Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-11-25
10000 TO ATTEND
HIGHWAY OPENING
Cows. Byrd and Mclean to
Speak at South Hill, Va,
Tomorrow.

BY the Associated Press.
SOUTH HILL, Va. November 25.-
A momentous event in the road
building history of Virginia and North
Carolina will be witnessed here to-
morrow when Gov. Harry r. Byrd of
the Old Dominion and Gov. Angus
Mclean clip the ribbons across the
highway n few miles south OF mere
opening another link of the great
highway that stretches from Miami
to Quebec.
Twenty thousand persons are eX.
pected for the ceremonies, which Will
be enlivened by music from the Ma
rine Band from QuantiCo. The gov
ernors will speak. Chairman Shirley
of the Virginia Highway COMMISSION
and cha Frank Page of the
North Carolina commission VIII nave
a few words and other notable VIII
appear on the rostrum
The ribbons will he clipped at 1:3o
o'clock. The clipping is only sYmDohc'
but represents III one sense the most
important road-building event to VAR
ginia since the first primitive streets
OF jamestown were cut from the VIZ
gin forest. 1t represents the closing
of link that affords paved highway
from Raleigh to Quebec, while work IS
progressing rapidly on the remaining
caps to the south that Will form
United States Highway No. pass,
ing through the thirteen original
colonies for a total distance of 2,32l.l4
miles.
215 Miles i'm Virginia.
Virginia has els miles of this high
way in its borders. now paved from
North Carolina to the National Capt.
tai.
Road authorities and industrial men
have estimated that the highway is
worth $4,000, 900 to Virginians, while
others state that the benefits are in
calculable.
The Federal Government has a
great interest in this highway along
the Atlantic seaboard. 1t represents
great commercial advantages and in
time of war would be a great avenue
for troop movement. 1t will form
the principal North and South link
through the thirteen original colonies.
Symbolic Of the progress of road
building in the Old Dominion, the IN
vitation extended to Gov. Byrd was
brought from South Hill to Richmond
by cart. a primitive means of travel
reminiscent of the early colonial
period. The governor will come to
the ceremony from NOrln NarOil1ld-
where today he is the guest of Gov
Angus Mclean at the dedication of
the University of North Carolina
new athletic stadium at Chapel Hill.
with Virginia and North Carolina en-
gaging in their annual foot ball en-
counter.
Airplanes to Take Part.
Bringing the ceremony up to date,
airplanes from Langley Field will cir
Gle over the road at the State line,
accompanied by two huge Army diri-
gibles from the same field. Local COM
mittees have worked for weeks COM
plotting plans for the celebration and
to care for the thousands of visitors
that flock here to witness the event.
In Virginia the highway is known
as State Route No. 81, now complete.
The road is shown on the North Caro-
lima maps as Route so, now completed
TO Raleigh. Work on the highway
from Raleigh to the South Carolina
border is going ahead rapidly.
The highway, starting from the
Canadian border, passes through
Bangor. Boston. Providence, Hartford.
New Haven. New York. Trenton.
Philadelphia. Baltimore, Washington,
Fredericksburg. Richmond, South Hill.
Raleigh, Columbia, Augusta, Way
cross, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach
and ends at Miami.