Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18
Good Roads, Telephones and Auto
mobiles Three Factors in For
ward Movement.
REMOVE RURAL ISOLATION
Famous Valley Turnpike Furnishes
Example Of What Rural Life Will
he When Improved Highways IN
tend Throughout Virginia. .
by &. II. Weber,
Division Manager, the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company OF
Virginia
by e.. II. Weber,

Virginia.
Rural life in Virginia is on the
threshold OF the greatest development
II has probably ever known. The
three principal factors In the for
ward movement will be the tele-
phone. improved road and motor
truck. They will all be equally i'm
portant IN the progressive era into
which the State is entering.
They eliminate distance. That Is
their great and outstanding value.
With his farm on good road, the
farmer will only be several hours
away from the city by automobile,
and not as he once was-a days
journey by wagon over a stretch OF
mud or sand. by courtesy called
road.
The farmer In the new order of
things will be able To step to the
telephone and call the town or city
nearest him. In the short space of
time required 10 make the connec-
tion, he will have eliminated miles
OF distance and perhaps hours OF
time lie can transact his business
quickly and efficiently with the mar
kct centers.
City DwcIicrs benefit Also.
This Is not II prophecy. It is being
done in a number OF States now and
success is following the alliance OF
the telephone. highway ana automo-
bile. CITY dwclicrs should not over
look the fact that this arrangement
assures fresh supply OF farm prod
ucts for them At lower prices than
would prevail If longer and more
costly shipments had to be made.
In the new order. farm life Is made
more attractive and profitable. Be
cause Virginia is primarily an ngri
cultural state, stress should be laid
on this point. The tendency In the
past has been TO forsake Virginia
farms for the cities. But in the COM
ing era OF the good road, motor We
hiclc and wider use OF the telephone
in rural sections. this undesirable
exodus will not only be checked, but
the tide should turn and result In q
return 10 the farm of no mean pro-
portions.
establishments Of rural motor cx
press lines will be a factor In making
farm life both more profitable and at
tractivc. And il must be both be-
cause the state and nation are de-
pendent on farm production for their
existence. Rural motor express lines
operating between the towns and
cities OF the State Will make the
farmers gate his freight station and
shipping point.
Scenes on valley Turnpike.
These lines will collect the farm
products along the way and take them
10 market. On the return trip the
farmer can have sent to him from the
city the things he needs that the
crossroads store canno, furnish.
Such lines are being successfully
operated now in the Valley section of
Virginia over the famous Valley
on this highway, the best in the
State, to see largo motor trucks
loaded with milk. fruit and other
farm produce. Good roads have
helped to make the valley the fines;
farming section in Virginia.
Use Of the telephone aids the farm
or living on the rural meter express
lines. He can talk directly 10 the
commission merchant and give him
detailed instructions on srl!iIg his
consignment Of produce. Shcaid the
commission house be In d"uh, about
completing Il sale ut the prize Of
fcrcd. il can call the farmer over his
telephone and secure his confirmation
or refusal. This Is n good i!ustra-
ton of the great part the telephone
nays In the farmers marketing prob
lens.
For this and many othcr reasons,
the farm telephone will he taken
more seriously in the future ;han il
has been in the past. IT has been the
butt of great many humorous
thruStS on account OF the listening
in" which has been done SO widely
on the party lines and the resulting
gossip set in motion. When 1t is
realized that this is only an unim-
portant aspect OF he farm telephone
and that its real value results from
its function in eliminating distance
ana long trips, and in knitting rural
dwcllcrs more closely together, II
Will be more widely appreciated in
rural sections. Each coming year
Will witness heightened appreciation
of the service IL only can render.
Removes Feeling OF Isolation.
1t Is essential that those living on
Farms feel that they are not hone
lessly Isolated. This feeling Of isola-
ton has driven many from the farms.
especially the younger people who are
30 badly needed to carry on the work