Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18

WHICH tne Statc highways ShOuiu
| pass. and authorized tho Highway
Commissioner 10 locate and establish
the highway between these points.
Luck ar Engineers.
'On account or lack OF engineers
talI of the engineers of the country
were at that time in France) II WINS
| impossible to make the surveys. or
prepare any plans of estimates for
the work which was contemplat cd.
This situation was not materially re-
lieved until Il few months ago. We
found during the past season a great
deal of difficulty In obtaining engl-
| necrs and inspectors at salaries
which were authorized I'm this State.
and that is still one Of the serious
handicaps which We have TO con-
front.
During the same General Assem-
bly, the department realized that II
we were to accomplish any great
| amount OF highway work In reason
able length OF time. that some broad
| financial plan would have to be
| adopted by the State for the CON
| struction of their State and COUNTY
| highways. We. therefore. prepared
a resolution, amending section 1874
OF the Constitution. which would au-
| thorize the General Assembly TO is
cbS pohpS ipi Putboo IL
| they deemed 1t wise and cxpedient.
| AS you are probably aware an
| amendment to our Constitution re-
| quires approximately four years from
its inception to it's final passage.
AT the same session OF the Gen
eral Assembly they made similar ap-
preparation for State aid to the coun-
ties for the construction of the coun-
~ highway systems.
County Work, Not state Work.
II wish at this point to call your
particular attention to and cmpha
size the fact that up to this time or.
| as n matter of fact. until 1919. all
| of the work and all appropriations
made by the General Assembly for
| road work in the State. and all OF
the money which had been expended.
was TO carry forward highway work
in cooperation with the local road
| authorities. and that no funds had
been appropriated by the State for
purely State highway work, and
| therefore no work done by the State
on any connected system of high
ways. and that the counties OF the
State. with the assistance which had
| been given them from time TO time.
| that is. from 1906 TO 1918, had con-
| structcd many short sections OF high
way, scattered throughout the differ
| cnt counties, agErcgating in all APP
proNimately $500 miles Of more or
less improved roads. emphasize
this point because OF the mistak ell
| impression which seems to obtain in
| the State, that the State. as Il State.
has been constructing highways .or
Il number Of years. The facts, then,
arc that the State has only been
| constructing its roads through the
| II ip hWnv DcnD ri M. m eli
| Federal aid was first available to
all of the States July. 1916. the State
| of Virginia receiving during that year
| 100000. This has been rapidly in
| creased until there Is available from
| the Federal government for the pres
| cnt season approximately $4,000. 900.
and 1t is hoped that the government
Will extend these appropriations at
| about the same figures for the next
| three or four years. There Is at the
| present time bill in Congress which
all of the highway departments OF
the United States have indorsed.
carrying appropriations OF 100000
900 annually. covering fouryear
period.
Federal Appropriations and the War
LAS l have just stated, the Fed
| eral appropriations were not made
1
| after this our country entered the
world war, and practically all high
| way development and highway work
was suspended during the years OF
1917 and 1918. which brought us then
to 1910. when we were brought face
TO face with the necessity of pro-
vidinS funds to match accumulated
Federal funds. There was then avail
able. or to become available during
the years 1920 and 1921. total from
all Federal sources OF s5.4o0.OO0. 4
part OF this fund had already been
provided for. but il was necessary
that steps should be taken by the
State to meet the remainder. This
then. resulted In the calling of a spe-
cial session of the General Assembly
for August. 1919.
This department made a number o,
recommendations to this special ses.
sion:
One OF the chief OF these recon.
mendations was that the General AS
sembly should establish n State High.
way Commission to cooperate will
and assist the Highway Department
in Its work. AS head Of that depart
ment, ! realize that the acts of 1911,
would be exceedingly difficult to ad
minister satisfactorily. therefore
urged on the General Assembly tina
In the establishing and locating O