The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-03-27
THAT CHOWAN
BRIDGE FIGHT
Lets Look Over Our Maps, and
Learn Just Where 1t
Should Be Located
By ID. v. Meekins.


raine, a progressive BERTHE
community, always on the
alert for new and better things,
is naturally after the bridge,
and is opposing Edenton, the
second largest city of north
eastern North Carolina, which
also wants the bridge.
The writer is not making any
fight here and now on the location
of the ChOwan bridge, but has faith
in the ability and courage Of the
State Highway Commission to
locate the bridge where it should
properly be, to serve the greater
number of people, who will need it
most. Such spirit was long ago
manifested by the Elizabeth City
Chamber of Commerce, before the
bridge was ever made possible, when
it agreed to leave the location to
the State Highway Commission.
1t should not be however, that an
important benefit of this kind be
held up by the contentious of two
rival communities. Rather, it should
be built as speedily as possible, in
line with a sectional spirit, that
northeastern North Carolina must
develop, in order to carry Oh u great
program of progress. That spirit
should be one of friendly cOOpera-
ton, which will cause the one com
munity to work for the benefit Of
the other, thereby inspiring reciprO-
cal courteSies enabling all to obtain
equal blessings. Two sections can
not have one things, but two Sec
tions working hand in hand, may
get two different things. Of vital and
equal value, which could not he OBJ
tanned if their forces are divided.
But it might be we'll to bear in
mind the history of the origin of
the Chowan Bridge idea, and the
fight that was successfully waged
to carry it out. 1t will be remem-
bered that when the people of Eliz-
abeth City, Hertford, EdentOn. and
other towns. behind got the South
Atlantic Coastal Highway project,
which led to the endorsement of
Route 80 for a Coastal Highway,
right there arose the idea that the
Chowan River must be bridged to
make possible the final adoption Of
this route. Leaders of sectional
progress in all these towns immedi.
ately took up the cry, and Hertford
Eednton. and Elizabeth City fought
valiantly and tirelessly, to arouse
sentiment, and finally made the
bridge project successful one.
Edenton, the old, and historic and
growing former capital of North
Carolina. a center of wide agricul-
tural and Industrial activity. was
leading the fight for the bridge.
The prime purpose of the high
way act of North Carolina on which
our new system of roads is being
built. is for the construction of
roads connecting every county seat
i'm the state. Edenton is a county
seat. but without the bridge, it
would not be directly corrected with
the county seats on the othe" side
of the river.
Roads have been built from Cur
rituck Courthouse to Edenton, on
the North side of the sound, and all
these county seats are connected.
State Highways are also complete,
leading into Windsor In Bertie
County. BERTHE County has made
provision for the completion OF a
road from Windsor to the Chowan
River. Bertie and Hertfori County
have one outlet across the River
into Gates County, with the COM
pletion of the WintOn Brjcge. Good
highways reaching into Virginia.
radiate in all directions from the
important towns In that section.
The people in the lower Chowan
section. and in other counties this
! side of the River, want to be an
integral part of their own State,
and will depend on the Chowan
bridge to remain so.
! The people of this section, might
do well to bear in mind, that the
l.. s. Congress, has passed bill
authorizing the erection Of a bridge
ocross the ChOwan River, at or near
Edenton. 1t would be better still,
if every progressive thinking citi'
zen who wants this bridge built
with the least possible delay, would
pet out his road map of North Caro-
lima. and study with the reason and
intelligence, the highway routes af'
fected. the needs of the people who
should have the bridge, and satisfy
himself as fully as possible, as to
lust where the bridge should be
located