Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-06-24
VIRGINIA ROADS RAPED
BY AUTO CLUB OFFICIAL
No Sign Post Needed. Wells De-
clarcs, to Advise IT :clcr He
Has Crossed Line.
CAR DEALERS HERE AGREE
Highway Association Secretary Says
IL Is Because Of Such Conditions
That Body Urges Issuance OF
state Bonds.

Circulars setting forth the deplor-
Sihla ar" now being distributed
throughout the. United states by tn.
bureau OF Tours Of the Automobile
Club Of America. the first Of which
was received in Richmond yesterday
-. NJ Wells. chief rondman Of tho
organization. sketches the conditions
OF roads in the Eastern and Southern
Coast states and pays high tribute to
Maryland. Delaware and tho District
Of Columbia.
Speaking OF the road situation in
Virginia. Mr.. Wells had the follow
ing to say:
From the Maryland line To Cape
Charles there is a stretch % seventy
miles Of poor dirt roadway. all in
Virginia. I; is never necessary TO
erect 4 sign 10 inform motorists when
they cross the Virginia line. Those
who are familiar with road Condi-
tinns throughout this State can tell
Immediately. night or day. when tho
state line is crossed. for no other
Commonwealth in tho East pays so
little attention To public roads The
result OF this neglect is plainly seen
In the contrast between the Virginia
end of the peninsula and thu Mary
land Delaware section.
Pretty Homes ON Every Side.
From both Wilmington and I:ikton
south. through Delaware and Mary
land. all the way Ia I'ucomokc City.
the countryside is a blanket OF beau
,iful green. tho villages are bright
with pretty homes and wcll-kcpt
lawns. the farm lands are in a good
state Of cultivation ana evidences uf
progressive and thrifty population
are apparent on every side.
"ln Virgin from Iocnmokc C.r--
down t" Cape Charles. III" soil is
| fertile and productive. and the farm
lands seem Ia enjoy :, fair measure ct
prosperity. bat the roads arc deep
| with dust and tho foli-.c along the
| way looks dinEy and unattractivc.
The very conditions to which the
| Automobile club OF America refers
| have PROMPTED the Virginia Good
| Roads Association 10 conduct it's cam
| paign 20" the issuance Of state
| bonds. as the association does not be-
| l;.vc that IL will Ice avaiiabl" to pro-
| vide adequate funds FOR the needed
| construction nf State highways n
pointed out by -. NJ Wells in any
ether way" commented V. H. l.. Rob
inSon. executive secretary OF the Viz
sinia Good Roads Association las
night.
| Gives Road Money Figures.
1T is estimated" he continued
| that il viii require from sixteen t'
| eighteen years, or longer. To complete
the stat system OF $500 miles oocr'
atinr under IN" present plan "'
financing anG with IL continuation OF
| the present sources of revenue. I'm
der the present legislation. NirS mi;
j. only certain OF the proceeds OF The
mill tax. estimated at $i.60o.ono. one
| third Of the automobile tax, amount
| ing Ia 500. 00o and the convict labor
| G00.ooO for the construction of tho
| state highway system. should CON
gross continue the S:,ooo.000 aIpro-
| printion as Federal aid and the Gen
| crai Assembly appropriate tn" same
| amount Of 100000, Virginia would
,Ily have S5.30o. 600 for ih, constr
| tion of the state highway. This
amount is wholly inadequate. ii
| Virginia keeps pace woth the road
| construction program OF the other
states. 10 say nothing of overcoming
the handicap which Maryland. West
Virginia ana North Carolina has over
Virginia in roads already construct
ed"
Several prominent automobile deal,
crs OF this city stated yesterday that
the facts as set forth by the Auto
mobile club Of America are thor
ouGhly in accordance with their
views. One said that. while the roads
mere now IN a terrible state, they
have improved wonderfully during
the past three years.