Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18
WADE /. MAss|E TELLS
OF COMMISSIONS WORK
Every Section OF State Visited.
Find Varying Conditions Rcla-
tive TO Roads.
MARKERS FOR HIGHwA Ys
One Hundred Traffic Officers on
Duty and Traffic Regulations for
Protection OF Roads and Public
Arc I'm Effect.

Addressing the Virginia Good Roads
Association In convention at Roam
-oke last January. Wade II. Massie,
chairman OF the State Highway Com
mission. spoke on the work that com
mission had accomplished He said
In part:
The subject assigned to me is no
longer a new one. In discussing this
subject "a, our last annual meeting. /
tried to explain to you the duties
imposed upon the Highway Commits
sion and the law governing our work.
Now l suppose you are more interest
ed In knowing just what we have
done. what we have accomplished
Immediately after We organized the
commission. the State Highway Com
missioner presented us with his al
location of the funds available for
the years 1920 and 1921. AS the law
provides. we called public hearing
10 discuss this important question,
this hearing was held I'm the Senate
Chamber OF the Capitol. was largely
attended. and discussed by Interested
citizens from every section of the
State And while We have more
money to spend for road construction
than ever before In the history OF
the state. We were not able to con-
meet W. as many of the gaps and pro-
vide through roads across the State
Doth north. south. east and west as
we would like to have done
VIC hope for better things Mt our
next ALLEGATION. which will DO made
Immediately after the next Lcgisla.
ture puts into effect the voice OF the
people In the November election
namely the bond issue
VISIT All Sections Of Stnte
The state Highway Commission is
composed OF five members one from
each OF the five grand divisions OF
the state. When we were appointed
we were familiar with the roads and
conditions In our own immediate sec
tion. hut none of us were familiar
with the varying conditions of the
whole system We find every variety
OF soil. from the sands Of the Eastern
Shore. the red clay hills OF Middle
virginia To tho mountains and lime
stone OF the Valley and the South
west We also find every variety Of
road. from soil and sand clay to
gravel. macadam and concrete In
order 10 familiarze and inform our
selves with the varying conditions,
and In order To give the citizens OF
the State an opportunity to present
their claims and troubles 10 us In
their own towns and communities. we
have visited many sections of the
state one OF the first trips of any
length was over No. .. from Rich
mond through Charlottesville to
stanton. thence over No 3 to
Lexington and Roanoke where we
were met by delegation. many Of
whose faces. j see, are familiar in
this audience. Thence over No. 10 10
Pulaski where a large gathering
greeted us and where delegation
from Hillsvilie was waiting to take
us 10 Hillsville and GalaS Large
ana enthusiastic meetings were held
at both OF these towns. Thence
to Wythcvil!e for road meeting.
where we met the people OF wythe
and large delegation from Bland
County; on over No. 10 through
Marion and Abingdon to- Bristol,
where we were met by Henry Good
Roads" Roberts and number Of
good roads boosters. thence to Gate
City. Joncsville and TO Cumberland
Gap. back by way of Big Stone Gap.
through Russell and Tazewell Coun-
ties TO Graham. Glenlyn. PearisburG
and Blackburg. At all OF these places
large and enthusiastic road meetings
were held. and back to Richmond
by way of Roanoke and Lynchburg
" hiop tooh ~ tHe Eastern
Shore and to Southside Virginia. be-
sides numerous short trips TO various
sections OF the State.
Maintenance Important.
On these trips we were impressed
with the Importance OF maintaining
the roads already built, and to this
end we have adopted and put into Eff
feet traffic regulations TO protect the
roads. and for the safety OF the trav-
cling public. These regulations have
met with some adverse criticism from
the owners OF large trucks and from
lumber men, but have done a lot to
protect the roads. We have appointed
about 100 traffic officers. in fact the
whole Highway Department from
maintenance foreman all the way up
to the assistant commissioner. Some
Of these have been very efficient: the
first two weeks after this regulation
went into effect. one officer in one
county sent In several hundred dol
lars worth of applications for licenses
and tags.
The present speed laws are very in
adequate. II Is impossible to enforce
them. there is hardly an automobiles