The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-16
HIGHWAY
DAY IN RALEIGH
Project Is Endorsed At
A Big Meeting
WAKE IS FOR GOOD ROADS

uBIIlS1 ~ ] vi WV uSss0O
Central Highway Officials Arouse Great
Enth usiasm and Membership of County
Citizens Crowd Up to Pay In Their Dues.
A Delightful Luncheon Closes the Day
Which Was of Good Omen for Success
of the Movement.
II the enthusiasm manifested in the
courthouse yesterday when the survey par
ty and organizing force of the Central
Highway explained the advantages Of the
project is an index to the sentiments of
the people of the county Wake will go
ahead with a vim and meet her sister
counties, forming a link in the great thor
oughfare which is to unite the east and
west. Representative citizens got up in the
meeting and pledged their support, and
when it was made known that there were
only ten paid members of the Wake Coun-
ty Good Roads Association, thirty six
men, each with his dollar in his hand,
stepped forward and enrolled their names.
The meeting was presided over by the
chairman Of the Central Highway, Mr..
Henry B. Warner, Of Lexington. Secretary
Edward e. Britton introduced Mayor
johnson to extend a welcome.
Mayor Johnson began by saying that
no matter what the natural advantages OF
a community are that unless that com
munity has adequate means of ingress and
egress it is handicapped. Il am sorry to
say" said he, that our sister counties
have outdone US, but it is never too late
to do good" Mayor johnson stated further
that it was doubly a pleasure to welcome
good roads workers to Raleigh, that he
spoke for himself, personally, and for the
city at large.
Chairman D. T. johnson, of the County
Board OF Commissioners. was then called
upon to extend a welcome in behalf Of
the county. "This is a subject" he said,
referring to good roads, that not only
the Johnsons, the Joneses. the Smiths and
the Browns can get together on, but that
we all can get together on, and one that
we need more agitation and information
about, The more we know about 1t, the
more we see there is to know, and we are
glad to have you here to show US the
way"
State Superintendent James 7. Joyner
welcomed the party in behalf Of the State,
and Mr.. ALI A. Thompson was then called
upon to extend a welcome in behalf of
the manufacturing interests of Raleigh.
which he did In a most enthusiastic man
ner. He did not know he was on the
program, he said. but he was glad of the
opportunity Of extending a welcome and
lending his endorsement to the movement.
IF you show US the way" he said. 1--WE
will get together and we will build the
roads"
Rev. Geo. w. Lay, rector Of st. Mary's
School, when called upon to extend a vel
come on behalf of the educational forces,
expressed himself as being delighted at
having the opportunity to say how deeply
interested he was in good roads He urged
all to join together and make a good
start.
The response to the speeches of welcome
was made by Mr.. J. A. Wellons, of Smith
field, secretary to the Central committee.
He said he wished to extend thanks for the
kind assurances Of welcome, declaring that
nothing pleased the Central Highway Com
mission more than to have the hearty en-
dorsement Of the people. 1T the spirit
displayed here today be said, lis an in
|dex we might as well quit, having got what
we came AFTER
portance before the people. he declared.
He went on to show now good roads In
crease the valuation Of property. 1.-THE
question is" he said, ARE you going to
build the Central Highway in Wake; How
Quick, and How:
At the conclusion of Mr.. Wellons' re-
marks, Col F. A. Olds was called upon
and stated that he had just come from the
executive office, that the Governor e1-
pressed his regrets at not being able to
attend the meeting, but that he sent his
endorsement and wishes for success.
Chairman Warner stated that he believed
the building OF the Central Highway in
North Carolina would be the beginning of
a great highway from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
State G%eologist J. Hyde Pratt was then
introduced and spoke In detail about the
great project-the construction OF a great
Central Highway, to pass through nineteen
counties and run a length of 400 miles
from the Tennessee line to Beaufort
harbor. a highway not like ordinary roads.
but thirty feet wide, "Think what A.
will meant he said. "a highway good
3e5 days In the year" He spoke of the
effect it will have in uniting the neonIe
Of the State, in bringing them into closAr
touch with each other. He also discusses
the spirit OF extreme loca1ism that exists