Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-21
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eS. The bulk OF TINS money came
fro mtolls under the pay-as-you
30 plan.
Now the Valley pike has been
given back to the State to be
made a part of the State high
way system, and this has been
done after the Valley People
have contributed through tolls
over Sl,000,OO0 for its reconstruct
ton and for bituminous oil
binder to meet automobile traf-
tic demands. And the State in
return for its original investment
of 100000 has received property
worth from 100000 to S.
100000, OF eight times larger.
"in other sections of Virginia
do so well with the money adj
varced them for public improve
ments out of the old public i'm
provement bond issue By the
State. The Valley pike has the
distinction of joining with the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac Railroad and returning
the orr anal Observation-Disclosures
and interest for 80 years at for
more than 6 per cent.
Now we come to the Berry
Vile Turnpike Company, Of which
| am president. That is -
mile stretch of oil surfaced ma
cadam road running from Win
chester to the Shenandoah river
through Berlyville. The origi-
nal cost Of that road was S37,500.
The State put up $4,000, or l.
900 a mile. Charles Mccormick,
Dawson Mccormick, Frances Me-
Cormick, Col. Treadwell Smith,
Col. Josiah Ware, Col. Jacqueli'
Smith and other pre-Ciyil W
planners and business men pur gp
the rest. Tollgates were Is ~
lished. and whenever diyid' as
were declared. the State got ! Is.
Let me say here that b
turnpike, as well as the turnpita
leading from Berryville to CDarl-
es Town and thence to Harp
Ferry into Maryland, was p
tically destroyed during the c..
War. 1t had to be rebuilt, Boz.
in that rebuilding process trc
State never gave cent. 'Nt
automobile came along about I.
wears ago, and the directors
the company gave their notes
buy oil for an oil binder. Tot
we have a highway which
State of Virginia cannot bu
for less than 100000. Has
States money been mistreated
this road? | think we nave !.
served her investment instead.
The stretch of turnpike frow
Berryville to the West Virgin a
line has recently been turned oy
10 the State a, a part of its st;
highway system by Clarke coun
What's the history of that? T.
close of the Civil War fou
that road in fearful condtio
The State, which owned two-lft
of il, told Clarke county she cou
have it if she maintained
Clarke took over the road, has
spent severa! hundred thousand
dollars on it, which her citizens
largely paid in tolls, and today it
is a splendid piece of Outbound
macadam roadway. And Clarke
county gave it back to the State
without a penny of compensation
after rebuilding it and laying the
expensive oil binder.
The people of Clarke-that is,
the holders OF the stock in the
Wildwood and BerryviIle turnpike
and the Winchester and Berrys
Ferry pikc-have also turned
over their rights to the state in
these roads. after improving them.
1t is true that some Of these roads
need Improvement, but their beds
are as solid rs rock and it will
not cost the State heavily to put
them in fine condition.
Therefore, | say we people Of
the Valley have taken good care
of the moneys advanced US for
roads. We. have done more; we
have increased the original invest
mert many fold and then return
ed it - tho old Mother.
I'VE are sincere when we say
highways can be built ON a pay
as-you-go plan. We believe IL
can be done on three-cent g&so-
line tax basis, because we rebuilt
and have maintained our roads
by means of toll gates. and the
toll gate is another name for the
gasoline tax.
Attention was directed 20 the
heavy outlay Of taxes and tolls
some Of these Valley counties
have contributed toward roads.
Clarke county was taken as an
illustration. All the main arteries
in this county were at one time
toll roads. three Of them heing
-taken over last fall by the State