Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-07
WILLIAM PENN
WAY YBOOSTERST TO
MEET HERE SOON
Men Interested in Great Road
Across State Will Discuss
Plans Tentatively

1t is understood that meeting of
those interested in the construction
of the William Penn Highway will be
held in this city within the next few
weeks. This highway will parallel
the Lincoln route across the State,
traversing the Juniata Valley and con-
meeting Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Those who favor the William Penn
Highway point out that inasmuch as
il is a water grade with the exception
Of one mountain, whereas the Lincoln
Highway has four mountains and
dozen bad hills. the proposed route
through the Juniata Valley is infinite
ly better than the Lincoln route.
Senator Tompkins of Ebensburg; +.
NJ. Graft of Blairsville: L. NJ. c.
Africa, of Huntingdon, and many 9TH
ers are interested in the proposed new
route across the State. Governor
Brumbaugh believes that all these
highways should touch the Capital
either on their direct routes or by
feeders and Highway Commissioner
Cunningham is also of the opinion
that Harrisburg and Gettysburg
should be connected by one of the
best roads in the State. In this opin-
ion he is endorsed by everybody. Get
tysburg is the shrine OF thousands and
thousands of people and as the capital
of a great State which sent thousands
of her sons to the front in 1876 il
Is conceded that Harrisburg and Get
tysburg should be connected by the
best possible highway.
There is an effort now being made
to connect the William Penn High
way with the Pixies Peak ocean-to-
ocean route and there has been much
correspondence on this question with
those interested in the development
of the road system of the United
states. JohnStown liNewires are
greatly interested in the William
Penn Highway and they have been
instrumental in having changed the
route from Ebensburg to Pittsburgh.
Instead of going TO GreensburS and
following the Lincoln Highway into
Pittsburgh. the William Penn route
will continue on the old State pike,
passing through New Alexandria,
about five miles north of GreensburS.
From New Alexandria into Pittsburgh,
IS miles, the route is over brick and
macadam road.
The new William Penn Hotel. Pitts
hurgh, which opens about February l,
is aiding the promoters of the William
Penn highway in a number of ways.
Folders placed throughout the hotels
of the east call attention to the fact
that starting at William Penn Square,
the heart of Philadelphia, there is
water SIdue route over lne w lllld III
Penn Highway TO the William Penn
Hotel at the center of Pittsburgh.
Designs are about to be asked for
pole marters on The new highway.
These designs will be painted on tele-
graph and telephone poles and will
guide travellers on this, the most di
rect route across Pennsylvania.
Highway Commissioner Cunning
ham recently attended a MONDAY
luncheon meeting at Johnstown after
motoring from Harrisburg to Altoona
over the proposed William Penn High
way. He is believed to favor this
route from Philadelphia to Pitts
tain - that between Duncanville
and Cresson. From Harrisburg to
Philadelphia the road will traverse
route II of the States system.
From Harrisburg TO Huntingdon
there are perhaps ten miles of thor
ouEhfare that has not been permanent
ly improved. The road from Hunt
ingdon to Cresson is macadamized.
with the exception of five miles. There
are four miles of macadam between
Cresson and Ebensburg; and from the
latter place to New Alexandria, West
moreland county, the highway has
been put in excellent condition dur
ing the last few months by the State
Highway Department.
II is stated that the Blue Book for
1915 will include the William Penn
Highway and the indications are that
the new route will be one Of the most
travelled trunk lines in the country
within the next few years. Concert
ed action on the part of the State and
county builders has already made it
an attractive route.
Harrisburg is already upon the
' feeder system of the Lincoln Highway
and with the William Penn route con-
N1-Sfh philaIa1nhia
Pittsburgh thousands of tourists will
find their way hither.
The name William Penn highway,
in the opinion of the promoters. is
an ideal one for the road which with
in another year will have been per-
manently improved from Lancaster to
Greensburg. The founder of Penn
sylvania has not been honored, so far
as is known. in the naming of any
highway in the State: hence giving
his name to a thoroughfare which will
bisect Pennsylvania and carry travel
ers through sections of scenic Splendor
seems highly fitting.
Harrisburg and Dauphin county
must do their part to provide a proper
entrance for the William Penn High
way From the Clark's Ferry bridge
10 Dauphin it will be necessary to
reconstruct the present State highway.
Between these poi~tS there are at
least two of the most dangerous rail-
road crossings in the world and in
addition to this the roadway is so
narrow as to make il a menace to
travel in several sections, especially
along the Pennsylvania railroad lines
near the Clark's Ferry bridge.
In order to overcome these condi-
tions it is proposed to utilize the
Pennsylvania canal bed which has
been abandoned so as TO avoid the
present narrow highway in the mar
rows. 1t is also suggested that instead
of the long and hard stretch over
Red Hill the new highway should
follow the river to Dauphin. During
the winter it is probable that this
proposition will have serious con-
sideration and be brought to the at
tention Of the State Highway Depart