Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-01
IS NO RIVALRY
BETWEEN ROADS
William Penn and Lincoln
Highways Working in Per-
feet Accord in Wartime

The statement by The North
Americans correspondent in Cham
bersburg Tuesday that "a consider
able rivaly exists between the Lin
coin Highway and tho william Penn
Highway in Pennsylvania" is de-
clared to be q mistaken idea by tho
people who have put the William
Penn Highway on the map, because,
they say. both these roads are alb
solute necessities, in war time or
times of peace. In these days when
permanent thoroughfares are con-
structed only 16 feet in width and
traffic is increasing 40 or so por
cent. year. both the William Penn
and the Lincoln Highways are nee
essary TO accomodate the great east
west travel across Pennsylvania.
The Governors of Pennsylvania
have pointed to the advantages of
Philadelphia-P Pittsburgh road pass
ing through Harrisburg. The first
was Governor Stuart, the second
Governor Brumbaugh. In the mes
sage of Governor Stuart to the gen.
eral assembly in 1903 he made par
IlSuloA hlSlliOh VI WudI 10 'lOW
known as the William Penn High
way.
"As a commencement of a State,
road SYSTEM" wrote the Governor,
Il recommend for your serious con-
sideration and approval the building
and maintenance, entirely by the
State, of a road to extend from the
seaboard to the Ohio valley, between
the cities of Philadelphia and Pitts
burgh, via Harrisburg, the Capital.
This highway should be in the inter-
est of the greatest number. The
line may be subject to local changes,
without avoiding the cardinal objec-
tive points. Thus population centers
will be travelled, and important cities
and countyseats will be connected,
representing a county population of
more than so per cent of the entire
population of the commonwealth.
No other line for main road can
be found which would reach so
large "a proportion of the states
population, or which would serve, so
many useful purposes"
$5,OOO,OOO For Road
The Legislature of 1909 took the
Governor very seriously. 1t passed
a bill appropriating S5,000,000 for
the Governors crosS-state highway.
1t saw fit, too. to prescribe that
where a line was relocated, or new
line adopted, the highway should be
forty-five feet in width.
Pennsylvania in 1909 was not so
progressive as its Governor. Tre-
mendous objection arose to the pro-
posed trans thorough
fare. The Governor was urged by
veto the measure, particularly by
the State Grange. AS the condition.
of the state treasury was such that
S5,000,000 was not available, Cover
nor Stuart vetoed the bill in a meas
use dated May IA, 1909. In this
message he said:
This bill authorizes the constr'ic-
ton of n state highway from Phila-
delphia to Pittsburgh, and makes an
appropriation of five million dollars,
or so much thereof as may be nee
essary, for the purpose of carrying
into effect its provisions The bill
was passed by the Legislature upon
my recommendation, supporting as
i believed constructive policy and
for the interests of the people of the
Commonwealth. In my message to
the Gent raj Assembly, dated January
5, 1909, said:
1.-The history of a state is COM
prised in it's highways-them means of
communication and transportation.
Good roads are an advancement of
civilization. In my inaugural ad-
dress 1 said that money honestly,
economically and judiciously spent
on good roads Is a wise investment
for the state I now repeat the
statement. Poor roads are our worst
form of extravagance; they benefit
nobody. Good roads, however, are
secondary in Importance to the needs
of the public schools, the caring for
the INDECENT insane and the chari-
ties of the Commonwealth for
getting the consumptive poor.
LAS 1 have been compelled to
make large reductions in the appro-
priations made by the Legislature,
for the reason that they are in eX-
cess of the revenues of the state, 1
have concluded not to give my ap-
proval to this bill"
Lincoln and william Penn
For four or five years thereafter
nothing was heard of a cross-state
highway. Then the Lincoln High
way was promoted, passing through
the southern tier of Pennsylvania
counties, along the old ma. .ary high
way. In March of 1916 the William
Penn Highway Association was form
ed at a meeting held in Harrisburg.
attended by 700 delegates from eigh-
teen Pennsylvania counties. The
GlnCOlH p1SoSS
Lancaster, York, Gettysburg, Bed
ford and Greensburg, to Pittsburgh.
The William Penn from Philadelphia
to Pittsburgh passes through Nor
ristown, Reading, Lebanon, Harris
burg, Lewistown, Huntingdon, Eb-
ensburg and Blairsville. Through
Williamsburg and to the center Of
Pittsburgh the two roads travel the
same route, but William Penn tour
lists are detcuring to the Lincoln to-
Greensburg, or leaving the Lincoln
at Greensburg, because of the un-
improved condition of the Penn way
from New Alexandria to Wilkins
burg. Travel over the William Penn
increased forty per cent. in 1917 over
1916.