The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-19
HIGHWAYS IN THE
BRISTOL REGIONS
Widc-AWake Board of Trade Has
Been Doing Things for
Good Roads.
GREAT WORK STILL GOES ON
Completed Highways Arc At
tracing Attention of Tourists
From Far and Near.
GREAT WORK STILL GOES ON

nincance of good roads development In
tho Appalachian Valley, and particu-
larly In the Southwest Virginia and
East Tennessee counties adjoining and
adjacent TO Bristol. The story IN IL
Illustrated with a one page view OF n
picturesque scene on the Bristol Blue
field Highway in Tazeweli County.
y Mr.. Roberts says In part: Situated
In the great Appalachian Valley, be
tween the Allegheny and Cumberland
Mountain ranges on the North and tho
Blue Ridge range on the South on the
State line between Virginia and Teri
nessec. I'm the centre OF the section OF
the United states cast OF tho Missls-
slppi River and in tho centre Of tho
Southern Appalachian territory. thu
fact that Bristol IS to become one Of
the most important tourist centreR of
America IL as little realized by the
people OF Bristol and this section as
by the tourists Of the country who are
seeking new scenes to Visit.
In fact. the people OF this section
began building nacadam roads ten
years ago simply as n local business
Investment, and tho returns on tho In
vestment have been SO satisfactory
that twenty counties within 100 miles
OF Bristol In Southwest Virginia and
East Tennessee have voted IN bonds
md appropriated from direct levies
moro than 100000 for improved
roads and bridges during tho last de
s5.boo.ooo has been EXPENDED in con
structing many bridges and hundreds
OF miles OF macadam road
FORECAST PROVED CORRECT
As TIE DAYS WENT by
Following the organization OF the
movement TO construct the Bristol-to-
Memphis Highway across the State Of
Tennessee some three years ago. the
officers OF the Bristol Board OF Trade
foreaaw that Bristol might he made
IL
and a comprehensive campaign for the
promotion OF "A system OF through and
Interstate highways was planned. and
tho work OF education and promotion
then begun has been pushed SO ag-
excessively and the citizens OF this see
tion have taken such CO operative In
tcrcst that the results have been sim
ply wonderful and practically every
district and county In this section has
constructed. arranged TO construct, or
Is planning to provide ways and means
TO construct these highways. so that
within another three years NE expect
TO see the practical completion Of one
OF the greatest systems OF modern
highways In the country. AND now
many farmers have automobiles and
all want the automobile road" and
in some sections near Bristol they
have contributed thousands OF dollars
from their private bank accounts IN
order TO build such roads.
construction has been achieved that
tho American Automobile Association
has extended it's 1914 Maryland Vir-
gina map as TO sho wall these i'm
portant Highways $ far south as Nor
ristown. Tenn, eighty miles southwest
OF Bristol.
The Bristol Memphis highway is
practically completed from Bristol 20
Knoxville. 40 miles. and only eight
miles south OF Jonesboro will be un-
finished by this fan. Satisfactory
progress IS being made west OF Knox
Vile on thie highway, and q highly
improved read is being constructed
from Knoxville 10 Cbattanocga. which
Will be used az a LINK In The New
York-New Orleans route. y second
route from Bristol 10 Knoxville. via
Kingsport made a losing night for
recognition AS the East Tennessee sec
tion Of the Bristol Memphis highway.
The entire length OF this road has
been graded. and about half Of same
macadamizcd. Parties Interested in
this road say they Will build II better
than the official route. and that The
river at Kingsport and near Rogers
Vile will be bridged by 1915. and these
ferries eliminated. Both routes are
open for motor travel via Morristown,
and are in good condition.
The Bristol Washington highway is
being constructed through Washington
County. Va. To the Smyth County line.
at the terminus OF the Old Valley Pike
magnificent road constructed by the
State OF Virginia sixty years ago. This
old pike Is followed TO Roanoke. and
much OF II has been or Is being resur-
faced. and il is In good condition, al
though some sections are rough The
trip from Bristol to Roanoke. 100
miles, Is made in eight hours. Mont
geometry County has been slow to be-
GIN resurfaclng this old pike. but
Blacksours district. the homo OF the
Virginia Polytechnic Institute resent
ly voted 100000 road bonds, and a
new route through that county will
be available In z year or two
The Bristo Norfolk Highway Asso-
citation was recently organized, and An
improved hard surfaced road Will be
completed across the State OF Virginia
between these psints. within three
years. Much OF this road is already
completed, and the force of the organi-
cation Is being concentrated on the
unfinished gaps.
MOTOR TRAVEL. ON TIE
BRISTOL-BLUEFiELD nOtD
Tho Bristol Bluchcld highway. nine
ty-five miles, IL all macadanizcd. cx
cept about twenty-five miles, and Is
open for motor travel, and Is I'm good
condition. except six miles between
Greendale and Little MoccasIm Gap.
Tho Clinchtield Wise County and
Black Mountain coal fields are nov
reached from Bristol via Little Moo
casin Gap on the Bristol Blueficld high
way Chief Road En- : inccr ~ -. VIII
liams, OF West Virginia has orcaui2nd
4 movement 20 continue this hiyhw,,
to Pittsburgh, and Mercer County w
Va, recently voted $500. 900 road bonds
a. portion of which will be used TO thai
end.
The Bristol-Wise, County highway IA
being promoted an" constructed to
give direct connection between Bristol
and tho Clinchneld and Wise County
coal fields