The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-02
WILSON CAN'T BEND
LINCOLN HIGHWAY
Presidents Wish That It Ia
Through Washington Is
Not Needed.
MANY REASONS SET FORTH
The West Greatly Interested in
TranscOntinental Motor
Road.

II was the hope Of Presidcn, W.s,,
that the Lincoln Highway, thr...qG,.
ters OF which will be ready for nit'...s.s
who wish to drive to tho Panam. -Pl..f,
Exposition next year. should take 10 ,ba
national capital In its course Tho Posi-.
dent believed that the nations tr.but. to
Lincoln should include deviation from
the most direct route from New York
to San Francisco and tina, this road
should have the added significance OF
leading past the Lincoln Memorial now
under construction In Washington
This the President suggested to Henry
r. Joy. president of the Lincoln High
way Association. Tho latter replied that
as much as he and every one concerned
| respected the Presidents reason for the
| change in route. he regretted that 1t had
been the purpose of the association to
make the thoroughfare a direct one and
that, besides. much OF the actual work on
that part of the road which would he
eliminated by the change had actually
been done.
Had President Wilson's wish been car
| ried out the highway would have zone
| from Philadelphia to Washington, TO
Frederick, Md. and to Gettysburg,
whereas the present route is from Phila-
delphia through York. Lancaster Coates
Vile and so on. President Alison wrots
to Mr.. Joy under date of June 10:
The President's Letter.
my DEAR SIR: | am sure that the
whole country Is interested to see 70 Il
that there should no longer exist North
and South in this absolutely united coun.
try which we all love and that tho
/ a..,s.
| be made once and for all a thing OF tho
past. and as small contribution to that
end ! earnestly suggest that the Lincoln
| Highway Association should grant per-
mission to place the official Lincoln Hign.
way markers on the macadam roadway
running from Philadelphia to Washington,
/ through the properly selected streets II
the latter city to the Lincoln Memorial
now under construction. and thence
along the roadway through Frederick
Md, and from Frederick to gettysburg.
! Il am reliably !nioi that TINS route
/ Is now or viii in the very near future
| he modern macadam roadway from
! Philadelphia to Gettysburg by way or
| Washington. The entire expense 81 the
road. / am informed. including officially
/ marking the highway, Will be d Fray /
| by local interests"
In his reply Mr.. Joy said:
! Il am under the Necessity OF stat.
/ ing TO YOU that the work Of he I..r-1n
! Highway Association. no doubt u.c4tiy
assisted through your recognition of .
work in its early stages, hats prusr, Sc a
| so favorably that there scarcely rem. ms
| along the entire Lincoln Way any sec.
| ton Of its route which has not b n
marked and TO very great extent
/ renamed.
Especially Is such the case h tween
/ Philadelphia and Gettysburg. whore n
] i4a tra
! cities " York, Lancaster. COntesy..,.
! Columbia. Downmgtown, &c, ia. oi'j "A
/ adoption by the local autnoviticg OF tHs
name Lincoln Highway aud the marx.
| ing thereof and the bettcrmruts .Ld
beautiiica;ion IN process make the chang.
| Ing OF The route in accordance with sou:
| suggestion, II for 10 other reasons. ol;.
side OF and beyond the control OF th',
! association.
THE Lincoln Highway Association has
| cDmmittaI and entrufad TIA Lincoln
| way to all the people, and esq. raay
| TO the states. counties, villages and cites
| through which It's route extends !. ;
not possible to undo the wonderful wDr.
of the communities whose loyal, patr.ot.l
efforts are making. have made indeed.
the Lincoln Highway a part OF the map
or our country and whose plans for Is
| improvement are being effectively ca =.
| rlcd forward according to the financial
| means and energies OF those communities
traVersed and the aid our association
| Is able to extend.
! the Lincoln Way ia the shortest
most direct and practicable route con-
sistent with the topography OF the country
from New York on the Atlantic 10 san
Francisco on the Pacific, and to change
| from that basic principle and extend Us
length by devious windings from city 10
city or from point OF interest TO point II
interest would insure It's failure as per-
manent, useful memorial way
1T Is not within the power OF our asso-
citation to alter the already palns,aklngly
selected and actually adopted route"
Most OF the work OF which Mr.. Joy
speaks is not actual road building II
is rather the designation and marking Of
the route. and, more important, IT, rails
ing OF funds both nationally and locally
for the cost OF the work. When the high
way is complete s2j.o00000 will have
been spent OF this the association has
undertaken to REESE 10000. 600 and has
already raised $1,000 900 by general sub
scription Fifteen million dollars will Ia
contributed by tie localities which tho
road is to pass through