Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-08

miles. the road is very rough and one
cannot helm but regret that the highway
to one of the greatest places Of interest
in the country should be no neglected.
"On the battlefield of Gettysburg the
roads were built and are maintained py
the national government and, needless 10
saw. are In perfect condition, just as they
are on Missionary Ridge and the other
national reservations where the nation
has undertaken road building.
BAD ROADS TO VALLEY PIKE.
ION leaving Gettysburg, on the morning
of the third day of our trip, we had
rather rough going for ten or nfteen
miles and then we came on good macad-
am road which lead us through Waynes-
boro, Hagerstown and Shepherdstown to
winchester, Va, where we came to the
famous Shenandoah valley pike, over
which we travelled another ninety-hve
miles to Staunton. over more than two
thirds of the distance from Gettysburg
to Staunton, we paid toll at the rate OF
from three to five cents a mile.
''Our run from Staunton to Roanoke.
a distance of ninety-three miles, was
made under very severe conditions. The
roads had Just been ploughed and were
drying I'D from a hard rain Of two days
before The soil was just of a consisten-
cy which allowed the wheels of the car
to sink nearly to the hubs and 1t was just
stiff enough to make very hard pulling.
Added to this the going was mainly up
hill, with the result that II took much
more power to negotiate these roads than
was necessary on any other part OF the
Journey. 1t was on this leg of the trip,
from Staunton to Roanoke, that We went
through several fords where the water
was up to level of our fioor-boards.
AS TO VIRGINIA ROADS.
From Roanoke to Danville we had
what could be called a fair dirt road
and this stretch. of a hundred and seven
teen miles should offer no particular diff
culties. The same may be said Of the
stretch between Danvile and the state line
of Virginia and North Carolina. 1t must
be understood, however, that the roads in
Virginia. south of Staunton, were not
laid out with reference TO the require
ments of automobile traffic. For exam
pie, some of the sharp turns in the road
may be all right for a horse and buggy
but they are hardly suited for machine
with a ten-foot wheel-base. Then, too
the water brakes may be very convenient
places for Dobbin to rest on his way VI
hill but they sorely try the temper OF
both passengers and car unless covered
at a very slow pace.
1.-The North Carolina roads, almost
without exception. are good. Those in
Mecklenburg and CASTOR counties, partic-
ularIy, are all that the tourist could wish
for as regards smoothness, gradients
drainage, gradual turns and proper bank-
ing at the turns
ROADS GOOD IN GOOD WEATHER.
LAS for the roads of South Carolina and
! Georgia, would say from my observation
on this tour and on previous tours
through this section, that they are good
in dry weather and bad in wet weather
What the tourist wants, however. and
what 1 am convinced will be obtained
through the good roads movement started
by the New York Herald and The At
ianta Journal are roads that will be
good in any kind of weather.
"As regards the time for the average
tourist to make the trip from New York
to Atlanta, here again much depends up
on the weather. In good weather, on a
keep-going' schedule, eight days should
be sufficient time. In rainy weather it is
probable that at least two weeks would
be necessary. II the tourist should plan
to see thoroughly all the places of his
toric interest and of great natural beauty
along the route, and particularly If he
| should accept all the invitations which are
showered upon him by the hospitabls
people of the south, an entire touring sea-
son would be none too much to allow fol
the journey"