Evening star., 1924-10-26
GREAT BOULEVARD
IN VIRGINIA IS PLAN
Lee Highway Director Pro.
noting Pennsylvania Ave-
nue. Extension Project.

Proposed extension of Pennsylvania
avenue across the Arlington Memorial
Bridge and clean across the State of
Virginia with a boulevard 100 feet
wide, received fresh impetus through
the recent visit Of DR.. S. NJ. johnson.
general director of the Lee Highway
Association, to Luray and Skyland,
Va. this week.
On Monday DR.. johnson conferred
with the leading business men of
Luray and Skyland with a view to
securing deeds to the State of Vir-
ginia for 100-foot right-of-way across
Page County
Lee Highway will be finished from
Luray to the crest of the Blue Ridge
Mountains on the east, distance of
about 10 miles, in December. Luray
with its wonderful caverns and the
popular mountain resort of Skyland
will be accessible over Lee Highway
In a run of less than three hours
from Washington. The distance
from Washington to Luray by Har-
pers Ferry will be reduced by about so
miles.
Project Is Endorsed.
DR.. johnson was assured that the
willingly. decided without cost to the
State. He brings back with him a
letter from T. c. Northcott. who
owns nearly mile of the frontage
in which he agrees to convey the Ero-
posed ight7of-way and in the near
future, at his own expense, to plant
ornamental trees and otherwise CO.
operate with the plan of beautlffca-
ton.
DR.. Johnson addressed the high
school of Luray and made ar
,hnH hv pm
banks have been supplied for the
school children to use in gathering
funds which will be spent for pur-
chasing bulbs, foliage plants, vines
shrubs and trees. Definite portions of
the roadside in the vicinity of Luray
will be assigned to the pupils of each
room to beautify. Prizes will be Of
.fered for those which make the best
fShowing.
The consulting park architect Of the
Lee Highway Association will pre-
pare the plans for the roadside en-
bellishment. A definite frontage will
be assigned to each school division
for its particular efforts.
Plans for Mountain Frontage.
The frontage of the Lee Highway
across the Blue Ridge and Massanut-
ten Mountains will be divided into
lots for the purpose of embellishing
the roadside, and these will be as
signed to individuals and families who
pledge themselves to set out and
maintain a small plot on the noun
tain side. They will grub out the
undergrowth, remove undesirable
trees and plant instead native flower
ing trees and shrubs, such as wild
cherry, crabapple, aZaleas and noun
tain laurel.
Luray and Page County have thus
far been the leading financial sup
tion, and DR.. johnson returned from
his trip with substantial financial evil
dence that this support is to be con-
tinued.
Dr.. johnson recently went to Rogers
willie. Tenn, where he read a mes
sage written by President Cool
idge at the dedication of duplicate
of the zero milestone In Washington,
which has been placed in new and
where it is crossed by the Lonesome
Pine Trail. After the dedication DR..
johnson left by automobile over
the Lee Highway to San Diego,
Calf, making arrangements to close
the few remaining gaps during 1925
and enlisting the support OF the va
rious interested communities for
financing the Lee Highway Assocta-
tion for another four-year period.
National Park Considered.
While he was at Skyland DR.. John
son met G. F. Pollock, who has taken
the lead in the effort to secure the
decision for the Southern Appalachian
Park for Northern Virginia. The Lee
Highway Association is strongly
backing the movement for this great
park. DR.. johnson was taken over a
portion Of the proposed site. He
stated that unQuestionably the Blue
Ridge Mountains from Front Royal to
Waynesboro contain the necessary
elements for national park and that
1t would be crime against civiliza
tion IL something is not done i'm
mediately to prevent the destruction
of the noble forests, which are rapid
ly being consumed by sawmills and
which will undoubtedly suffer Sc
verely from forest fires unless the
National Government takes immedi-
ate steps for fire prevention.