Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-12-04
'Trinkle Forwards
Facts and Figures
Sends Of Letter To Every Member
Of Virginia Legislature Explain
ing Stand.

Richmond, Va, Dec. 4-Facts and
figures bearing on the present status
Of the State road building situation
are contained in a letter which Cow
ernor Trinkle has mailed to every
member of the General Assembly Of
Virginia with reference to the pro-
posal for the Legislators to meet in
extra session to consider ways and
means of providing additional funds
for the carrying out Of the road build
ing program.
No request was made for an ex-
preston of opinion as to what each
legislator thinks of the ACCESSIBILITY of
having an extra session, nCr were
they asked to express their prefer
ence for bond issue or the so-called
pay as you go" plan, but there was
enclosed with each letter priE+ed
copy of the Governors recent state
ment on the extra session question
which he concluded as follows:
Il want to state | am still willing
to call an extra session of the Gen
eral Assembly for a bond isue, pro-
Vided the request comes to me from
substantial majority of the members
Of the General Asmebly by December
Is, 1922, and by a substantial major
ity, mean a safe working majority
sufficient to meet the hazards of
legislative body, or / am willing to
call an extra session of the General
Assembly for the purpose Of raising
temporary funds for 1928, or for the
purpose of providing funds for pay
as you CO." provided a substantial
majority of the members Of the Gen
eral Assembly request the call of the
same for either one of the plans.
For the information Of the public
| might state that under the Consti-
tuition the General Assembly can con-
vene on application of two-thirds of
the members of both Houses and
when in session can consider any mat
ter they desire"
The letter to the legislators pointed
out that the State highway system
covers approximately 1000 miles and
that 1882 miles of the system have
been already constructed and COM
pleted. 1t also shows that 371.26 ad-
ditional miles of the system have been
resurfaced and put in good condition,
while 1926 miles of new road are
under contract with funds provided
for payment Of the work. Further,
54.31 miles previously graded have
been adopted into the State highway
system and will only have to be re-
surfaced, but no funds are available
for this purpose. New funds avail
able for 1928 construction work were
itemized as follows:
One mill tax, S1,7OO,0OO; Federal
Government funds, $971,000; State
appropriation, 100000; value of con-
vict labor, $4,000; total, $3,215,000.
incidentally, it was pointed out that
the Federal money is only available
when like amount is supplied by the
State from time to time, and that the
mill tax will not be available until
about December /, 1923.
That the State Highway Depart
ment is prepared TO spend upward of
100000 a year and that it's force
will have to be reduced if a fund
around tnlS inquire IS not dVdlldDle
was stressed. In this connection the
letter stated:
This department, since Chairman
Shirley came into Office, has been
thoroughly reorganized and is now on
a working basis and prepared to ex-
pend, with the exception of a few ad-
ditional engineers and clerks who
would have to be added, around S15,-
0G0,000 year. Of course, if the fund
is not available then the chairman will
have to reduce this force as much as
possible, but this cannot be done in
proportion to the reduction in the
amount of funds available under the
Sl5,000,000, as there are many of
these expenses which will remain Just
the same, and Mr. Shirley tells me
that by being able to work his force
and not disrupt his organization and
being able to call for larger contracts
he feels he could save from 10 to -
per cent on the cost of road construc-
ton.