The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-18
HIGHWAY Commission
ENDS PUBLIC HEARINGS

me iirSt public hearing OF the Viz
Gin,a State Highway Commission was
concluded yesterday afternoon. Rep
rrscntativcS pi every section OF the
state who appeared before the conn
mission in the interests III their To-
caiitita were Instructed to file briefs
by December ~. al which Tins the
com mission viii meet In consider
every petition and make its recon- :
inerdations IL the leg islature.
The commission VIII meet ut $50
O'Clock this morning To deliberate
over the various and sundry requests
for more money or changes i'll the
routes laid out by the legislature. The
most vital point to be decided ss the
position Of the commission in regard
to concentrating all funds and enc
gies in improving the great trunk
system of the state before branching
out ON the dozens OF smaller roads
which must eventually be constructed.
This was the subject of aeveral urgent
talks by prominent men from all over
the state and the proposition has the
support Of the Virginia Good Roads
association. No one definite case Is TT
decide this issue. the point in aues-
ton being the policy the commission
IN ends to adopt.
Location OF the Richmond Fred :
n fs
general interest than any other aues-
ton raised at the hearing. The route
decided upon by the Legislature was
what is known as the Negrofoot
Chtldesburg ROAD, running from Rich
mond to Solomon's store, crossing the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Po-
tomac at EImont and continuing to
the West by Negrofoot and Childcs-
burg into lower Spotsvlvania, coming
int Il .x.ixA
Spotsylvania courthouse.
A large delegation from F'redercks-
burg appeared before the commission
TO urge that the route be changed and
the Telegraph road used az the state
highway In support of this plea,
figures were submitted showing that
the Telegraph road liz twelve miles
shorter than any other route and will
consequently cost over 100000 less
than the Nesrofoot-Chiideshu
route.
Other arguments advanced were
the broadness and uniform straight
ness of the Telegraph road, as con-
trasted to many sharp curves in the
adopted route. IL was also shown
that The Negrofoot route has dan
Eerous railroad crossings. while the
Telegraph road does not cross the
tracks at all.
me FFedeFEkSpHrg delegation vas
headed by Former Speaker Cardwe!l.
John {. Easley, president of the Rich
nond chamber of commerce, Hon.
Roosevelt Page. second auditor. Col
onel BeAic. to Caroline. &. NV iten
Saunders, w. A. Clarke. Jr., and other
prominent men advocated the TeIe-
graph road.
The commission is faced with the
unpleasant task of passing on urgent
requests for additional money flied
by representatives Of almost every
section of Virginia There is q Srnalt
surplus on hand and should this be
exhausted before the Ji1st demands
are granted, the com missions only
recourse will be To lessen the amounts
allotted other sections. This may not
be necessary, however, as IL is gem
orally believed that the legislature
will appropriate sum sufficient to
meet the balance OF federal aid still
available for Virginia. If this action
is taken at the coming session over
S1.T0o.o 900 will be ayajla bile for road
construction and maintenance.