Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-02-09

The State road as adopted leaves
Martinsburg via South Queen street
VanMetre's School House, to Kearneys-
vile. The route from Kearneysvillc
% Charles Town has not been select
ed, but from Kearneysville to Shep-
herdstown has. There is heavy inter
state and inter-county traffic between
Shepherdstown and both Martinsburg
and Charles Town. From Shepherds
town to go through Kearneysvillc to
Martinsburg increases the distance BY
80 miles over the present direct route
To go to Charles Town from Shep-
herdstown via Kearneysville increases
the distance by either 80 or Al miles,
depending whether the road is built by
Shenandoah Junction or Leetown. This
means that the greater part OF this
traffic will continue to use the County
roads even after the State roads are
built. This increases the distance over
one-third in each case.
! At recent meeting of the West Viz
gina Horticultural Society twas shown
by figures from the United States De-
partment of Agriculture for the past
three years Washington has been the
highest priced apple market in the east.
due to its size (34O,OOO) and situation
at the gateway of the south. Within
20 miles of Martinsburg there are
enough apple orchards to produce on
crop years half million barrels of
apples. This amount will increase rap
idly, as young orchards come into
bearing. The authorities all agree that
the railroads will not be able to handle
the country's business on return to nor
NAL conditions. This means that the
Eastern Panhandle of West Virpinia
in the future will have to RELY on trucks
to market a large part Of its apple
crop, and that market is to the cas-,
and south. Martinsburg and the coun-
try westward want direct connections
to the Maryland State roads # Shen-
nerdstown and Harper's Ferry. From
Shepherdstown it is 6S miles to Balti-
more and IA to Washington. From
Harper's Ferry it is IS miles to Balti-
more and 70.5 to Washington, as the
Maryland State roads are now built
But Maryland will soon build link be-
tween Jefferson and Point of Rocks
which will cut off 10 miles to Washing
ton. Through Lecsburg, Virginia, it is
only So miles from Harper's Ferry to
Washington, AZ of which are now turn
pike. At Harper's Ferry the road zoe.
through gap in the Blue Ridge noun
tains instead of over them. 1t seems
that Harper's Ferry is the logical out-
let for the Eastern Panhandle towards
Washington, and the ultimate goal for
a State road from Martinsburg.
FROM the above traffic requirements
II seems that the best solution OF the
State roads problem would be to build
from Martlnsburg to or near Shenan-
doah Junction, thence to Charles Town
lhiS could be built through Ransom al
so II desired. This would give q di.
rect route to Martinsburg by the short
est route yet proposed. From iunc-
ton point near Shenandoah Junction
ouild a road to Shepherdstown. This
would also give about the shortest
route between Charles Town and Shep-
nerostown. In the future build direct
from Shepherdstown to Martinsbure
and from Shenandoah Junction to Har-
pers Ferry. The road between Kear-
neysvllle and Shepherdstown should
never be built as a State road. The
building of this road would forestall
the building of the direct roads, but
the increased mileage would drive the
tramc on our present roads. Thus
JeHerson county as part OF the State
would build State system within her
borders, and as county would be fore.
ed 10 build county system TO carry
the interstate traffic that her peopra.
phical position forces UPON her. We
pay for the State roads built within
our borders just as truly as IL the
county quilt it, the only difference is
lIat 'ne direction and control are vest
Cd IN the State, not the county. II is
true that the road could be carried I'm
Ger the railroad at Kearneysville with
OUT much excavation, but il means
bridging five railroad tracks and Sta
tion platform. The new Mallet loco
motives weigh $50 tons, while the may
lmum load on our State roads event
by special permission, is limited to IL
IONS. IT seems that it would be cheap-
CT 10 bridge the railroad where there
were only three tracks to cross.
someone recently said to me, "Wbv
oIlng up the question of State roads
again = The reason is simply this.
10 save the State and county thous.
anos OF do lars in taxes. I Am mot
pleaoing for or against any section nj
ene county. We have the above tra,.
nc conditions which we have To meet
and why not let one investment in
.oaas answer the purpose instead OF
Two, which is necessary il the State
S eoaas are located in the wrong place ?
Hucn State system as have out-
nned would relieve the county-district
roaas OF nearly all but local traffic.
our county court could concentrate its
FUNDS for the next few years in build
ing better roads to those communities
which are not served by the State roads
We could get along with our macadam
roads and soon have old Jefferson the
banner road county in the State. ne
she was several years ago. Let's for