Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-02
VIRGINIA GOVERNOR
FOR BETTER ROADS,
Byrd's Program Endorsed at
y, Meeting of II County
Is Highway Boards.

Enthusiastic support was given by
representatives of II county road
boards to recommendations by Gov.
Harry f. Byrd and State Highway
Commissioner Henry G.. Shirley for
better cooperation between the State
and county road authorities in build
ing a unified system of highways
throughout the State at the annual
brush meeting" in Purcellville, Va,
yesterday.
The brush meeting" celebrated its
fiftieth anniversary, and gathering
of more than 1000 residents of Lou.
doun County and the entire northern
Virginia, including more than 100 del
egates from the road boards of the II
counties, who sat on the platform. re-
sponded to Gov Byrd'S appeal. This
was the first of series of five
regional meetings to be held through.
out the State. 1t was emphasized that
the building and maintenance of good
roads Is the one public problem in
which the people are most interested.
Counties Represented.
Representative Moore, in whose
congressional district the meeting was
held, occupied a seat on the platform
next to the governor and conferred
with State and county authorities.
i
clude Shenandoah, Frederick, Clark,
Warren, Page, Madison, Orange,
Louisa, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, STAFF
ford, Fauquier, Prince William, Fair.
fax, Arlington, Loudoun and Kappa
hammock.
Gov. Byrd outlined the program Of
co-operation-the State to furnish
engineering advice free to the county
boards on request; the State to set up
a central purchasing agency through
which road machinery and materials
could be bought cheaper in large guam
titles and under expert test regarding
quality; the State to build and main
tain a demonstration road in each
county in a challenge to the county
authorities to match it for efficient
construction and economical mainte-
nance: reorganization of the county
road laws to bring the county and
State systems into a co-ordinated and
unified development. Above all, closer
and friendly cooperation between the
bodybuilding authorities in adjoining
counties and with the State Highway
Commission was urged.
State Highway Commissioner Shir-
ley explained in detail how from ex-
pert study the State engineers can
give money-saving advice to the
county authorities to prevent the vast.
ing OF their road funds on improper
or inadequate machinery, regarding
the best types of roads to be built
along each stretch and to see that
they get the quality of oils and other
bodybuilding material that they nav
Tor. He advised that a well qualified
engineer be placed in charge of road
building in each district and empha-
sized that adjoining counties should
cooperate in the use of expensive road
machinery and that such machinery.
WIN 80 per cent depreciation, should
not be allowed to remain idle.
He thought the State authorities
might be able to work out a plan
Tor renting such machinery periodi-
caIiy at cost to the various smaller
counties that could not afford to own
II. He insisted that once or twice
year was not sufficient to make
road repairs, but that it was in
nnitely cheaper to keep them in con-
dition all the time.
Financing Is Discussed.
The method of financing Virginia's
road building program was discussed
at length by both Gov. Byrd and
commissioner Shirley. 1t was shown
that there are $1,000 miles of public
roads and that the State system
comprises $500 miles on the extern
sion of which the present admins
tration has been making great
progress.
Gov. Byrd also explained how he
intends to reduce taxes without cut
ting down on the funds for educa-
ton and other necessary public
expenditures. Approval of the gov
ernor's program was voiced by
spokesman for each of the II coun-
ties. State Senator O'Connor paid a
glowing tribute to the administration
Of Gov. Byrd.
The Purcellville Chamber Of Com
merce was host and provided a fried
chicken luncheon. The big Four"
Quartet of Loudoun County sang an
original and jocular greeting to Gov.
Byrd, Commissioner Shirley, Repre-