Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-07-20
GOOD ROADS DEMONSTRATION
Continued from Page One)

take years to bridge this lack of roll
ing. stock. In the mean time, the farm
ers!; merchants and manufacturers are
confronted with either curtailing of
production to meet transporta ion faci
lities, or the development of transpor-
tation, we include the motor truck
which is the only carrier of commerce
that can give relief.
The truck and its party of four left
Alexandria at eight o'clock in the
morning and took route through
Fairfax Courthouse and over the Lees
burg turnpike through Leesburg, and
thence to Middleburg. This road,
which is considered the best through
that section and which all road maps
show as such, was in very poor con-
dition. A heavy storm the day prior.
no doubt, accounted for same. 1t took
four hours and three quarters to
make a trip there that should have
been made in half that time.
On the return route, Little Falls
Turnpike was taken. This road has
very good subsurface, but unfortu-
nately. there was apparently nothing
but subsurface. which made rocky.
tortuous trip. This sixty-foot highway
will make a beautiful road when COM
pleted through rich productive coun-
try.
Middleburg is situated seven miles
from the nearest railroad, The Plains.
It is, therefore, necessary for the
farmers to either make this fourteen
mile round trip and ship direct to the
commission merchants, or sell to the
so-called husksters who canvas this
section and in turn, sell to the COM
mission merchants or retailer in town.
At the present market. the farmer is
securing approximately thirty-eight
cents a dozen for eggs from such peo-
pie. If he hauls them to The Plains
and ships them by freight, it will cost
about twenty-four cents per crate to
send them to Washington, besides his
trip and time he sacrifices. 1t is pro-
blematical when his goods will reach
the commission merchant under the
present railroad situation, rarely un-
der several days. The express rate is
! higher, but there is no guarantee de-
livery in this case. In other words,
the majority Of farmers are. selling
eggs. Chickens etc., to people who
make a business of buying them up
and they, in turn, sell to the whole
sale man, who sells to the retailer. 1t
is a fact that most of these transac-
tions involve three profits other than
the farmers.
At certain seasons, when crops be-
come plentiful, it is almost impossible
to realize that, with the price we pay,
such seasonable products are going to
waste in the fields and on the trees
because of lack of transportation.
This condition prevailed last year be-
tween Alexandria and Winchester
with peaches and apples, and yet, the
high cost of living prevails.
When we have a good highway, such
as IS about to be constructed along
+. this route with the $4,000 allocated,
land the SErn 900 bond 1855. that
7! T..ii::ax Ccu$4itsa viii place before.
tne people. i H@ss acteFy
of commerce With. Qn4vos.
ties to TIE city Of klexo..
further the INDUSTRIAL, econaaic.e.
social expansion of this eli
lit will not be until therl that INC
full proportions of ship by truck will
be felt, as it is being retared wholly
on account of the highways. Mr..
Longworth is centering his Energy on
the situation and assisting materially
in furthering the good roadlssue that
Virginia may rival her siste' states in
the Ship by Truck movement.
AN of the party are enthusiastic
over the results of the triL and the
possibilities and what the fuure holds
for Alexandria from that SETON, to-
gether with the development of this
southern trans-continental oute, the
Lee Highway. Mr.. Coffey vas COM
plimented by all the membes of the
party on the performance ofthe Gar
ford truck over the adverse :oad con-
ditions.