The Good Roads Committee of the Conference of the People of
Watauga County met for the first time Monday in the court house. Ten of the 13
townships were represented. The road situation in the county was discussed
informally and it was generally agreed that a change in methods, in
organization, and in spirit, is needed.
A letter from Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt was read. This letter,
while not addressed to this committee, told of a Good Roads meeting at Bristol,
Oct. 6-9, and mentioned as among the roads in which the promoters of the
meeting are interested, one by way of Zionville and Boone to Jefferson, also
the one from Boone to Rogers’ Mill. As these roads in which our people are much
interested, the committees at once decided that we must be represented at the
Bristol meeting, Mr. C.D. Taylor was elected a delegate.
It was further decided to appoint a sub-committee to draw a
bill providing a better method of building and keeping up the roads of the
country. This new road bill is to be submitted to a meeting of the full committee
on the first Monday in December. The bill, if approved, is then to be submitted
through our representative to the legislature. In case a general road law for
the whole State is passed, then this sub-committee becomes a committee before
the county commissioners.
The committee is as follows: C.D. Taylor, I.G. Green, John H.
Mast, B.B. Doughterty, J.T. Hendrix, with the President and Secretary of the
Conference of the People of Watauga County. The Secretary of the Conference was
instructed to secure for the use of the committee information as to the best
systems of roads for counties of small wealth.
Finally it was decided that the members of the Legislative
Committee consisting of two members from each township shall organize good
roads associations in their townships. These are to constitute one organization
known as the Watauga County good Roads Association. An initiation fee of 25
cents and a monthly fee of 5 cents will be charged. In order that the citizens
of the various townships may know to whom to go to help start this association
that is to revolutionize conditions in Watauga—for this is our faith—the
committeemen for the different townships are again given: Bald Mountain, Z.T.
Watson and W.N. Howell; Beaver Dam, John Sherrill and L.C. Wilson; Blowing
Rock, W.W. Stringfellow and G.M. Sudderth; Blue Ridge, Thos. L. Day and J. C.
Miller; Boone, H. Neil Blare and G.H. Hayes; Cove Creek, J. [can’t read] and L.
Greer; Elk, W. B. Rogers and D.M. Wheeler; Laurel Creek, S.R. Phillips and J.C.
Mast; Meat Camp, M.H. Norris and Harrison Baker; North Fork, W.N. Thomas and
Jas. M. South; Shawneehaw, Lee Carrender and Dallas Edmisten; Stony Fork, J.T.
Hendrix and Albert Watson; Watauga, C.D. Taylor and S.E. Gragg.
Some one may ask why fees are charged. A little money is
necessary for expenses. A concrete example of the need of a little money in the
treasury was presented when it was decided to send a delegate to Bristol. Mr.
Taylor gives his time. It was felt by everyone that his expenses should be
paid. There was no money. One man offered to pay his railroad fare. The other
members of the committee chipped in their quarters to pay his other expenses.
There will be some expense for stationery, stamps, etc. No officer or anyone
else gets one cent in salary or fees. The Watauga Banks is the treasurer.
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