Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-27
RICHMOND BUSINESS men
FAVOR CONCRETE HIGHWAY
Would Build Permanent Road Link.
ing This City With
Petersburg.
CHAMBER TO TAKE THE LEAD
Pending Completion of Fund, Road
Could Be Put i'm Good Orirr fc'
Fall Usc in Short Time and With
out Great Outlay.

The Chamber Of Commerce Will be
asked to take tho initiative, and to
do SO Immediately. in order to con-
struct the first-class highway from
Richmond to Petersburg that will spell
one OF the greatest steps forward that
Richmond has taken since the loca-
ton Of the Fifth Federal Reserve Bank
was secured for this city. If put into
effect II will mean that Richmond Is
to share in the profit that can be Sc
cured from distribution OF more
than $50.0o0.000 a year.
Immediate action, IL any at ALL Is
Imperative. If better transportation
facilities are to be provided it must
be done at once. for next year Rich
mond will have lost the opportunity
that is now begging at her door. 1t
Is understood that the Chamber of Com
merce Is to institute a campaign to
raise tho funds for the construction
OF a permanent highway. The amount
necessary to build this highway is
about 100000. OF course. this large
sum cannot be secured in a few days:
nor could the highway be compile ed
In few weeks even though the
amount were raised on short order.
WANT PRESENT ROAD
PUT IN ORDER AT ONCE
Consequently, 1t seems the only log
tcal thing to do Is to put the present
road in passable condition Immediate
ly as many business men have al
ready suggested. 1t will not take
large sum Of money to put this plan
Into effect; neither will 1t consume
much time.
Business men and business orEaniza-
ttons In this city have taken up the
project of building highway enthus-
iastfcally and seriously. It Is thought
that by general canvas the money
could be raised in time with no great
difficulty. or course. this is taking for
granted that Richmond business men
believe that the project would be a
paying proposition. and believe It
strong enough to put up the necessary
money. But even then, concrete roads
cannot be built in the winter, and it
would probably he not until next
spring that real work could be DONE
One prominent business man said
yesterday: 1T Is up to Richmond busI-
ness men to show their colors. We
have our opportunity and could ask
for nothing more. But rush is the es-
sential and predominant quantity. 1t Is
now or never"
COULD OPEN UP TURNPIKE
TO TRAVEL IN TWO WEEKS
1t has been estimated that 1t would
take about two weeks to put the pres
ent mond-PetersburE Turnpike In
passable condition. If immediate con-
certed action were taken there would
be just enough time to put the road in
decent condition by tho arrival of the
first contingent at Camp Leo on Sep
TENDER 5. Under present conditions, 1t
Is out of the question to think that
the present road will satisfy the de-
mands of the situation. Tourists and
| business men unite in condemning 1t as
one of the worst roads in the United
States between two cities of any i'm
| portance or size.
Business men realize the urgency OF
| the situation. Pending the construc-
| ton OF the concrete highway between
| here and Petersburg, which, under
present conditions. would take be-
tween six months and a year, a very
fair temporary road can be obtained.
and at a nominal expense by scarify-
ing the present roadbed. rcsurfacing
and rolling, for the bumps and ruts
arc worse than the grades. This will
| give the Legislature time to act. and
also the various organizations to con-
slider thoroughly the many plans be-
fore them.