The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-16

From the Christian Science Monitor
NM 2IDwAY between the Midland trail
}W and the Jefferson highway lies
the Indian trail proposed by the
National Highways association to extend
frem Charleston, s. c., to Los Angeles,
Cal, stretching 1880 miles from the At
lantic ocean to the Pacific, but II miles
longer than the railroad distance between
the terminal cities. It traverses IL states,
touching the capital of three of them.
and would serve that great area of the
south which is too far inland 20 benefit
directly from the water routes of the
coast and gulf.
There are railroads we'll located through
this highly productice country: but. with
out adequate highways, paved SO as to
bo easily and freely passable at all sea-
sons Of the year. the freight and pas
senger traffic cannot reach them advan-
tageously. Highway development Is es-
sential to the railroad. not only on &C
count Of the increased traffic which
would be induced thereby, but by the
greater uniformity in delivery OF goods
to railroad stations, thus reducing the
cost of handling.
The farmers and miners would be the
chief gamers, for without good roads
they are marooned in certain seasons so
that not only are they prevented from
moving their products, but furthermore
they themselves are closely shut in.
1t Is fitting that the Indian tratl
should start at Charleston for there grew
UP one of the earliest English settle
ments in North America. The enterprise
of these settlers early led them to fol-
low the trails Of the Indians toward and
over the mountains to the westward. The
people of this colony began the culture
of rice in the United States. Some years
later they raised the dye plant indigo
and still later the cotton plant which
has now become the chief source OF
wealth in the south.
From Charleston the route Of the In
&--n trail is through the yellow pine for
ests and broad fields Of the fertil coastal
plain, by way Of the Edisto river TO
Columbia, the capital Of South Carolina.
and seat. of the state university. AT Co
lLmbia the road is joined by a branch
route which comes in on the north from
North Carolina, at, the mouth OF the
Cape Fear river.
Leaving Columbia the route is south
westerly along the line of the Southern
railway over the Savannah river to Au-
gusta on the Georgia side. The road
then starts straight west, gradually ris-
ing into the Piedmont foothill region, to
Atlanta, the capital and largest city of
Georgia The winding, billy road west
ward from Atlanta, through the southern
Arpalachans to Birmingham. is delight
full with it's forest scenery, highland riv-
ers and lakes. 1t is also interesting in
dustrially, for along the route are many
rich deposits of iron ore being developed.
and large iron foundries and mills.
Leaving Birmingham the road winds
down the valley Of the Black Warrior
river. This name recalls the frontier
days when this region was the recog-
nized domain of the southern Appalach-
ian Indian tribes. whom the pioneer
traders gradually drove westward, over
tho route now followed by the Indian
trail. After a. considerable descent the
road turns to the northwest, and leads
urhill again by way Of the Tombigbee
river into the state Of Mississippi
Cotton fields border the road for miles
through Mississippi, the route being
across the Yazoo and Sunflower rivers.
which wind sluggishly through the rich.
silly soil Drainage is serious prob
lem for the road builder through this
low wet bottom land. Yet roads must
be built to enable the growers to get
their cotton to the river boats cheaply
and promptly.
The Indian trail crosses the Missis-
sippi river from Moore, Miss, to Arkan-
sas City, Ark, just below the Choctaw
Bend, famous in the early Indian me-
gotiations following the Louisiana spur-
chase. The route then parallels the