Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-07-30
BUILD LAKE ToxAwAY ROAD.
watson Thinks Highway Can BE Put
In Shape at Small Cost.
columbia State.)

that, with proper cooperation and at
a very small cost, the proposed beau
tiful new public highway across the
crest of the Blue Ridge via Anderson
and Walhalla to Lake Toxaway, pen
etrating the beautiful Sapphire
country, can be put in first class
shape for use before the early fall,
thus affording people going to the
Blue Ridge country an opportunity
to enjoy the beautiful scenery dur
ing the last hot weeks Of September
and during the beautiful month of
October.
Recently the commissioner OF ag-
riculture, in order to fill important
engagements at Anderson, Walhalla
and Lake ToXaway, made use of the
occasion to prospect this proposed
route. He was so much pleased
with the feasibility Of the undertak-
ing that Immediately upon his arr-
val in Washington, ID. c., where he
was to meet DR.. Josepho Hyde Pratt.
State geologist of North Carolina, at
committee meeting he took the
matter up with DR.. Pratt DR.. Pratt
undertook to look carefully into the
matter OF seeing what could be done
at once to put the North Carolina
side Of the road in first class condi-
ton, saying at the time he thought
the arrangement could be made cas-
lily. Yesterday Commissioner Wat
son received the following letter
from DR.. Pratt, which shows. that as
far as North Carolina is concerned,
its 20 or more miles Of road to the
State line will be put lin first class
condition Immediately upon the as
surance of the commissioner that the
~ h n l;t,n lid H. ~
be handled to the State line:
Copy OF Letter.
My Dear Mr.. Watson: / am Just
in receipt of letter from Mr.. Jen-
nings, and he states that in his iudg-
ment there will be no trouble at all
in arranging for the construction Of
the road from the South Carolina
line to Lake Toxaway, provided you
will guarantee the construction of.
the road to the North Carolina line,
and will sign-post the road; then
publish a guide book, giving the log
ging of IT,, s " ..s ( s,:, -
took this mp with Mr. JAunings
along the lines l talked WIFI you
when 1 saw you in Washington, and
he says that he will personally be-
come interested In the road to a con-
siderable extent and can get the citi-
zens and the guests of the hotel and
the company to provide what is nee
essary. / am to meet Mr.. jennings
In August at Lake Toxaway and /
would like to hear from you in the
next week or ten days, stating to me
in the form OF letter that you will
see that the road is built to the
North Carolina line, and arrange for
sign-posting and logging the road.
Mr. Jennings wants, to see the road
started this year, so that there will
be no question about its being open
and ready for traffic next spring and
summer.
Yours very truly,
Joseph Hyde Pratt,
estate Geologist'
Mr.. Watson yesterday stated that
he saw no reason why this work
could not be done Immediately. He
had found men in Anderson county
anxious to have "my town" on such
a line of travel ready to do their
part, and me had found In the citi-
zens OF Walhalla, and particularly in
Mayor w. M. Brown, who went over
the route with him, enthusiastic ad-
Vocates and supporters of the propo-
sition to open this highway. He
stated yesterday that he immediate
ly will take this matter up with
prominent men in Anderson and
at Walhalla and consult with the
county supervisors Of Anderson and
Oconee and do everything in his
power to insure the South Carolina
guarantee asked for.
Place Signs.
He stated that as far as the State
Department was concerned IL would
promptly place indestructible steel
signs over the entire route and issue
special chart book connecting with
the book already issued from CO.
lumbia to Greenville at Laurens The
proposed route from Charleston and
Columbia would, of course, connect
at Anderson with the National High
way and at Laurens with the Capital
to-Piedmont Highway. Mr.. Watson
says that the first 15 miles out of
Walhalla, ascending the foothills Of
the mountains, is already in such
shape that 1T could be well night
perfect With very little effort. The
North Carolina line Is just exactly
lSS.5 miles from the city Of Colum-
Dla, and the part that would have to
pc virtually reconstructed does not
Degin until point 1913 miles from
Columbia has been reached. This
means, as far as South Carolina is
concerned, the means necessary for
construction OF only IN miles, ap-
proximately, would have to be raised,
and II the county authorities would
do their part, as they undoubtedly
would, that cost would be a mini
mum. Mr.. Watson Is OF the opinion
that by the use OF few corrugated