The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-03-15
MOTORING OVER OLD PIKE
THRUWESTERN MARYLAND
An Interesting Article By T. C.
Darlington, of FrOstburg.

Motor cars are carrying today more
than seven million passengers annu-
ally; three and a-half times the
number that travel on railroad
trains. In the past four years the
United States has spent two billion
dollars for the improvement of ru-
raj highways; one-third of all out
standing bonds of all the states are
highway bonds. The number of autos
in use increases so fast it is impos-
slble to state the exact ratio of autos
to owners, but, according to the man.
ufacturers, the pedestrian will soon
be as extinct as the horse.
Great profits are being reaped from
this great modern miracle of trans
portation, not only through the man.
ufacture and sale of automobiles, but
in variety of by-product ways, the
chief of which is the great tourist
business which multiplies and replen-
ishes itself with each successive sea-
son.
Those who keep their fingers on the
pulse of the auto world declare that
the summer of 1923 will be the
greatest tourist season the country
has yet experienced No section of
the country is better located or bet
ter equipped to get a goodly share of
this great tourist business than is
Western Maryland. From end to end
Of Maryland runs the greatest trans
continental highway in America, in
our end Of the State the two great
requirements of the tourists, climate
and scenery, exist in perfection. In
addition we have frst-class hotels.
beautiful camping grounds aud every
thing to make touring a delight.
For more than a century the fam
Gus old National Road has been the
great highway of travel betweens east
and west. Built between Cumberland
and Wheeling by the National gov
eminent and thrown open to traffic
in 1918, it was soon extended east
through Hagerstown and Frederick
to Baltimore and Washington and on
the west to st. LOUIS; it has now
stretched its length until it touches
the Pacific at Los Angeles.
To travel through Maryland over
the National Road is to take a lib
! eral course in American history. The
tourist coming from the west drives
over almost the same trail that was
followed by George Washington and
General Braddock in 1855 in their
disastrous expedition against the
French and Indians. He may pause
to see Braddock's grave beside the
road and little further on view the
battlefield Of Fort Necessity where
Washington met his first defeat in
the previous year. After passing
through Frostburg and Cumberland
and enjoying the Alpine scenery of
the Alleganies in Western Maryland,
the traveller may linger over scenes
made famous by battles of the civil
war and places redolent with the
memory Of the great men of our Ma
tons past.
Authorities all admit that Mary
land has the best completed highway
system of any State of the Union.
Good roads radiate in every direction
but the greatest of these is the Ma
tional Road. Hard surfaced with
either concrete or macadam over its
entire length, TIL s road is kept by the
State Roads Commission at high
state of preservation and in perfect
repair. In preparation for the i'm
mense travel of the coming summer
many improvements have been made
Concrete shoulders have been added
to the width of the road for MANY
miles through the State and they are
being constantly extended; the road
has also been built up at all curves
especially over the mountain grades;
all curves, especially vertical, are
clearly indicated by Gcvp lines made
with especially prepared paint indi-
eating the right of way for cars GO
ing in either direction. This is also
the best marked road in the country
In addition to well placed and abund.
ant danger" signs, there are enor.
nous boards giving the names of var.
ious mountains, the altitude and 9th.
CT interesting data. On these boards
are also directions for careful driv.
ing. -..---ls --.---
! - r