The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-02-27
URGES NEW ROUTE
FOR LINCOLN ROAD
Col. Roulette, Of Hagerstown,
Points Out Historic Sites
Missed by Present Plan.


To the Editor Of THE TIMES;
The careful attention OF the District
Lincoln highway committee IL earn
estly called to the great mistake that
will be made In avoiding the old Ma
tional turnpike route between waning
This section OF the old historic high
way IL now a part OF the best con-
structed, no toll, modern road IN the
United states. and Its selection would
repairs. II made a part OF the Lincoln
Highway.
This proposed memorial thoroughrare
would then pass through section OF
and rich IN historic interest. Prior 70
the Revolution II was. In part. the route
taken by General Braddock IN his disas-
trous march against the Indians. Gen
Braddock command. and was the Of
flcer who saved the remnant OF Brad
docks forces.
Long. prior. to the rebellion Of 1850.
old National pike was constructed. and
was q main highway from the East to
the West, before the Baltimore AND
Ohio railroad was built.
Over this then splendid macadam
roadway the old stage coaches carried
passengers in an endless stream TO the
Fast and West. Among them were
rstesmen, land investors, and business
men of the earlier days.
cnrv Clay was frequent traveller in
.: .'-, coaches to and from Congress; so
"ft'u lid he pass over this road that.
" sn he was f 5,yInR IN tSn 10
.as,s 1song The highway.
Its Eisto,'r Interest.
ThIs section oil iao highway. from the
Montgomery county line TO Hagerstown,
passes through a part Of Maryland that
is replete with locations OF great mis-
| toric interest already permanently desig-
| mated by memorials, tablets, ana monu-
| mente conspicuous and accurate In To-
cation, beautiful In design and worthy
| Of their purpose.
II this route from Washington to
Hagerstown Is made a part Of the in
com Highway It wound pass over the
beautiful Monococy river and region
1 I'm Frederick county and through the
battlefield Of that name, upon which
portant conflicts OF the civil war was
tells the story.
The highway would then pass through
Frederick City right by the Barbara
FritcSIe home and memorial. and the
| tourists could linger a while in the OLD
| and ancient town that gave birth to
| fancy. Schiey. and Key. and look upon
1
toric and beautiful cemeteries In Mary
| land.
Passes Braddock Heights.
This route passes by the famous
Braddock Heights on Catocton noun
tain. through the beautiful Middletown
valley and right through the center or
the South Mountain battlefield. fought
| by Mcclellan and Lee. Tablets line the
roadway through the battle-ground CIV
hA tVtHts .arfa 20 NJ Nha
conflict and a beautiful monument
| marks the spot where General Reno
| fell. The beautiful country home or
the Dahlgrens is in the midst or the
| battlefield on the summit adjacent TO
| the road.
To the east OF the road. located upon
| q high point OF South mountain In
Washington county can be easily seen
historical and interesting monuments
in the United States. II is the nrst
| monument ever erected TO George
| Washington. 1t surmounts the most
conspicuous knob on South mountain
and is twenty-five feet In height It's
top Is reached by spiral stairway
within the structure, which IL OF native
the community and during the battles
| OF south mountain and Antietam, Gen
era! Mcclellan used 1t as a signal sta
| ton.
To Be Lighted and Beautified.
A movement OF nation scope has
been started to give this monument
more substantial and larger proper
lions. 1t Is proposed to light II cleo
trically at night and preserve an
safely assured that this will be &C
complished In the near future. Its
site is about three -fourths OF a mile
from the roadway. and Is in full view
from the valleys between which the
mountain rises.
Along the road within the battle
field the tourist Gag stop. enjoy the
shade and summer breezes, and nnd
interesting occupation in gathering
bullets and other souvenirs OF the
battle in the adjacent fields.
AT Boonsboro. two miles north OF
South Mountain. the visitor Is in
the midst OF the scenery. shown in
1.-The Heart of Maryland" This old
town. now modernized and beautined.
saw much OF the carnage, sadness,
and distress incident TO the rebellion:
Its churches, public buildings, and
pitfalls. and it's homes were thrown
open to the wounded and the dying.
Skirmishes occurred frequently in Its
| streets.
Four miles distant By well main
tanned turnpike from Boonsboro the
famous Antietam battlefield can be
reached, and on its border lies the
noble and now peacetul Potomac,
, | ever to be known IN history as the
line of separation, pro tempore. be-
tween the North and the South.
This battle-ground has been made
one OF the most. beautiful reservations
of the kind in the country. and the
pathos OF its story, its unsurpassed
natural scenery. It's perfect driveways,
its hundreds OF monuments, them
selves works of art well worth see
ing, and its tablets make IL Rttrac-
tive beyond description and OF ma
tional interest.
Urges More Attention.
In rejecting upon the idea Of making
this section of the road from Washing
ton through Frederick to Hagerstown
then on TO Gettysburg and Chambers
burg, a part OF the Lincoln Highway
Il seems so very odd and so inconsistent
with what the Lincoln Memorial should
include, that the committee does not
give the proposition more serious con-
sideration.
In the first place the change in the
route, by going by the way OF Frederick
, and Hagerstown, would shorten ths
proposed line one-fourth the distance in
cluded in the original route laid out