The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-04
CHAMBER PLANS
GREAT HIGHWAY
Transcontinental Boulevard
From Los Angeles to
Hampton Roads.
CONFERENCE IS INVITED
All Virginia Cities Asked to
Join in Launching Propo-
sition.

/ SlI1Ous
Inviting a conference of the cities
OF Virginia. in an effort to secure for
| this State one OF the proposed trans
continental highways. Secretary r.
A. Dunlop, Of the Richmond Cham
! Der Of Commerce. sent out yester-
day call for preliminary meeting
to discuss the prospects OF such q
movement. The Richmond chamber
would be glad to have the conference
held here under It's auspices, but Of
fers to send delegates to any other
Virginia city that may be preferred
by the majority.
The chambers committee on streets,
roads and parks outlines q plan for
a transcontinental highway from Los
angeles across New Mexico, Oklaho-
ma and Arkansas to Memphis. across
Tennessee and virginia. to Hampton
Roads.
Text Of C0mununieatiOn.
The communication follows:
Dear Sir.-The Richmond Chamber
of Commerce has had its attention
called to the great importance and to
the opportunc time which exists for
most Of the principal cities Of Viz
ginfa making a concerted effort to Sc
cure the construction OF transconti-
mental highway. with is eastern Sec
ton passing through Virginia and tho
terminus at Hampton Roads. AZ you
are no doubt aware. several such
transcontinental highways are already
projected. namely:
1. One from Seattle via st. Paul and
Chicago to New York.
I'm x,Sa
yer and Chicago to New York; and,
,. One from Los Angeles via Santa
Fe and Chicago to New York.
These three. 1t will be observed.
have Chicago as their central objec-
tive point A fourth one is also pro-
jected from Los Angeles via Santa
Fe. st. Louis, indianapolis. Columbus
(Ohio), Wheeling (west virginia).
Philadelphia. to New York But all
Of the above routes are obnoxious to
the serious objection that they arc in
whole or partly north Of the isother-
NAL line, and that from three to I'VE
months Of the year weather conditions
render the exposure upon them too
severe for the endurance OF the aver
age tourist or traveller. II the high
way itself is not impossible.
Prefers Southern R0ate.
however. that no efforts on the part
of Virginia cities can check the pur-
pose Of those exploiting the more
northern routes: but as the logical To-
cation for utility and pleasure of
such a highway IL unQuesttonably
through the temporal, xones OF
more southern latitude. we can. 1t IL
believed, certainly enlist the interest
and cooperation Of ali the cities OF
States west Of Virginia and south OF
those more northern routes. In move
ment to promote highway as fol-
lows:
Fe, New Mexico; Amar liza, Tex: Okla
homa City, Guthrie. Tulsa and Mus
kogee, Okla; Hot Springs. Ark: Fort
Smith. Ark; Little Rock, Ark; Mem
ohis, Tenn: Nashville, Tenn; Knox
willie, Tenn; Bristol. Va: Abingdon.
wytheville, Pulaski, East Radford.
Christiansburg, Roanoke, Bedford.
Lynchburg. FarmviIIe. Burkevtlle,
Crewe. Blackstone, Petersburg, Rich
mond. Williamsburg, TO the Hampton
Roads cities of Newport News. Nor
folk, Portsmouth and Hampton
The superiority Of this route can be
demonstrated beyond question. and II
aid by the general government Is TO
be given to a transcontinental high
way because of the projects para
mount and national Importance. this
one. on account Of signal merits. de-
serves selection, and In view OF the
approaching Panama Canal celebra-
ton at San Francisco. II IL believed
the Federal authorities will most ia
vorabIy consider the promotion Of and
assistance to such Q project, especially
as this transcontinental highway, II
built. would connect At Los Angeles
with splendid Highways from that
CITY to san Francisco. Cal: thence mp
the Pacific Seaboard to the coast cities
Of Portland, Tacoma, Seattle. etc,
while on the Atlantic 0eaboard u
would connect at Richmond WIN sae
Quehec-Miamt highway.
S1Geesas CsoIeresee.
It Is, however. necessary. before We
invite the Chambers Of Commerce in
sister States to cooperate. that We
house Is In order. and therefore ] am
by this chambers commit
tee on streets, roads and parks to
communicate with your honorabSo
body and with other similar organiza-
lions at places which would be I'M
mediately benefited, and to ascertain
II you will send one or more represen-
tatiyes to q preliminary meeting Tor
the purpose Of investigating the sit
uation and its prospects and poten-
tjaIities.
The Richmond chaRber will be most
gratined to have this conference hello
here Under 'ts auspices. ~ . central
point between the mountains and the
sea, but will gladly send delegates 20
any of its sister cities tn virginia.
should any other place be prsfsrred
by q majority.
May I ask that you viii kindly aA-
wise me At the earliest tine practtc-
able, a. prompt action In starting this