The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-19
THE CAPITAL HIGHWAY.
1ost Practical and Feasible Route
Linking the Capitals and ureat Win
ter Resorts Between New York. At
Ianta and JacksonvilIe-From Rich
mond South This Highway Is Prac-
ticalIy Below the Snow Line.
Baltimore Manufacturers Record.

Baltimore Manufacturer Record.
Frank Weldon, Atlanta, secretary
of the Capital Highway Association,
writes to the Manufacturers Record:
"While experts everywhere are ex-
perimenting to find most suitable
material for road that will stand
up under automobile traffic, 3O-odd
counties in Georgia, the Carolinas
and Virginia are cooperating in the
construction of a continuous sand
clay and gravel highway, $50 miles
long, linking the capitals and great
winter resorts of these States with
Washington and New York. When
completed this will be the longest
road of the kind in the world and the
only one in America offering a long
mid-winter tour. 1t is known as the
Cadital Highway because it connects
the State capitals-Atlanta, Colum-
bia, Raleigh and Richmond.
"Sixty per cent. of the mileage be-
tween Atlanta and Richmond has
been improved and work is progress
ing steadily on the rest OF the dis
lance. under the auspices of the Cap
ital Highway Association, of which
Leonard Tufts of Pinehurst and Bos-
ton is president. 1t may sound in
credible, but it is a fact that many
counties using convict labor are clay
ing their roads for $500 a mile. One
township in Moore county, North
Carolina, is actually having a section
improved by contract at 5000 a
mile, and the contractor is using free
labor. He says that he does not ex-
pect to make any money at that
price, and he figures that he will not
lose any. 1t is good road, too, that
he is building, clayed. crowned and
ditched. In parts of Virginia the
route misses the sandy-clay belt and
runs through a gravel deposit. Din
widdie and Greenville counties, Vir-
ginia, are paying from 81 900 to ST.
100 per mile for the construction of
gravel roads.
"From Richmond to Atlanta the
highway is practically below the
snow line. As the surfacing material
of the road will not freeze, the high
way will be as good in February and
March as in the summer and fall
months. From Atlanta there will
be an extension to Thomasville and
Florida, and probably one to Mont
gomery and down to Mobile and
New Orleans.
81 have just returned from a six
weeks pathfinding trip for the CAPT
tai highway. For the greater part
of the distance our route follows
ridges. We will not have ferry or
ford from here to Philadelphia. Every
stream will be bridged, and there will
not be a hard grade on the road.
"We have the choice of two routes
from Atlanta to Augusta; two be-
tween Raleigh and Richmond, and
three between Richmond and Wash
ington. The State OF Maryland is
building macadam road from
Washington to Baltimore, and one
from Baltimore out by Beliar, Como
wingo and Rising Sun to Elkton.
When that macadam road is COM
pleted we will probably cross the
Susquehanna River at Havre de
Grace. The bridge at that point will
be opened for traffic by November.
"Coming south from Washington,
we find ample hotel accommodation
at Richmond, Buffalo Lithia Springs
or Panacea Springs, Raleigh, South
ern Pines, Pinehurst, Camden, Column
bia, Aiken. Augusta and Atlanta.
These points are usually Is to 125
miles apart, a days easy run over
fine roads,"