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

inendcd That the Highway Commits
| sion. in cooperation with the COM
| missioner. should allocate all funds
appropriated and designate where the
I money was TO be expended each year.
These suggestions. together with Il
number OF others. were Incorporated
Into the State Highway Commission
law.
The chairman of the Highway
Commission liz to give you an outline
of the operation OF the commission.
This assembly. In order to meet
| the Federal appropriations. set aside
| onc-t third OF the automobile funds.
and increased the special road levy
from threc-tcnths OF Il mill to
mill. these funds to be used In the
| construction OF the State highway
system. They increased tho appro-
printions for the participation of the
state In the construction OF the
| county highway systems from $780,
| 900 to 100000. making these various
funds available for the work OF 1920.
There was also passed by the spe-
cial session hill which gives TO a
| county. district. person. or corpora
| ton the right to anticipate the con-
| struction of a section or sections. OF
| the state highway system. empower
| Ing the State Highway Commission
| to enter into contract with these par
ties for the return OF these funds.
without interest to the state, as the
appropriations are made by the Gem
cral Assembly and the ALLEGATIONS by
| the Highway Commission.
1T Is interesting to note that n
number OF counties and districts. and
| In some instances private parties
have been awaiting themselves or this
right under the law. and that at the
present time we have entered into
number OF contracts and have sew
| eral more under consideration.
Drawbacks In 1920.
This then brings us TO the year
| 1920. which was started out with
| the fond expectation that 81 was TO
| DC banner year in highway work.
We very early in the season, however.
realized that materials were difficult
| 10 obtain and that labor was almOss
an unknown quantity. We succeeded.
however. in getting few cont acts
! under WAY In the early spring. when
we were brought up with n sudden
| jolt by priority orders Of the Inter
| state Commerce Commission. which
prohibited the shipping OF road ma
terials over the railroads OF the State.
In other words. the Interstate Com
| riercc Commission told us that
| while the railroads were incapable OF
| handling the transportation Of the
country. that highway Transports
| ton was noncssential
| The department, together with the
| contractors who had undertaken
| work In the state. struggled along
| under these difficulties, using, where.
ever possible, local materials, in an
! effort To give some relief To the pco-
pie OF the state. The ban on the
| transportation of highway materials
| was not lifted by the Interstate Com
| ncrcc Commission until late In the
| fall. when II was too late tn accom-
| Ilish very great deal In highway
| construction. These orders issued by
the Interstate Commerce Commits q ion
Were ostcnsibiy TO relieve the coal
| situation. Sections of This State arc
| practically without coal today, and
except that the Lord has been kind
to us In the weather He has sent
there would have been great suffer
| ing. We have also paid Unheard- of
| prices for the coal we have gotten
| In addition to this these priority
orders OF the Interstate Commerce
| Commission cost the States unneccs-
| sary millions In their highway work
| These then are the conditions un :
| der which We have been operating
| ana as Drief an outline OF the work
| OF the department from its organi-
| cation up To date, as possible.
Revolution mud Changes.
| IL would ask you to stop here long
| enough to consider for Il minute III,
| conditions through which this coun-
try has been passing during the last
! two years. we have really been in
the throcs OF the greatest revolu-
tion that the world has ever known;
| fortunately for us a very peaceful
one. bu; nevertheless. revolution
| which has brought about II great
many radical changes in the genera
living conditions Of this country. and
these conditions we who carry on
small or large operations must bt
prepared to meet. and to adjust tho
work which we are doing to them.
I'VE have then reached this poin
In our highway development w.
know full we'll that following out tn,
present financial plan. which ha.
been made for the construction O.
the highways of the State, that W,
would take approximately eighteen
years to construct the mileage al
laid out by the Legislature and b,
the counties of the State
80.OOO Majority for Amendment.
"Since the election in November