The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-07-06
CBION III. BUTLER.)

Durham, July 81 would like to |
fan in with the reincarnated spirits
Of Thomas jefferson and George
Washington for about half an hour
lust to show them how deferred hopes
often find realization.
| never go to Richmond but what
| think of the old ambitions those
two Virginians entertained of a great
westerly route of commerce by way
Of the James river with canal across
the divide and into the Big Ka1 awha
or Big Sandy and to the Ohio and
Mississippi. Washington practically
ploted the great national pike that
was in it's day the connection between
the east and the developing west for
when he went out as the representa-
tive of the colony of Virginia to warn
the French on the upper Allegheny
to keep out of the Virginia territory
he followed very closely along the
trail that subsequently was adopted
10y the government of the United
States in the construction Of the
famous national pike from Baltimore
to Wheeling and on to indianapolis,
Indiana. eventually.
Jefferson hoped to see the James
river canal unite Virginia and the
Ohio valley, but Dewitt Clinton
managed to get the Erie canal
through in New York, and right there
was the place where the South got
its handicap in the rcce for supre-
macy. New York instead of Newport
News became the outlet Of the con-
tinent, and the North was the door
OF the great empire that was growing
up between the Atlantic and the Pa
cific. The National pike was COM
pleted from the Potomac to the Ohio
in 1920. The Erie canal was opened
in 1925. For long time Virginia
was foremost among the American
colonies. as it should be today. When
the first census was taken Virginia
was in first place. There Virginia
stood at the second census and at the
third. Then in 1920 New York
stepped to the front, and there New
York has steayed to this day. Vir.
ginia has dropped back to twentieth
place. Dewitt Clinton got the Erie
canal through from Atlantic tidewate,
to the west. The James river cana
died IN Its infancy. New York be-
came the route from the west to tn,
east. When the railroads were bull
the Pennsylvania and the New Yorl
Central and Hudson River held tn
traffic as against any attempts Of ;
serious character in the states farthe
south. The Baltimore and Ohio raj
through from Baltimore to Wheelin,
and Parkersburg. but the traffic ha'
become accustomed to the port o
New York and New York continue,
to hold it's lead.
They Were Right.
Yet all the time Washington an
Jefferson had the right ideas. Tn
mouth OF the James, or Of the Cap
Fear, or Of the Mississippi. and no
OF the Hudson, should have been tn
principal water port Of the Unite
states. The Erie canal and the lake
are closed by ice a part OF the yea
and commerce is completely CLOSED
Ice and snow seriously interfere wit
the work Of the railroads north {
virginia at certain seasons of tn
year. Winter puts heavy toll 0
traffic in the north. The south is tn
place for highways of any kind
the United States.
1T has taken long time to discOve
this fact, but the United States gO'
ernment has finally come to find
out, and big project is on foot an
quietly going through which wOu]
give Jefferson and Washington Il
OF satisfaction if they could see no
IT verifies their ability as prophets.
We have been reading of the Lii
coin highway, from the Atlantic
the Pacific, passing through the no
tnern states, by way Of Pennsylvanl
Oh1o, out over the corn belt, over tt
kocky mountains and down over II
Sierras into California. A lot
noise has been made about the Lii
coin highway, and it will be gre
highway. But the highway the go
ernment is putting it's seal Of approx
on Is going forward with much lie
noise, and much more speed rig