Evening star., 1927-05-29
$1,000, 900 HIGHWAY
TO RICHMOND OPENS
WITH CEREMONIES


Continued from First Page),
does not provide for this. With the
approval given by the Commission
Of Fine Arts to this site. those foster
ing the project were told that they
would now have to go to Congress
and get the legislative approval for it.
The proposed Department of Just
lima line-one Of the longest continu.
Gus stretches of cement road in the
United States, extending on almost
a direct line for 240 miles.
Virginia is building roads from
revenue and not from borrowed
money! he declared. she may have
suffered some delay, but the fact
energies out of the controversies or
the past that our roads are being
rapidly completed without mortgag-
ing future generations"
Pointing out that this year Virginia
will put S1S.500,O00 into its roads,
Gov. Byrd stated that "Virginia's
roads today speak for themselves.
Wherever one goes, he said, road I'M
provement is under way, with the
old dirt. clay and sand types being
the year around. The tax per auto.
mobile in Virginia for roads Is less
per year than i'm any other South
Atlantic State, he said.
Symbol Of Unity.
'The formal opening of the Rich
mond. Washington highway" the GOV
ernor announced. commentaries
something more than the completion
AL fxx. fy-u1 do
travel 1t is a symbol and pledge of
reunited country; it is significantly in
dicative of that spirit of benevolent
fraternity and of real and broadening
brotherhood which links, and may 1t
link forever, the great Northern and
Southern sections Of our land.
Mr.. Trinkle characterized the road
as another link in the chain of friend
ship being forged between the peo-
piles of the North and South" and he
emphasized that the highway, while
mot so important commercially" was
necessary as a tourist thoroughfare to
save Virginia from being talked
about" because of it's poor road from
Washington to Richmond. He said
Virginia must sell itself to Virginians,
and then to the world.
Senator Swanson paid stirring
tribute to Gov. Byrd as "a highway
builder" and he called on the State
to march forward, instead of mark
ing time The completed Jefferson
Davis highway marks the completed
reconciliation Of the North and the
South" he said.
Chairman Shirley Of the State High
way Commission--the man who di-
rected actual construction Of the new
road---asserted that the highway cost
S3. 800 900: is 109 miles long, from the
United States Capitol to the Capitol at
Richmond; saves 25 miles Of travel be-
tween the two points, and results in
an economic saving, because OF the
shortened distance, of $l,35S.0O0
| yearly.
Mr.. Wilson, representing the United
States Bureau of Public Roads, out
lined the early history of the Rich
mond- Washington highway and the
difficulties formerly experienced by
those who attempted to travel it in
bad weather. The highway now is, a
part of Route No. 1" in the Federal
system of interstate and transconti-
gins at Fort Kent, Me-, continues
| through Boston, Providence, New
York, Philadelphia. Baltimore and
Washington and on the Richmond,
| Raleigh, Columbia, Augusta, Jackson
vile and Miami.
Being the original direct land con.
nection between New England Colo
| MES centering at Bosthon and the
sites of government of the Maryland
and Virginia Colonies, this route runs
| through q section most replete with
Colonial history" Mr.. Wilson explain
ed. II venture to say that the route
as a whole has not its equal in the
country for reaching points Of his
toric interest. ] sincerely congratu'
late Virginia on, having completed its
most important part of this route"
Dougherty Takes Part.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony took
place before noon near Pohick. Gov.
Byrd and Commissioner Proctor L.
Dougherty of the District Of Columbia
off1ciated with the scissors, each sever.
ing a silken ribbon in the presence of
a selected company of officials and
guests. The official party then re.
turned to this city for luncheon,
after which they took their places In
the reviewing stand. A battery of
artillery saluted the party as it ar
rived i'm fredericksburg.
The parade formed in the heart of
the city and passed through streets
lined with American and Confederate
flags and thronged with men. women
and children in holiday dress. Lead
ing the procession was Queen Eliza
beth and Sir Walter Raleigh, accom-
panied by mobiles of the court. to
whom the New World is indebted for
it's Anglican colonization.
Admiral Hughes will lead the line
on the flagship Seattle. anchoring
near the Mayflower after passing IN
review; other ships of the fleet after
passing the Mayfiower will lay q
course to a point a little more thar
mile northeast of Cape Henry.
All saluting vessels will begin fir
ing the National salute about 500 yards
before passing the Mayfower. Wealth
err permitting. the 60 seaplanes at
tached to the aircraft squadrons Of
the scouting feet will fly in formation
L