Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1923-03-22
Some Roads in the Sew
enth District Will Be
Completed After All

Proposal for Big Cement Manufactur
ing Plant Somewhere in Western
Carolina to Facilitate Road Work
Roads Ordered Completed.
Winston Salem Journal.
The State of North Carolina is
seriously considering the feasibility
of building gigantic cement
manufacturing plant, to cost between
four and five million dollars to fac
ilitate the building of hard surface
roads in the State, according to A. S.
Hanes, highway commissioner, who
has returned from meeting of the
State Highway Commission in Raj
eigh.
A committee composed of ]. Ell
wood Cox, John Sprunt Hill A. S.
Hanes has been appointed by Frank
Page, chairman of the State Highway
Commission to visit cement manu-
featuring plants and make such rec
concentrations as they see fit in re-
gard to the feasibility of such plan
location of the plant, etc
Mr.. Hanes stated that the building
of cement roads in the state is being
delayed because of the fact that the
cement cannot be secured at the pres
ent time. The cement shortage is him
dering the work of road building in
every district in the state and the
highway commissioners see no way
out of the difficulty other than by
the building of plant for the pro-
duction of cement.
Mr.. Hanes stated that the members
of the committee would leave on the
tour of inspection Immediately. They
will visit Allentown, Pa. one Of the
great cement producing centers and
Kingsport, Tenn, also Norfolk, Va,
On their return they will report to
the highway commission and if the
report of the committee is accepted
by the commissioners definite action
will be taken. In the meanwhile the
building of hard surface roads in the
state is almost at standstill.
The session Of the commissioners
just closed was one of the longest
ever held by that body. They were
in session for three days and an i'm
mense amount of work was transac-
ted. A number of matters were disc.
cussed and the commission is con-
fronted with other grave problems
in addition to the cement shortage.
AT the meeting just closed a NUM-
Der of projects were authorized for
the seventh district of which Mr..
-. r--~-I-
tion of the cement road to Danbury
and from Mount Airy to Pilot Knob
were authorized
The completion of the road from
Winston-Salem to Mocksville was
also authorized as we'll as the ones
from Lenoir to Hickory, Wilkesboro
to Mulberry Gap, Boone and Blowing
Rock and for the construction of
five miles of road along the Boone
Trail Highway from Wilkesboro to-
wards Winston-Salem.
The route for the road leading to
Lexington from Winston-Salem to be
built of concrete, was ordered loca-
ted. The cement will be laid in the
near future.
Mr.. Hanes stated that none of the
projects could be completed at the
present time, due to the cement shor-
tage, but that in all cases the roads
would be graded bridges built and
everything put in readiness for hard
surfacing at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
The construction of the Clemens
lied. This will be sand clay road.
Contracts were authorized for the
completion of the road between JEFF
ferson and Sparta in Ashe and Allie
ghany Counties.