Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-27
GOOD HIGHWAYS is
BURNING QUESTION
IN MIND OF PEOPLE
These Are Called For by
Rapid Development Of
Motor Vehicles.
BELIEVES VIRGINIA SLOW
IN ROAD DEVELOPMENT
Average Citizen Does Not .Ap-
preciate Importance OF Finan-
cial and Moral Support.
ny &. WATSON JAMES. III.

ny &. WATSON JAMES. JR.
tRcnd before the annunl meeting
nf the SON, of the Revolution In tue
state Of NirgInin. uf which the author
j. hiS,orinn.l
one OF the burning questions which
IL engaging tac minds OF the ma
lion today Is the need OF good roads.
The high development OF the motor
car and tr9sk as l'nms oi ''nNs san a
ton Unparalleled in the history OF
The world. II has long been my hum
bic belief that Virginia mas hsen en-
building. although no, from n"
standpoint Of the State eng sneerinS
force but the avcraE" citizen mas nov
appreciated the Importance OF Hhah
tie movement and that very few are
familiar with the heritage OF TINS
grand Did Commonwealth in the re-
sprct OF interra! improvements.
Almost century and half before
George n. Seldom. 1879. applied ior
paten. designed to cover the use OF
intcrna combustion engines us
means or propcllins road vehicles;
George Washington was dreaming OF
I. system OF Internal navigation. Ihe
phases Of WaShinEton's life rs j gen
oral, politicjau aud chief executive
have been stressed 10 such - degree
tina; amy remarks upon MIN ~ thls
particular would not only DC super
nuous hut extremely boring. ask
v"u now however. TO glance for a
few moments Mt one angie Of his life.
which 10 mo is repirte with romano"
ana unusual interest; and one That
sheds light perhaps upon what was
MS greatest service 10 bis country
and particularly lbs native state
prescn; washington the Easinecr
for your brief consideration.
Eorcrunnrr or Civilization.
The engineer is the prelude 10 civ
!jizatiou. Romance and stern reality
hover over him like guardian angels.
He ~ the steel point 10 IN" batter
the door of the wilderness. II the
wilderness is immutahlr. ~ II offers
resistance, lie hattcrs open the door
that bars his way. He must hc Il
,ransccndlag glory. The silrnce OF
vast space, the roar -ot the torrent
and TIN" fury az the tempest are his
constant compAnions. To bend ma
turc to his viii he must anaiySizc
aud syrthesize; he must 'nvc her cap
r.crs in order finally - conquer her.
Above all. III. engineer must be :.
seer. No engineer without a broad
vision. "A foresight Of ntiy years or
even century deserves = place in
the houorcd profession. The engineer
harnesses tile almost unlimited pow
ser OF hydr"stateS, lie girds the cor
tiacnts wl;n steel arteries OF travel.
He horcs through the solid rocks Of
tn. fgownng mountains and when tn"
sweeping hordcs Of commerce advance
20 reap the harvest OF his labors IL
steps back into the rank and Very
often into oblivion.
Nations do not raise monuments 10
engineers. There is believe. one
case Of such recognition On record.
Tin" warm Latin Temperament Of the
cuban nation having shown Its gr9; :
:tuG" to the great Spanish .cnSin"er
Abrar. VINO gave liayaaa its unc
waisrwo-ks. THIS monument Il IA good
TA" TX , 81 sGu!iE ,,, ana ca" 's see"
II Is Very c.-tn'- That had not tho
crisis IN the American colonies
brought WashiuGton into The fore
successful prosecution OF the War foi
Independence made him our nntionaI
ngurc he would have never been
Known 10 pcstcr!ty for his remark
att" vision "a al engineer and patron
81 useful arts.
Not Truc Picture.
!cm"Iaher very distinctly in my
history OF Virginia studied at schoo
there Was a picture OF Washington
"s surveyor. believe he wa,
trtus3t : more misleading jlluStrn
ti0u 10 th" youthful mind could hard,
~ he Imagined, Tor when he Tough
way tHrpuGh the wilderness OF Tia,
fas:sa% lie carried. not tAr prrscoto,
fraiaii az today with its vertical are
sh-po@crcd lens Had steady sr.ppC
hNt TIE quincy surH"yUrs soH.It,s
Two Ncrttegi pncp sights. HE d.i 10
oak. iis RECONNAISSANCE" with In
Af.tnpid barometer ~ useful lNil
loea level. In snort. nothing tina
.Ots 1" MAKE TIP tho equipment q
tue modern engineering corp. eAccp
perhaps, a traditional iudomttan!c IL
termination 70 carve progress out 6
The prliucNal wlG,rncSs witch ia
- q ~. IA ft.... il IND 81