Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1924-01-31
SEEK THROUGH
ROUTE TO WEST
'Chicago-Florida Tourist Route May
Be Shortened Many Miles by Use
of Boone Trail Highway.
North Wilkesboro Special to w. S.
. Journal, Jan. 26.

journal, Jan. 26.
A momentous project to make of
the Boone Trail Highway, Route No
60. thoroughfare of interstate and
national Importance, to connect Co
lumbus Ohio and other points in the
middle west and Bristol, Tenn. and
intermediate cities by direct line with
Wilmington and Jacksonville, Fla was
launched yesterday by the Kiwanis
Club of this city at its noon luncheon
at the Call Hotel.
Mr.. Finley's Vision
The vision of the great interstate
artery which will save between $50
and 200 miles of travel for tourists
and pleasure seekers journeying south
from Chicago, Columbus, Indianap-
oils, Akron, Toledo and other points
was laid before the Kiwanis club by
J. r. Finley, well-known local manu-
facturere and public spirited citizen
1t met with the hearty approval of
the members of the club. Mr.. Finley
voiced an appeal to enlist the aid of
the towns and cities of Winston-Sal-
EN-, Southern Pines, High Point, Pine
hurst Charlotte, Statesville, Yadkin-
vile, Boone and Bristol and to ex-
tend urgent invitation to the Amer
ican automobile association and the
North Carolina automobile associa-
tion to have representatives accom-
pany the delegation on an inspection
tour of the route.
a proposal of Mr.. Finley's urgent
appeal to make the Boone Trail an
Al grade federal highway came the
news of Congressman r. L. Dough-
toms measure to provide hundred
million dollars for road building to
the various states of the union. The
whole northwest country as well as
other portions of the state are inter-
e-ted to learn of these .initial steps
being taken and the value of such
a project as that proposed by Mr..
Finley will be readil recognized.
To Top Tennessee
To make the route feasible it is
only necessary to improve compar-
atively short stretch Of highway be-
tween Boone and Mountain City, Ten
an excellent highway being between
that point and Bristol now being av-
.ailable to travel From Bristol, en-
route through to Columbus, Ohio, by
way of Bluefield, w. Va. Charleston
and then either by way of Hunting
ton or Parkersburg is a direct line
and is one of the national highways
already on the map.
Save Distance
The distance in travel from Co.
lumbus, Ohio or other points in the
middle west over the Boone Trail
to Pinehurst Wilmington and other
southern resorts shows on the map
to be slightly over IT'S miles. Com
pletion of a good road connecting
line from the Tennessee line beyond
Boone to Mountain City, Tenn would
likely result in turning thousands OF
summer tourists journeying south
through North Carolina and its splen-
did mountain scenery.
The gap in the Blue Ridge through
which the Boone Trail winds its way
forms one of the most feasible grads
to be found in the whole Appalach-
ian chain south of Cumberland, Md.
and a highway that is already sus-
tanning heavy traffic even during the
severe cold weather of recent weeks
is available at once for the proposed
interstate travel route.
Boost North Carolina
A study of the map of North Car.
olina and it's relation to other states
will reveal the practicability of util,
izing the Boone Trail Highway as
the chief artery of travel from the
middle western and far western
states. The opening up OF such
highway as that proposed by Mr.
Finley would be great boost tt
North Carolina and would result II
greatly increased traffic through the
state, east and west. The route is
direct one to the seacoast, whether
travelling east to Wilmington and tt
Wrightsville Beach or south to Jack
D,l,,, Raooh
To Ask Hard Surface
Steps are to be taken at once e
combine delegations from this cit!
Winston-Salem, Statesville, Charlotte
Yadkinville, High Point, Boone ant
other places along the line for an IL
spection tour of the route at an ear
ly date with the purpose in view O.
recommending that it be made al
A-grade federal highway, as an In
terstate artery of travel. 1t is ais
(Continued on page twO.)