Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-06-22


purposes, but also because he had, while
in Europe several years ago, given at
tention to the means of transportation
for European armies and the character
of the territory over which it would
be necessary in time of war for them
to travel.
"The roads," he said to a New York
Herald correspondent, "are not to be
built primarily for military purposes,
though, of course, they would be val-
liable in case of emergency. They will
be of immense benefit to the people OF
the country, for those who ride wheels,
for those who use automobiles and To-
comobiles, and as well for the farmers
whose lands border on them.
Because of the great commercial i'm
portance of New York and San Fran
CISCO" Gen. Miles continued, sit seems
to me that they should be the two
points which should be the termini of
the cross country highway. 1t has
been a serious question as to whether
New York, Philadelphia or Washington
should be the starting point. By rea-
son of it's central position and the fact
that it is the center of wealth and COM
merce, I have come to the conclusion
that New York should be given this
honor. The next question to consider
Is what cities shall be connected by the
road. How far south shall it go? How
far north? 1t has been suggested that
Richmond should be it's southern term
mus, but am not sure of this. 1t might
be advisable to even go further south
perhaps as far as St. Augustine. Then,
starting northeasterly from New York
the road should connect important
cities of Connecticut, Rhode Island
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Yer.
mont and Maine.
'In New York state, it should follow
the natural course, passing through
Albany and the great central cities OF
the state to Buffalo. including SYRIA
euse, Rochester and Niagara Falls
The road should pass through Erie
Pa; Cleveland and Toledo. o.; Adrian
and Coldwater, Mich; Elkhart and
South. Bend, Ind, and from Chicago
should connect Davenport, Des Moines
and Council Bluffs, Ia; should pass
through Omaha, Lincoln and Hastings
Neb., and crossing the Rocky noun
tains, should touch Denver, Salt Lake
City and Sacramento, and have its west
ern terminus at San Francisco. From
San Francisco there should be diverg-
ing roads north and south, the former
having its terminus at Seattle Wash.
and the latter its terminus at Los An.
geles."
Gen. Miles said that consideration
had been given to the question of the
cost of the road.
while the highway will be national
In character" he continued, at does
not necessarily follow that congress
must appropriate the money necessary
to build it. The legislatures of the sew
eral states through which the roads
pass can enact laws appropriating
money for the construction and main
tenance of the roads within the boun-
aries of their respective states, the
termini to connect with the highway
built in the adjoining states. Thus the
maintenance of the road would be a
matter of state as well as national
pride. and, besides adding to the at
tractiveness of the country, would be OF
general benefit to the state and its in.
habitants. In several sections of the
country there are roads already con-
structed which could form part of the
general system, and. wherever possible,
these have been introduced in the plans
thus far perfected"