The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-01-20
TYING STATE TO
ELIZABETH CITY
Hurry Up Surveys Ordered on
Road From Winton To-
ward This City

Authorized by the Governor
and Counsel of State tAdouble
it's road building program tor
1922. the State Highway Com
mission has, among other things,
ordered an immediate survey OF
a road from Winton in Herttord
County to Newland Church IN
Pasouotank. Three surveying
parties will 90 on the road at
once and the survey completed
at the earliest practicable mo-
ment so that there will be no
delay in getting construction
under way this spring.
From Winton to GateSville is l9'9'
miles. From GateSville to Sunbury Is
100 miles. From Sunbury to Elizabeth
City is 1906 miles as the State High
way Engineers will survey. Most OF
the road in PaSQuotank has been COM
Melted and when the State throws Its
road across the Dismal Swamp between
Acorn Hill in Gates County and New
land in Pasouotank. Elizabeth City and
ALI the counties North of Albemarle
Sound and East of ChOwan River Will
be on the State Highway system for
the first time in history. Elizabeth
City and these Northeastern North
Carolina counties will owe the realiza-
tion of this wonderful fact to Cover
nor Cam Morrison who promised to re-
cover these lost colonies" And hav-
ing made the promise Governor Morrl-
son appointed VIM. y. Hart Commis-
sioner for this district because he knew
THAT in Mr.. Hart he had n man who
would carry out his program.
What at one time appeared to be an
obstacle to the carrying out OF the
Elizabeth City to Winton project has
been removed. There is a swamp two
or three miles in width to be crossed
between Gates and PaSquOtank. This
swamp must be drained before road
can be put across it, Landowners in
the neighborhood fought the proposal
TO drain this swamp. They finally lost
their fight in an election on Dec. q,
1921. when PasQuOtank Drainage Dis
trict No. /. embracing the disputed ter
ritory. was created by special cleo
tion. The Drainage District has since
been organized with J. \. Williams.
chairman: Jordan c. Harris. vice chair
man. and A. F. Stafford, secretary.
The district embraces 1000 acres, or
about two thirds of that part of New
land township above the Methodist
Church. The drainage of this area not
only gives PasQuotank short and di-
rect connection with the highway sys-
tenn Of the state. but will make thOus-
. ands of acres now idle swamp land
available for agricultural purposes.
Under the Highway Commission res
olution doubling the road building pro-
gram for 1922. 1868 miles of new con-
StructiOn have been added to the hSt
of projects set down for early letting,
and bids will be asked on these IS pro-
jects within the next few months.
The Commissions decision to double
its road mileage for the year, places
North Carolina at the head of the
States in the union in the matter of
building roads, and if carried out, will
establish a new record for road con-
struction in the United States. Ohio
and Pennsylvania have heretofore lead
the country with, a record of 600 miles
of new roads in one year. BY January
l. 1923. the Commission expects to
have well over half the State system
of $500 miles of road completed or
under construction.