Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-05-12
untered at the Postoffice at Staunton,
Va, as second class mail matter.
Friday. May u 1911
GOOD ROADS AND TOURISTS

The subject of the advantages OF
good roads has been thrashed out very
thoroughly and it seems that there is
little, if anything, more to be said in
regard to them. The Manufacturers
Record in a recent issue brings for
ward a source of revenue that will fol-
low the opening of good roads, that is
deserving of attention. This is the in
f1ux of tourists that will come into a
region when it is made accessible to
them, and much good will be produc-
ed by having many strangers come to
view the land. If the establishment
Of good, clean hotels with reasonable
charges will come about along the
hard, well graded highways, a goodly
proportion of the tourists who now
spend their vacations in foreign lands
will spend them at home. The Swiss
government has long appreciated the
economic value of foreign visitors, and
throughout that rugged, mountainous
country, well built roads reach every
bit of picturesque scenery and many
lofty mountain peaks. The winding
course of these roads as they climb up
PERCEPTIONS mountain or dip into val
leys where some Alpine lake nestles
by the foot of snow clad giant, add
no little to the picturesqueness of the
scenery, and these roads have almost
banished poverty from the land.
Although our mountains do not rival
those of Switzerland in height or gran
deur, there are few places in the world
that surpass the Blue Ridge and Allie
ghany mountains for tranquil beauty
and restful charm. Many years ago
Porte Crayon described and portrayed
the Blackwater region, and nothing
but its inaccessibility has kept it from
being a tourists paradise No sooner
had Christian Reid's work on "The
Land of the Sky" been published
than Asheville became center from
which went tourists that have made
the unknown, sequestered and barely
civilized wilds of Western North Caro-
lima the richest, best known and most
thoroughly developed portion of the
state. Its mines have been developed,
its agricultural possibilities have been
brought to notice, and along the banks
of Swanannoah and the French Broad
have arisen exquisite villas and homes
of wealthy men. All of this would
have been impossible without the net
work of we'll graded, substantial roads
that covers the "Sapphire Country;
the strong bridges that defy the floods
of the mountain torrents, and the
cheerful, moderate priced hotels where
in one may take ones comfort in ones
inn. Given these same conveniences
and Highland, Craig, Grayson and the
other back mountainous counties of
Virginia would be as popular with
the tourist world and the scenery as
famous as are Buncomb and Transyl-
vania counties in our neighboring
states.
The National Highway from New
York to Atlanta now passes through
Staunton, and if the counties to the
west will only take the trouble ard
bear the expense of opening themselves
to the world, their national attractions
would draw visitors who in turn would
bear their fame into many lands, and
the costs, like the bread thrown on
the waters, will return, bringing with
it bountiful increase.