The Washington herald., 1916-02-27
AUTOISIS COVER
PROPOSED ROUTE
Good Roads Enthusiasts
Make Trip to Warrenton,
Travelling l28 Miles.
HISTORICAL COUNTRY
Party Spends Washington's Birthday
Touring Through Virginia-No
Trouble Experienced.
BY "sI" GRoGAN

BY ISL, GRoGAN
Winter touring in virginia-sn almost
unheard of thIng-is supposed by many
to be beyond the range of possibilities.
The idea has been dispelled. however,
for on Tuesday list, Washington's Birth
day, a party Of local good roads enthusi-
| asts started from this city in two ma
chimes and before returning to Wash
ington covered Is miles of roads in the
| Old Dominion State.
Some of the way was pike, some more
of It good hard rough stone road, and
still another portion could be described
as little better than good old Virginia
red clay.
The idea OF the trip was to look over
the route of the proposed road of the
| Warrenton and Fairfax Turnpike Com
pany, which is endeavoring to build a
macadam highway from Fairfax, Va, to
Warrenton, a distance Of approximately
thirty-tvo miles. Prince William County.
through which a portion OF the propesd
highway will run, decided that just at
the present time it is not particularly
anxious for a fine pike and defeated the
measure
| Immediately a number OF public-spirit-
i ed men of this section of Old Dominion
banded together under the name of the
i Warrenton and Fairfax Turnpike Com
pany and secured a State charter to take
over the present road and rebuild IL,
/ charging so much per mile for the priVi-
lege of using it. Bonds have been issued
and are being rapidly subscribed to
raise the necessary funds to start the
work.
. This section OF Virginia, known as the
y Piedmont, is one of the prettiest to be
found in the entire commonwealth. In
addition it is perhaps one Of the most
historic. Manassas bittlefeld, where
both battles of Bull Run were fought,
is traversed by the road There are still
many of the relics of those days still
standing. The stone bridge spanning
Bull Run that was blown up by Stuarts
cavalry to trap the Federals at the first
Mana ssss bittlefeld has been repaired
and is in use today. The Stone House
projecting from the walls OF which are 9
number Of canister shells, Is now occu-
pied by descendants Of those who were
witnesses to these conflicts.
Fairfax Courthouse treasurers the will
of Washington. The towns history con
meets it with two old Virginia families
the Masons and the Lees. Centerville
! land, and New Baltimore can all con-
tribute their bit to the historic lore o.
: the country.
Il hOrHe tenter.
warrenton itself IL known as one Of
the famous horse centers Of the world
/, The town itself, nestled at the foot Of
the Blue Ridge, Is surrounded on thre,
sides by magnificent estates, many o.
Z them belonging to wealthy people from
, the North and from England who ar
! fond Of the horse and have come to hi
natural home that they may be nea
s him.
. Beyond warrentown and the Blu
Ridge lies the far-famed Shenandoah
Valley, or the Valley OF Virginia as i
Is more often termed.
From Washington to Fairfax, Va, tn
White machines in which the trip wa
: made had clear sailing. The route-vii
GEORGETOWN, Chain Bridge, LangleS
Lewinsville. Vienna and Fairfax Cour
House-was, with the exception of a cou
!. pie Of miles just this side Of Fairfax
= which is now under construction, a
|, macadam. 1t was from Fairfax on {
: warrenton that the trip became real Viz
: ginia winter touring. 1t was up hill an
down dale most of the way. Part Of tn
time the cars were climbing over the top
b. OF what looked from a distance to b
: miniature mountains, but on closer ir
= spection proved to be only stiff grade
Il that were too stony to wash away.
g Autos Pillow Through Mud.
At other times the machines would b
blowing through the mud at the bottor
z OF these grades. Peirce Raynor, drivin
q the White %, led the way. In his ca
J. he had as passengers Harry Ducksteil
n Monte Sohn. James Hendley and E.
ID E&ston. In the White 30 was C. {
e White, driving Howard Fisk and Il
IN writer. Until we passed the Stone Birds
8 there was but little in the way OF trol
BILE. But from here on for the next fiv
n miles the worst of the road was M
a. with.
he It was red clay of the stickiest kir
re and though the cars were equipped vii
s. chains 1t was almost impossible to secu
he traction. Once through this the trip
~ Warrenton was without incident. He
I'd the party was met by Mitchell Harriso
n c. E. Tiffany, @. L. Fletcher and
as Donald Richards and entertained
ID luncheon at the Warren Green Hot
During the luncheon the road and VIII
was hoped to be done for 1t were Il
topics Of conversation.
!. The return trip to Washington WI
made via Middletown and Leesburg Gu
at side OF some little tire trouble, due
the condition of the road, not the Sigh
est trouble was experienced. From 4
II. time of leaving in the morning until Il
4 return TO the city the motors of Meth
e. machine were touched, and though 4
he going was hard the water was not r