The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-10-30
PRESIDENT HouoH or STATE
AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
WRITES INTERESTINGLY.
Reeites Resolution Endorsed at s. a.
c. r. Meeting for Better Thor
ouahfares In W. Va.

7
dent OF the West Virginia Automobile
Association. who was one OF the en-
thusiastic automobiles who made the
trip in their machines from Wheeling
to Bluefield on October ~. wrote the
following interesting account especial
ly for The Intelligencer:
: From all over the state automobile
enthusiasts drove to Bluefeld to at
tend the Southern Appalachian Good
Roads Association convention re-
Gently.
\ October the 18th. at a. m, the
tour was started at Wellsburg over the
North and South road through West
Virginia. as previously logged by the
West Virginia State Automobile AS
sociation heretofore published in this
paper. Fairmont was reached at noon
and from there TO Elkins In the after
noon. Boosters for the Improvement
of the route were in evidence all along
the road to help In the work for a
modern built road TO Bluefeld. At
Philippi we were joined by Hon. Will
lam T. George (ex-speaker OF the house
OF delegates) and his wife. together
with Sheriff Bennett and his wife We
arrived at Elkins at s D. m. having
made 152 miles. Here we were ban
quoted at q Good Roads Rally. at
which resolutions were passed asking
the next legislature OF West Virginia
to appropriate funds. or authorize
bonds for the building OF a modern
highway north and south through this
state on the route we were touring to
the Bluefield convention.
The party left Elkins next morn
ing at O'Clock. being Joined by Hon.
Howard Switzerland. NJ. II King. T.
]. Clark and Mr.. Cullen. The noun
tains crossed before reaching Mar
lington for dinner were n little slip
perry on account OF melted snow. The
afternoon drive was OF unusual in
terest historically and scenically. The
last stretch OF the second days drive
into Lewisburg. 1913 miles, where the
party stopped for the night. was over
fine shale road on a mountain pla-
teau with a mystic range about a mile
on on each side OF the road.
The day the start was made as
per schedule at 8 a. IN. Reports for
the convention were picked up all
along the road this day and we were
met at 'Narrows" by a Bluefield dele
cation OF automobiles and escorted
over the 30 miles OF the last days
drive of 81 miles into Bluefield at $3.50
p. IN.
"The entire road Is above the aver
age in location with easy grades. with
the exception of a few places that
could be easily improved. Hard sur
face road building and dragging OF
clay and shale stretches was in prog
ress. where systematically dragged
make. in dry weather. the ideal motor
road. In scenery no grander stretch
of road could be imagined.
land and I reported our journey at
the evening session OF the convention.
In our party were delegates to the
convention from the West Virginia
State Automobile Association. the
West Virginia Board OF Trade. Wheel
ing Board OF Trade and the EIkins
Good Roads Association. all OF whom
took part in the next DAYS convention
proceedings. At the evening session,
after the resolutions committee re-
ported the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
Whereas. A resolution has been
adopted endorsing the Appalachian
highway extending from Alabama TO
Maine. and
Whereas, The general direction Of
this road would be north about q de
grees east. IL would OF necessity com
pei the traveller desiring to reach the
Great Lagos region from Bluefeld and
points south thereof to travel the hypo-
tenuse and base OF what may be
termed a right angle triangle with
the right angle In the Great Lakes
region, which IS directly north OF Blue
field, and
Whereas. II appears by the develop
ment OF trans-continental roads that
the only westward outlet from points
east OF the Appalachian mountains
exists in three well-deflned and ap-
proved roads. all passing through
neck approximately 100 miles I'm width
between the Ohio River az the extreme
north OF West Virginia and Lake Erie
and one defined road about $50 miles
south OF the latitude Of Bluefield. and
Whereas. II IL essential that a more
| direct route be defined extending from
the Bristol system Of highways to the
Great Lakes region and the west.
therefore be n
Resolved. That the Southern Anna
lachain Good Roads Association on
dorse n north and south highway be.
ginning a. Blueheld and passing
through the state Of West VirRinia by
way of Princeton. Union. Lswisburg.
Warrington. Elklns. Philippi and Pair.
mont 10 Wheeling a distance 81 32s
miles. which route and distance ON
brace over 700 miles ~ the Appata-
chan highway az outlined In the reao-
luton heretofore adopted b. this az.
sOciation.
Our work being completed and
highly elated AZ our success We no.
turned ~ viii. taking many pictures
and gathering data for n more particu.
lar description ~ most wonderful
and valuable highway 10 be known a.
me North and South road % West
Virginia"