The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-25

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g a1avo Report OF Dcpa&tanoaIs
s.S Actiyftacs-New Roads.
1tAss Highway Commissioner y,
Cos6mAn Friday submltteu 70 Gov
Afaef- Westmofe isna Davis the al
MuAi report for that department, COW
ertng activities and referrinS 70 tne
lack Of activities because OF the war
and the dfmculty experienced IN GET
ting supplies for highways and tne'
inability 10 procure labor. Inc re-
port - an exhaustive resume VI '"s
department. and says IN part:
Our year opened UP with orosrs
from the tedcral govefnmcn.' re-
stsacnng the use OF AL cars any .no
practical connscation OF all ROAD ma
=
thb department largely 20 the use -
local materiA1s. Tho declaration Of
war by thiA country was folioweo im-
uodtA4efy by serious labor ano3tA6e
Ana consequent increase IN tao cos.
ek labor and materials. Iheso 70
stE1cttons and increased cost Me1e
largely on such road maAor9an e
steAl osment stone. gravel mnd. ni-
tuWenss 10 Tha1 has nece s.
a1ao12y Increased the expense OF tno
WORK IN comparison with Work OF
sina11Ar character IN previous yoeA
Approximately dignity par csnt o!
The snsinssrs and spccaay n M
men Of the department. tntAfed inc
service OF tho country. w make tnis
statement with grea1 de1i OK Pfue'
notWtthstan ding the fact that Il mas
brought, about conditions which nave
inilitated very seriously against the
economical execution OF the work Oh
the department. In many instances
Ii has been practically Impossible 10
carry through. successfully, me plans
Of the department.. due. AZ slateo
above, to the constant change IN feg-
ulations OF the government rms mas
heen particularly true with reteIencs
70 the bituminous materials required
for maintenance. and has left US con-
ttVnlh6 q way H~N-~NS
the coming year.
Using Convict Labor
We are making every EFFORT 20
meet this condition with the funds IN
hand and are arranging. as far as
possible, to place the CONVEX FORCES
eon this important work. farhcuiar
attention 10 being given TO mainte-
nance Of roads in The state High
way System" In many counties
large sections OF these roads had peen
constructed by bond issue. or oIner-
wise. and permitted to go 10 pieces
from lack OF attention. IT VIII DC
necessary to immediately recons1rucs
ur rcsurface these roads. or lose tue
investment which Ia. been made by
tho counties
'Under the recent act creating
Tho State Highway System we are
arranging to take over for state man
tenAnce. on January LIST. 1919. De.
tween fourteen and fifteen hunareo
miles OF road. This Is larger niue
age than at nrst contemplated: pu.
We feel that every EFFORT should De
made by the State to relieve the couh-
ties. We would call particular a.,en,
ton. however. to the fact that VIII
he impossible to properly MAINTAIN 1n
many instances the present type Oh
cod0kT 0C1IuHs AVA "S AA~ 4.
eruases In the next year or tWo' ~
Van be necessary for the sta'e 10 re-
construct or rcsurface these roaas
with higher types OF construction
This necessity has been very clearly
demonstrated by the government,
uss Of trucks In the las. sear o4 Isl.
sand-ciay and soil roads. our pAns
are Neil In hand for getting this WORK
under way With the opening OF sps'ns'
Presenting surveys
u ''Ws are also pushing surveys 1vr
our construction WORK and expecs 10
se IN position to advertiss for plas
on = number OF sections IN eosuA.yL.
Most OF this work VIII DC aone w'n'
state and federal appropriations.
During the year asa miles OF roan
hxve h#su consfEpcfed AZ asoA "
IL VA, s1a.kzsE> iTsriudinK smaE euHkos
and masonry. with convict sanof ~
$A-i3 1-3 per day. but exclusive OF
aiaGinaer1ng. expen1e4 The cnaI1cseI
q these roads and the counues IN
which located are given In the Ap-
pended tables showing cost OF roaas,
This work was divided between 200
different pieces. in sevenU-sevs
OF the ono hundred counues OF ,ne