The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-14
Frederick Haskin's Letter
The Nations Southern Main Street.
ten,e1al cs.ssuSSse1ns e - Asgsa.l


trapscontinertal lines surveyed Nv
ofdef Of congress during the psrioS
Immediately preceding the ci,s,
war when 1t was realized that M
territory gained as a result Of the
Mexican war and by the acouisi,;as
Of California could only be con.
solidate1 through lines of trsn.-
portation linking the Pacific eos.,
to the Mississippi Valley and theme
with the Atlantic seaboard Ga
records indicate that this route vss
regarded as the most feasible :,
well as the most desirable, but when .
the war between the states came m
the line from Omaha to San Fan
cisco was adopted for the first ran.
way to be built across the CONT.
nent.
Fellows Many Streams and River.
The Lee Highway follows bean,
tiful rivers and streams for more
miles than any other road in the
world. it is claimed, and offers a
combination of mountain and val.
ley scenery of unusual beauty and
variety. From the Potomac river
southwestward to the Mississipui
the way lies Through q great inter.
mountain valley which is marked
by the Blue Ridge and unaka noun
tain ranges on the east and by the
AlleghenyCumberland range on the
west. This valley is crossed
transversely by series Of ridges
which are not high enough to form
mountain Barriers, but constitute
watersheds for streams flowing in
! q n0rthwesterly or southwesterly
direction.
The Valley of Virginia has been
a great thoroughfare since tho
early settlement of that region.
Along it passed the pioneers from
| the older sections of Virginia and
other states who settled the noun
famous parts Of West Virginia,
! northern Tennessee and parts Of
! Kentucky. 1t was the shortest
! route from Charlotte. North Caro-
lima, to New York, and before the
days of the railroad was generally
used by southerners who had occa-
sioR to journey north.
T Thus this valley presents
wealth of historical interest dating
back to early colonial days. 1t h
cludes battle grounds that were the
arenas for some of the fiercest fight
ing of the Civil war, and it has also
its monuments to peaceful pursuits
and achievements. Notable among
the latter is an ancient structure
standing a short distance from the
Lee Highway between Staunton and
! Lexington, Virginia, which was the
blacksmith shop in which Cyrus H.
! Mccormick made the first reaping
machine. Scenic features of this
section include the Luray CavernS
and the Natural Bridge, which has
been rated as the most beautiful ID
the world.
| Along with the construction Of
the road the Lee Highway associa,
! ton purposes the carrying on OF
an educational campaign in which
| the history. geography, literature
| industries, natural resources and
attractions of the zone traversed BY
the highway will be made generally
known. This will fit into the SET
ing America First" propaganda.
| Naturally the business element IN
every community along the line IS
interested in this program and Is
cooperating in every possible way.
! President Harding has enrolled
himself among the good roads
boosters in a recent letter to the
Highway Education Board. He de-
clared the question of transporta-
ton to be among the most press
ing and difficult problems the en-
tire world is facing" and stated with
all possible emphasis that the
country needs good roads and more
of them"
| Transportation facilities OF the
world, whether by rail or water or
whether represented by the gseat
network of public highways. have
been confronted with a most OIL
ficult situation for years" said the
president. "It is one which de-
mands the very best and wld@st
| treatment from the standpoint OF
technical, economic and hnanciai
authorities"