. 10 say the least. The gov
eminent made contract with the
firm OF Perk inson & Finn, Of Peters
burg, to build section number Two. in
Prince William County. for the sum
of sls.s0s. That frm sublet the work
TO Boisseau Brothers. OF Petersburg.
and then later made a contract with
HALEY & Boatwrght. OF Ontario, Va.
This last named Arm is now undertake
ing TO finish what the others began.
Mr.. Boatwright. Of this firm, is in d.
rect charge OF the work OF improve
ment. assisted by Cecil Garrison. Of
Dumfries, Va. Day labor and teams
arc engaged in the ncic hborhood.
INT. Gebhardt left his Bour Davis
car at the forks Of tho road and the
party of inspection walked over the
swamp portion OF the highway. taking
note of the soil conditions. manner Of
preparation for road provement, and
the kind of work being done TO make
II possible to reach Washington by
the short route, rather than by taking
either OF several detours that represent
additional travel distance of many
miles.
Tho working force on duty the day
OF tho visit was as followa: one fore
man. one assistant foreman, sixteen
lab wit ~ ipry
four teams. two drag scoops and one
| road machine.
1T would not be quite fair to say
| that Indifference characterized the
complete working crew. for they were
! not entirely inactive. but to be frank
| we do no injustice to the truth when
we state that energy and progress are
| hardly synonymous with the move
ments and achievements Of the govern
ment's working forces in TIE Chappa-
wamsic Swamp on Tuesday, July "a
MONEY EXPENDED IS
wANTONLY WAS TED
I'VE were not advised as to the pro-
| posed hnsh for the road surface. but
venture to suggest that unless some
thing Is done to insure a permanent
roadway; that the money expended in
this particular section is wantonly
wasted. Then. too. the working force
! should be augmented: the work is going
mands quick movement and prompt re-
suits. The touring public and the au-
tomobile owners OF the State Of Vir-
ginia have waited long and patiently
for this work to be completed. and have
by every possible means sought to i'm
press upon those in charge of the work
the need for prompt action. The hotels
OF Richmond, Frederick sburg and
Washington, as we'll as many citizens
contributed the money to build the
Richmond Washington Highway, and
they have right to a good road be-
tween the national capital and the
State capital.
while our party was i'm the swamp
number OF ears came through on their
own power on account of dry weather;
during or after a rain the Woodworking
teams are hired out to unfortunate au-
toists at from SIS to $40 a pull
There are too many interests be-
hind the present effort to impress upon
government officials the necessity Of
completed road to euumeratn them all.
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