The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-01-28
MEMPHIS To-BRIsToL ROAD
An Important Link in the National
Highway.

4tHnH ~
When the Memphis to Bristol
highway commission went over the
state of Tennessee, selecting the
best route for q state highway, lit
tie did they dream that the link they
were selecting would so soon become
the principal link in a great national
highway reaching from coast to
coast, but such is now the case. Not
only is it an important link on the
map, but it is important in its con-
struction.
During 1918 l travelled extensive
ly in Europe, investigating the roads
and highways of the continent, and
while on that trip ! saw much beau
tiful scenery, but ! never saw any
to compare to what saw on the re-
cent inspection trip over the route of
the Memphis-to-Bristol highway.
Throughout the entire distance,
from Nashville to Bristol, things
looked prosperous. We saw beauti-
full homes, large barns filed with
the harvest Of a bountiful crop,
well cultivated farms, and great
herds of fattening cattle, all of
which was an indication of prosper
ity and well-living. Now there is a
reason for all this, and in interview
ing farmers / find that they attrib-
ute a great deal of it to good roads.
Every stop the commission made,
we stated that things looked so good
that far that we were fearful it
could not hold out, but it did, and
from Nashville to Bristol, we found
practically the same condition-good
roads and a prosperous people.
1t is the hope of the Memphis-to
Bristol highway commission to have
great highway jubilee in 1916 to
mark the completion Of the Memphis
to-Bristol highway At the proper
time the governor will be asked to
declare a state holiday, at least in the
twenty-three counties through
which the highway passes and
great celebration will take place, COG
miles in length. Gov. Rye has taken
an active part in this great state
project, and we feel sure that we
can count on his support in making
the highway jubilee tremendous
success.
The Memphis-to-Bristo highway
is part of the great roadway COM
mencing in Maine and running thro'
New England to Boston, New York,
Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
through the Virginias to Bristol,
where it connects with the Memphis
to-Bristol highway, and across the
state of Tennessee, crossing the riv-
er at Memphis, over the finest pas
senger bridge in the whole country,
through the west to Los Angeles,
San Diego and the Pacific coast.
The Memphis-to-B Bristol Highway
is not only one of the most important
links in this great chain, but the
commission is determined to make it
one of the strongest links. And
from what we saw on the recent in
spection tour we need have no fear
along this line, for there are no bet
ter roads constructed anywhere than
those we saw in East Tennessee.
While on my European visit, | saw
short stretches of twenty-seven diff
ferent kinds of road near London,
which were built as object lessons
to the several thousand delegates at
+, tending the international road con-
gress in London, and ] am free to
say that none of these compared
with the roads across two or three
East Tennessee counties.
The Memphs-to- Bristol highway
will knit the American people and
the American communities closer to-
gether than anything we have had
heretofore. 1t will give US access to
the Fairgrounds of the east for sum-
mer, and the Fairgrounds of the
west for winter. Our America will
be peopled by one great family, made
possible by the great national high
way coupling the Atlantic with the
Pacific. This highway has but one
competitor-the Lincoln highway
a great roadway which runs across
the continent north of us. Its disad-
vantages lie in the fact that travel
over it will not be pleasant during
the winter, while the great system
Of which the Memphis-to- Bristol
highway is part comes down south
where the balmy breezes blow in the
winter, thereby making touring
delight the year round.-James Pal
mer, President Memphis-to- Bristol
Highway Association.