Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-21
Valley Has Pay-As-Y oil
Go Sentiment To-
ward Roads
LET USERS PAY
Section Containing States
Best Roads is Unalter-
ably Opposed to Pro-
posed Bond Issue.
By JOHN r. GROWN
IN Baltimore SHW.

strong sentiment in the Valley o.
Virginia against the proposed
$50, 600 900 road bond issue is
founded upon the valleys past eX-
nerience that main arteries OF
well-built roads can be construed
ed upon pay as you 90 plan
without bonds. 1t is not founded
upon the selfish theory that snc
has roads and wishes to cS ape
helping other sections OF the Stat
to get roads.
On the other hand, the valley
favors and is willing 10 pay a
three-cent gasoline tax to assist
the rest of Virginia in building
highways. because she regards
such tax as the modern SubStl-
tut for tol!gates and { ollgates
have been the outstanding means
which she financed the reconstruc-
tion and maintenance Of her mlir
arteries of motor and vehicuial
travel on a pay as YOU go basis
This. in a nutshell. is the ans
wer that the Valley of Virginia
makes to the charge often made in
Eastern Virginia cities and some
of the counties that she is retafd-
ing the road building program in
this State by her opposition T.
the proposed bond issue.
This summary Of the sentime"
was given by Province McCor-
mick. the 76-year-c!d presidcn,
and manager of the BerryviIie
Turnpike Company, one Of the
few remaining tol!roadS in Viz
einia, which the directors are
willing to turn over to the Stat
: whenever the State wants It as
part of its highway system. Mr..
McCormick's father preceded him
as one of the officials OF the cou-
panv and the former has deYoteo
almost his lifetime to study OF
highways.
THE people of the Eastern cit
les misunderstood our attitude anG
our viewpoint" said Mr.. McCor-
mick. veteran of the COnfcder
ate army and an old-time Virgin
ian. eve are not trying in our
opposition to the bond issue to
block Eastern Virginia from get
ting roads.
ION the other hand, years Of
experience in road construction
have taught US that main arter-
les of highways can be constructed
and maintained on a pay-as-you-
90 plan. and we are only lighting
for what we have found to be a
tested and practical policy Right
here lcI me say in behalf %
State Senator Byrd, leader Of
the non-bond forces. that he
knows by experience as president
Of the old Valley turnpike That
highways can be built and main
tanned without bonds. He re
built and maintained the oily Al
10y pike out OF tolls, and the
eosoline tax is another name 10"
tolleates. The gasoline tax eX=
acts a charge from every motor
ist who uses the roads and the
tongate did the same thing And
the people who use the roads
should help pay for them Just
as YOU have to pay when YOU
travel on the railroad.
, oct us 20 into history Of The
old turnpikes or tollroads in the
valley. First take the Valley
pike. It was projected in 1880.
It's original cost was around $500
COO, of which amount 100000
was taken by the State in stock,
the money being advanced from
Virginia's early bond issues Tor
public improvements. The residue
was subscribed by citizens and
business men of the VALLEY. In
the so years of the life Of the
road only one small dividend was
declared.
"The State got its dividend
then. The people living here dId
not want dividends; they wanted
good road and they were willing
to forego dividends in order that
the road might be improved. APP
proximately $2,OOO,Oo0 has been