The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-07-02
THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY.
Some Danger Of Route Being Changed
TO Go Via Harrisburg and
JuRiata Valley.

=" VA NhC INV VI IllS plOpOoSh
Lincoln Highway. McConnells-
burg has had visions of a con-
stant stream of automobile travel,
which would create the necessity
for large hotels, and restore to
US the glory of stage-coach and
wagon days. But, alas! There's
many slip betwiXt cup and
lip" and just now it begins to
look like as if the old townmight
wake up some fine morning find
herself out in the cold.
Ever since it was decided that
the old historic Forbes road
through Pennsylvania should be
used, efforts have been made by
towns along other routes to have
the Committee change its origin
al plan. 1t was thought at one
time that the route would be
pulled farther south so as to pass
through Cumberland, Hancock,
and Hagerstown, thence on to
Washington. Just now there
seems to be more danger of an
influence that will swing the road
through Harrisburg and up the
Juniata valley, crossing the
mountain by way Of Altoona and
JohnstoWn.
Our neighbors to the south and
to the north Of us are not to be
blamed for trying to secure this
great national highway. 1t will
mean much to the towns through
which it passes. But when it is
considered that the route through
Bedford, McConnellsburg and
Chambersburg is the shortest;
that, on account of the roadbed,
it will cost much less than a new
route; that the towns along the
route are full of historic interest,
and that there is no grander
natural scenery in the State,
there should not be any question
about allowing the route to re-
main as at first proposed.
Coast to coast travellers do not
want to miss the old town of
Bedford where was located one
of the most important of frontier
forts where gathered in colonial
days the most important person
ages in civil and military life;
nor, the more modern town made
famous by the healing waters of
the Bedford Springs, where more
political states have been made
than in any other town or city in
the country; then, Bloody Run,
eight miles east of Bedford, now
bearing the milder name of Ev-
erett. Here travellers will want
to stop to look into the stream
whose waters ran red with the
blood Of the early settlers massa-
cred by the Indians.
When, 26 miles further east
the top of the ridge hemming in
the beautiful lown of McConnells-
burg is reached, the tourist stops
his motor, raises to his eyes his
field glass, and looks at the beau
tiful little town nestled in one of
the richest and most beautiful
limestone valleys in Pennsylva-
MIA. He is now looking at the
town where was fought the first
battle on Pennsylvania soil in the
Civil war. AS he looks, his mind
goes back to Monday morning,
June 80, 1863 when about 9
O'Clock in the morning a company
of the first New York Cavalry
and a company of newly organ
lied militia cavalry rode into
town. The New York men came
from Bloody Run (Everett) and
the militia from Mount Union.
While they were in town a body
of Rebel cavalry were seen COM
ing down the pike from the di-
rection of Mercersburg. The
militia had not yet dismounted,
and the New York boys were
speedily in the saddle. The Reb-
els rode boldly into the upper end
of town, while the New York
men rode slowly down the street.
The Rebels and the New Workers
both stopped and stood facing
each other at a distance of about
two squares. The Rebel captain
ordered his men to charge, but
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