The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-02-27
A STIRRING APPEAL FOR
AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
,,,-1s.r Cohoon Storms The General Assembly of
Virginia In Behalf of What May Be
Called The Washington
Highway

- I,,o..t roads enthusiast appear
u 1at.~e that body and appeal
;o,, -e,,;r aid in the construc-
- II interstate highway to
,re,,t Elizabeth City and envlr-
~. with the tidewater cities OF
,,;;roi,,;a Cohoon's speech has
m.d,, N impression upon the
,-;;roir,;s.1s and will have deslr-
oble eject. Part OF Mr. Co.
hooo's speech is published here.
After .ying a tribute, to the
r,arch,r-s history Of Virginia IN
words ~:orthy OF a Henry w.
Gradv. Nr. Cohoon said:
.psio,, vour state line, and on your
....,+hoa>-.~u border. is people VINO
[ar, IN -our just pride of all your gio-
history. because they are your peo-
yo-. history is their history; your
.,,I;r;,,,-, are their traditions. your an
o.>rorS 40 their ancestors IL was tne
.nt1o,- -rnn jamestown which settled
,:la,,.ar,~ North Carolina. that J region
,..,,vvr a> the "Albemarle section,
..rrirorv II ten counties where per
f..r r3.,. .-a. above fertile SOIL, yelos
.r sandman almost every product
-I. -...,arate zone. There are broad
..,.r, ming with exhaustless trea-
..r., 81 .i>h and game; forests. vast
and rr.- al. and from these adVah-
+s,.- G.,.~ grown an amazing system OF
5~lr.r,...~ ~rr among cheap and taIlow
I.,.. ~sE with possibilities to which
;-..-. ....-rn nor soil has set limit
I.~.. -:,. >ir~. a quarter of million
t..,... s...-~rt.;ouS and hoSpitable peo-
~. u..,.-.. ,.n,trag" and loyalty you test
Il i-...f tnrr wears of dreadful car
,4o.. ,-.r. ,rpon these blood-Stalned
fn. .f Ts.-;i.ia they were your COM
radr>-n.-.rlA~.
This. .:.rn. iS but the feeble picture
and rros.-. of my home. land oetter
and .a.,r- -llan | have told YOU But It's
progress : halted; we are chained no
la>> ~..-..r..'v than Prometheus. of old
and il : -nu and you alone. who car
r4,.nv. IL. letters which bind. lis
Won u!o old the key which can uniocF
t. great. and unfolding posslbliltle'
AID rn;i,,.. IL 70 achieve nobler des
t.v r..ar our fathers sought by the
>vor. e.. .1 the cannon's mouth
.ti4l.r..!-n. TO properly comprehend
Il, >i.l .:.cancr of my words you mus
lav. IL 81. I'D the geography of this re
gfn,. .,....!ember that the Atlantl
tt.r:.n = =. cur East. the wide water
of liz. >..s..iaarle Sound on the Sout
a.. ;.e uad waters of the Chowan II
y... u. 49,. West Thus we are separat
r| <rn!. ,+.r own state by biographies
tr-r.-r> oar connection with the oc1
sd. world j. through Norfolk county
in H.. ~t;.t,. Of Virginia. Our trade re
Iirons ":. with the cities of Nortoi
aaI I',.rr~l..putil and with other. cite
IT, tht unfth OF them. 1t is from tn
fields ana streams of Albemarle Mort
Carolina mat the markets of Norfol
and orr~.4outh are supplied 'Tis til
newspapers of Norfolk which circula1
i'll our midst We are essentially vi
giI4an> By association. These Virgin
cities are largely populated by Mort
tar0linian>.
Elizabeth City, a town of fiftet
thousand people. is the acknowledge
commercial center of that part of Nor
Carolina Of which 1 have told you.
Is only forty miles distant from NO
folk and its intimate commercial rel
tlon> should convince you that an ad
Guate highway. connecting these cite
is nothing less than imperative. L.
economic and commercial life, the co
tuned progress and prosperity OF {
favored Albemarle section is depende
upon H." construction of a suitable hlg
va which. shall make possible the co
tihaaNr,. ~ those cordial relations VIII
h"F" rAara"t"rizcd our past 1t is ne
'~~1r. FL. YOU to construct only til
t'. E.1."- "f road from Deep Greek
f'. NORTH carolina line. We will me
So" Hat line. | state. without
---E Ear of successful contra
&c.,. ..H .u where within the limits
}' ...-. can YOU build thirteen mi
" .iyh would open up such
--'." relations as are aSsul
.,;,
" aad which we urge you to c.
.rug the banks of the Dis1
a.@"I. Il project that was c.
.a" constructive brain of
-'# irginanS.-George Wa
big. .pug before he became &c
.."f of the Continental
he who surveyed the ro
canal and for which Z
-.. WIS granted in 1856.
ord Il good road bed wi