Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-13
BANNER YEAR FOR ADDING
:. MILES OF BETTER ROADS
Important Movement Is Progressing
Steadily in All Parts OF
the Country.
WAR PROVIDES IMPETUS
widespread Neglect Of American Ma
uon LIS Brought Glaringly to Light
In Many Ways and on Numerous
Occasions.
BY T. L. OWENS.

The present year promises to be a
banner year for good roads. This
movement, the Importance OF which
has been partially understood for,
good many years, progressed steadily,
I'll 1918, when the exigencies Of war
halted its further extension. just as
vances. And yet 1t was the war which
brought home TO US in a degree never
eahce OF The aed oul
ttonal failure to apprchend that sig
Our Widespread neglect was brought
glaringly to light in many ways and
on numerous occasions. Our arter-
les Of commerce' were insufficient in
ton, The astounding results achieved
by the government in helping the al.
lies to save Europe were achieved
by virtue of them. In one instance
when It was decided 10 deliver trains
board under their own power it took
the first group eight days to reach
Pittsburgh. Good roads would have
tory at Chateau -Thiery is said to have
been made possible by the successful
performance Of a motor truck. =, Which sani,;
one to arrive at the front. carrying
$4,000 pounds of ammunition that put
the finishing touches on me A sras hsxn
Shall we lag behind Europe in these
showed the a play
ing with words merely-to the Cniteo
States. Even in spite of the terrible
havoc wrought by the sn Inest of eo horroPs
which can be neither numbered nor
fathomed. that brave little nation main
a system Of highways that will always
be marvel to mankind system.
mark you. not an occasional rodu. y.
vast mesh work. whose strands and
flaments connect almost every CITY
and town and village from the IN aaG Bav
Of Biscay TO the Alps. Our men VINO
have fought in France know TINS ana
they will never rest conten r,,t ShGm md 70
which we had grown lazily accuslo'ieu
prior to the world struggle. t.
the United States. possibly ~ per cent
are paved The other SIS per cent nave
only dirt surface. Add to this the fact
that Of the roads paveo amos arc being
new demands which are being placed
upon them. and It is n as,te piS'" '"A'
Before the war we were perhaps
not fully aware of our inadequate
preparation. In those Gays. II Is senaity
OF s5oi.0o0.ooo year in connection
with the transportation OF suppties
from farm TO market. NoUpuS' d. iAi
as know, has made an attempt 10
cast UP the account since 1919. and
hesitate even to guess at what we are
probably wasting now. with the multi
piied demand first by the need Of feed
ing our allies and nov Of feeding al
most the whole world. The farmer is
not failing; II any one falls IT VIII be
we who do not provide the facilities
that he absolutely must have in order
that he may put this time upon the
business Of raising food. rather than
transferring it from country TO city.
But now improvements are going
forward again. The government OF the
United States-Federal, state and
county-are plaupingEto invest so PEI
cent more in 1919 than has ever been
spent before. and nearly twice as much
as in the year 1917. The enactment Of
the Federal aid road is but one evil
dence of the governments willingness
and determination TO push the matter
as II deserves.
Such development is necessary. Bad
roads must go. They must disappear
in a hurry. Rural express has already
progressed TO gratifying degree. II
Is the duty OF every citizen TO support
every movement that looks to the con-
summation Of all such projects. to
keep his representatives at Washing
ton constantly In mind of his wishes
and to talk up" the subject at every