The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-17
NATIONAL ROAD
Open ALL YEAR
Automobile Journeys from
Washington to San Diego
Can Be Made Any Time.

""''ihoniIc oNtT lue southern nhtlO0-
al highway from Washington to San
Diego. Calf. and from San Diego TO
Washington at almost any time OF the
year. 1t has been done within the
last few weeks by company OF Ar
Sonauts working to the East from
the California terminus and made In
grent comfort and without untoward
incident In this drive across the CON
tinent covering a distance OF about
$500 miles. The expedition was
headed by DR.. William y. Gross, a
retired physician and capitalist Of
San Diego and representatives Of the
Southern National Highway Associa-
ton. who were accompanied by b. II.
Burrell, an engineer OF the United
states Office Of public roads and rural
engineering. The expedition set out
from San Diego on November . ana
twenty-six days later reached the
national capital. having traversed
eight states on the way
The special object OF the expcdi-
ton was to prove by actual test the
entire feasibility OF the southern ma
tional highway. its advantages from
an industrial and economic point of
view. its wonderful scenic attractive
ness and its worthy claim upon the
consideration of Congress in the OK
tension of federal aid for the compile
lion OF this great national project A
good many bad places were found
along the way. engineering problems
TO be solved. grades to be settled,
bridges to be built. directions to be
noted and questions OF construction
TO be considered; but from start to
finish disposition upon the part OF
the people TO approve any reasonable
measure of public aid for great pub.
lie purpose upon fair appreciation
OF the public benefits which would
ensue.
California Is spending 100000
on state highways and with this ex-
penditure is promised that there will
be built concrete highway sixteen
feet wide from the main road to ev-
cry county seat in the state. The
main road is to be extended from FL
Centre to Yuma. which will give the
state concrete highway 2O3 miles
In length. This extension is TO be
built with convict labor Work on
state highway work in California be-
gan in May. 1912, under the direction
and supervision OF state highway
commission and at the end of the
two years the state roads to the cx-
tent of LIZA miles had been located
and, including these sections. sur
ycys had been made of state high
-
year contracts had been made for the
construction of 9S7 miles of the state
roads. of which $50 miles are to be
of cement concrete construction. The
construction Of these roads is not
left to ignorance and chance, but is
committed to the care OF competent
highway engineer. a. Il. Fletcher,
who is the executive officer of the
state highway commission. or what
would be called in business corpor-
alton. the general manager. Under
his immediate direction and supervis-
ion are the several departments OF en-
Eineering and operation, legal depart
ment in the right of way matters,
purchasing department. accounting,
disbursing and publication and sta
tistical departments. so that there is
perfect coordination in all the work
Of the highway commission with en-
cellcnt service TO the public and di-
rect responsibility for the proper adj
ministration OF the office. Building
goods roads without providing for the
state requires license from motor
vehicles. Last year this license Yield
cd $l.35O,000. gross. the half of
which amount was paid to the state
for the maintenance OF the road and
the remaining half to the counties
from which payment had been made.
On their way East tho San Diego
party reported that they found the
roads which are part of the south
crn national highway generally good
throughout the state OF Arizona, with
bad spots here and there, of course,
but with the assurance from the coun-
ty commissioners that before the end
of 1916 the highway in Arizona
would be put in first rate condition
4 its entire length They also found
that New Mexico is arranging for the
! improvement Of its ROADS and tina.
many bond issues had been voted for
this purpose. In Texas the party was
able to get through In the northern
part Of the state the roads were not
such rs to invite In wet weather. In
Arkansas certain stretches OF the
road were in good condition. but with
many places that required treatment
and no part OF the road that could
be regarded as impossible except in
rainy weather. In Tennessee, the
road in many sections was as good as
any along the entire route, and In
North Carolina the roads were equal
to any We found throughout the en-
tire South"
One of the discoveries made by the
Argonauts was that the hotels along
the line are excellent. and the people
are willing 10 give assistance at all
times day or night and help the trav-
eler TO find his way II lost in the
woods or not sure OF the roads direc-
ton" The historic and scenic at.
fractions OF the southern highway arc
most impressive. from the first set.
Element at jamestown on the East tC
San Diego. the place of first things
on the Pacific coast; through the
orange groves and vineyards OF Cali
fornia, across the broad plains OF
Texas now filling up with progressive
farmers. through the Superstition
mountains OF Arizona breathing stor.
les OF Spanish conquest and Indian
defense. and among hills and noun.
tatns OF Tennessee and North Carolina
"reminiscences in long forgotten trails
and gtockadaS ~ where sturdy