The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-09-15
Interesting Story
Of The Long Ago
History of Plank
Road Told the
Rotary Club
DR.. Howard E. Rondthaler, of Win
ston- Salem, Makes Splendid Address
II. ElWOod Cox Sueaks.


il. Eiwood Cox Speaks.
! Importance Of giving the old plank
road historic publicity was efnpha-
sized by DR.. Howard Rondtha1er, of
Winston Salem, in q splendid address
Fbefore High Point Rotarians at their
Week1N luncheon Thursday afternoon
in the Commercial club building.
The. history of the road from the
time Of organization Of the company
and the granting of the charter until
the tragic ending of the thorough
fare was told by the speaker, who
has made a careful study of the old
plank road. His story was interesting:
to the RotaTians because of the fact
that the road passed through High
Point and was the means Of building
up this section.
= The charter for construction Of
the Fayetteville and Salisbury road
was granted in 1849, but because Of
the lack Of interest of Salisbury people
the name was later changed to the
Fayettevilles and Western, DR.. Rond-
thaleT said. Details concerning the
organization of the company and the
purchase of stock were discussed by
the speaker, who said hundreds of men
and Women lost heavily on the pro-
I ject.
The old plank road was 120 miles
long, the longest plank road in the
world. It was travelled by scores and
| 81 ores of people every way and when
at the height of it's prosperity earn
! ed $4,000. When first organized the
tolls at the gate at Fayetteville
amounted to about $500. Later the
! receilots reached the sum of S5OO
monthly, Dr.. Rondthaler said. The
cost of construction Of the thorough
i, fare was, from $1,000 to S1,8OO per
mile
+ According to the Wn.ston-Salem
man simultaneously with the grant
ing of the charter for the old plank
road a charter was granted for the
construction of q railroad from the
i Blue Ridge mountains to the Atlantic
| Ocean the second railroad chartered
in North Carolina. Fhe granting OF
/ the railroad charter was the tragic
] ending of the old plank road he sald
Il DIR. Rondthaler's address proved, sc
Interesting TO the Rotarians that tnes
n Sssaesteo the speaker to have 1t writ
p. ten and distributed throughout the
state.
J. Elwood Cox, of High Point,
i m oemher of the state highway commits
!
spoke briefly. He told the RotaflanS
that the name of the state highWGaa!
I now under construction had been OH
Icially termed the Boone-Wllmlngto1
j highway. Mr.. Cox regetted that i
would be impossible to follow tn
route of the old plank road in it's en-
t1rety, but he said much of the rout'
would be followed: While speaking
MI Cox paid tribute to Enginee
Cooper, who SURVEYED the route TO
the old road. He was recognized a
an efficient and capable engineer.
The highway commissioner. also dis
. cussed the road work now under wa,
in his district and expressed the belle
{, that the next legislature would ap
propriate another large sum Of none
: for the construction and maintenanc
of highways in North Carolina. Nh
Cox has just returned from Ralelgl
where he attended meeting of tn
!. commission.
II J. J. Farriss. as chairman of tn
program committee, presided at tn
meeting. The gathering was mafke
by large attendance and considerabl
{ enthusiasm.