The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-02-06

oone over the proposed Dismal
swamp highway from Elizabeth
City to Norfolk via South Mills.
and he doesn't think much of it.
He holds out little encourage
r7ent for state aid for such a
rorte, but he wakes enthusias-
tic over the proposed road from
Elizabeth City to Gates county
via Newland township and says
state and federal aid will be
Granted on such a road if Gates
county will join. with Pasquo-
tank in application for funds for
the building of connecting link
thru three miles of swamp now
separating the two counties at a
point near Tad1nore. in Pasquo-I
tank and Acorn Hill in Gates.
Taking Chairman Page at his
word. the Pasquotank Highway
Commission went over into Gates
county this week and secured the
SIGNATURES of the Commissioners
of Gates county to a joint petit
ton along the lines of Mr.. Pages
recommendation Gates county
people generally are enthusiastic
over the idea. but Gates is hes1-
tant over the probable cost of the
project But the point is, Gates
and pa>quotank are united on
the idea and there is some pro-
ba'ji,i-y of Pasquotank getting
statt and federal aid in connect
ing With the State Highway thru
Cats county.
From the standpoint of Elizabeth City
and PaSquotank county, according to Mr..
Pagc. Il road from Elizabeth City ito
Gate>viIIe would be worth far more than
ethrr Of the proposed routes to Norfolk
He indicated further that the State
Highway Commission would be disposed
to give aid to the building of this road,
with the important provision that before
aid i asked for some road be construct
ed through the three mile stretch of the
Dismal Swamp which intervenes be-
tween Pa<quotank and Gates counties,
ther. being no road at present. Gates
county has very good roads, considered
as q whole and Gates is reluctant to
20
connect with Pasquotank, from the
standpoint that Pasquotank county and
Elizabeth City will receive the bulk of
the benefits from the building of such
road. Citizens of Newland township,
adjoining the Gates county line have al
ready pledged themselves to certain
road building projects to connect the
two counties. and the Pasquotank High
way commission believes that it is fea-
Sble 70 build this three-mle connecting
road by private subscriptions.
After such a road either has been
built is definitely in process of con-
Struction. states Mr.. Page, joint ap-=
pIicaton for State and Federal aid on
the Elizabeth City Gate svihe road should
be forwarded to the State Highway
Commission. In brief, the Commission
tSnt going to give aid on the proposed
road until there is a certainty that the
ob>trNctlng swamp, which is mainly in
GateS county, will be crossed by a good
public road. Under no circumstances
Will aid De available before next June,
Slnc" the funds which the State Highway
commission has in hand will be used
Sl projects already approved.
Some years ago a road known as the
]. X. Abbott path connected Pasquotank
amt Gates counties. This fell into dis
use long ago. and is now impossible,
htr"" the necessity for the building of
highway across the intervening swamp.
N'Ta the exception of the Elizabeth
'atr-ville road, the only road in Pasque
Ia county to which the Commission
"'titi give State and Federal aid is the
i-'.%'p"th Woodville road, which is
I' ""d IN the Ferebee District High
wa Mr. Page said that the Virginia
~: "onnecting the proposed Elizabeth
"[-~"nth Mills road with Norfolk via
'''." Creek, Va, could not be at pre-
s." approved by Virginia because that
'f" has no funds available for addi-
t".7' road construction. Asked if the
"' Highway Commission would aid
>" !, Mills township in Camden county
=. '' building of that townships sector
.. lie latter road, Commissioner Page
"..,3,l'd that the Commission might
f." olv do so.
N'.-" inspecting the various roads in
~r"tlon with view to their rela-
adTantages, Commissioner Page
'.- lrst taken to Hinton's Corner,
"." II" was told of the old canal road
connects with South Mills. A
'r two further on he was taken
.- Iii" old private road which pro-
short cut to the latter town.
-" "' %t stop was at the Sheppard Rid
d'rh on the Dismal Swamp, and up
~ '.N return he was shown the new
;s'"'ahd High School building, which he
LS'f'ted tt with evident approval Then
party proceeded to the Pasquotank
ra sr bridge on the present South Mills
te' the second of the proposed routes
vi IN" Elizabeth City South Mills paw
M: highway, and proceeded thence to
pIiIZahatb