Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-16
SENATE COMMITTEE
FAV0RS ROAD BILLS
Reports Plan for System of
State Highways to Cost
$2o,0oO,Ooo.
MONEY NOW THROWN AWAY
Senator Goolrick Says Virginia
Has Squandered Millions in
Road Patching.
MONEY NOW THROWN AWAY

! "ioSs 'iNaIS hHPot 'aHt todoS III lhe
State measuring about $500 miles. TO
be built by State and Federal money
and maintained principally b. the au-
tomobilc fund. which amounted TO moro
than S5oo,ooo last year. was taken b.
Is Senate Standing Committee on
loads and Internal Navigation when
| that committee voted by unanimous
ballot to report with slight amend
ments TO the Senate. Senate bills Nos.
81. 2: and 90 which provide for this
systcrn.
| This system was formulated by the
commission appointed in 1916 by the
General Assembly composed OF three
members OF the Scaatc-AIe.srs. Cool
rick. Robertson and Byrd-and four
m enbcrs Of the House. II is virtually
the same syetem recommended b. State
/ ! Eh~ay Commissioner George p. Cole
man in his last annual report. II in
ccrporates In it's network the road de-
sired By the National Bankhead High
way Association. seeking 10 connect
the Eastern cities with the road of
thI: name running throughout tho
South and Southwest OF the United
States.
SELECTS $500 MILES
AS THROUGH STATE ROADS
IN presenting these bills TO the COM
mittcc, their patron, Senator c. O'Conor
Goolrick, OF Frederick burg. said that
there were 80 oco miles of road In this
state, and that the commission had.
after two years Of study, selected $500
miles OF road vitality important to the
State whole. and estimated the
approximate cost Of its Improvement at
S20.0a0,ooo. This sum, he said, was a
great deal in view of the fact tha:
/ Virginia did not have II IN sight al
this immediate hour. but that it was
very slight in view OF the fact that
numerous counties OF the State had
each spent over 100000. He stated
that he hated 10 say Il. but that /, was
( u fact that Virginia had squandcrcd
millions OF dollars in crazy patchwork
OF little bary OF road in hundreds OF
ma gIstcrial districts throughout the
state without any view Of continuity
or access OF poinrs. and with little at
/ ten;ion TO their upkeep.
! The passage OF these bills will mean
( that the state OF Virginia must raise
S7oo,00t 10 meet the requirements OF
! the Federal offer OF that amount
Federal aid. a joint resolution wa,
introduced in the House OF Delegates
! yesterday 20 allow al amendment to
/ the Virginia Constitution to permit the
sSua nee OF bonds for the purpose OF
/ raising that amount, which would put
/ III the hands OF the State Highway
Commissioner N.t0o,0o9 10 construct
the proposed state systems OF high
ways. While Ugh: may arise over
this point. yet the sentiment was
voiced THAI surely Virginia would not
rcglec; this opportunity OF recciv:n.
badly needed Federal aid.
COUNTIES TO IMPROVE
LESS TRAVELLED ROADS
! Senator Gool.icll stated that the idea
OF the commission was to sesreEate
the system mapped out from the other
State roads and maintain them by the
State automobile fund. He thinks that
IL the state will do this and tina. It
should. that tho counties will. as a
matter OF course. assume the building
OF the rest of tho $1,000 miles ot'hish-
way in the State. No intention on the
part OF the commission exists to re-
fuse aid from uhomsocver.
Senate bill No. II, which was also
reported with slight amendments, pro-
yides for the employment OF all male
convict labor that is physically fit in
! the construction OF tho state system
! OF highways. This allows for the COM
plction of contracts already in force.
! as any other course would be an act
, Of bad faith on the part OF the state
/ in cases wherein the counties have act
! cd on the agreement OF the state. Mr..
Goolrici stated that the convict aid
was very much better than that pro-
vided by the state road funds, as has
been shown In every county that
avaiicd itself of the State contract let
ting out convict labor; that therefore
he is in favor OF concentrating such
labor on the State system.
| Senator Coolrick stated. however.
that he was in favor OF continuing the
State "a fund OF $4,000 and increas-
ing it 70 100000. since many counties
were in the process Of road building
acting on the accessibility OF that fund.
! Senate bill No. 23, which was reported
with slight amendments, merely ac-
ccpts tho offer OF Federal aid, and de-
clarcs the intention OF the State to
construct this system OF highways
| STRONG: Constructive
FLEECE OF LEGISLATION
| On the part OF tho National Bank
head Highway. Mr.. Ryiand, general
manager OF tho Chamber of Commerce
| of Lynchburg, was heard BY the COM
mittec. fIc called the work OF the COM
mission appointed to formulate plans
for the system OF state highways the
most constructive piece OF work done
by any committee appointed by the
General Assembly In the history of
Virginia He showed how the system
OF roads was the thing about which
| progress would radiatc as around
nothing else, and called the absence
! OF such the greatest menace to civil
ization. lie called the ward system in
the cities and the district system In
| the counties a great mcuaco to succeSN-
| full road building and other forms OF
progress. lie then asked for an add.
| tional road Of about fifty miles run
(Continued on Fifth PaEc.)