Paved Road For Pasquotank, Chowan, Perquimans, Camden and Currituck, 1919

The Independent, March 14, 1919

A Good Roads Program That Spells Prosperity

Pasquotank Will Not Be Content With One Interstate Highway—Transportation Problems Demand Dismal Swamp Route Too

Northeastern North Carolina is practically assured of the construction of a permanent hard surfaced highway between the Albemarle Sound and the Virginia line, connecting the county seats of Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden and Currituck.

It is absolutely certain that Pasquotank County will spend a half million dollars within the next 12 months on the construction of hard surfaced roads in this county. But we must not permit our enthusiasm to abate; we have only begun the great work of knitting together the people of northeastern North Carolina and tidewater Virginia with a system of good and durable highways. It is not enough that we should tap Norfolk County from another direction, have a highway into the city of Portsmouth by way of the Dismal Swamp Canal and unite the county of Gates to the county of Pasquotank by building from this highway into Gates.

The foregoing is in part the message delivered by Mr. Saunders to an audience at the Alkrama Theater Wednesday night. Mr. Saunders delivered something of the same message to the City Council of the city of Portsmouth, Va., Tuesday night. Mr. Saunders told the Councilmen of Portsmouth that Pasquotank would build a hard surfaced road from Elizabeth City to the Camden County line at a point near South Mills; that South Mills township to be bonded for $50,000, will continue that highway from Pasquotank along the Dismal Swam Canal to the Virginia line. From there on the task of completing the highway into the city of Portsmouth is the task of the city of Portmouth and the county of Norfolk. The county of Norfolk is interested; an appropriation of $20,000 from the city of Portsmouth will clinch the matter. W.L. Cohoon of Elizabeth City and W.L. Halstead of South Mills followed Mr. Saunders in addressing the Portsmouth Councilmen. The Council will pass upon the question of an appropriation as soon as they get an opinion from their attorney assuring them of the legality of such an act.

Every progressive man, woman and child in Pasquotank, Camden and every other northeastern North Carolina county should get behind this Dismal Swamp Highway project. It means a shorter route to Norfolk from Elizabeth City by 10 miles. It means a route that does not cross a rail road track this side of the Virginia line.

And a shorter distance route to Norfolk means much more to Elizabeth City than a road that will enable people to get to Norfolk; it means greater transportation facilities for northeastern North Carolina. It will even affect the prosperity and general welfare of the people of the lower sounds. Did you know that it is with the greatest difficulty that the fishermen of Dare County who ship their fish to market through this city get their fish form Elizabeth City to the rail road and steamship terminals of Norfolk? Right now we are running a special train thrice a week from Elizabeth City to Norfolk to handle these fish. That train may be taken off any day and the rail road schedules can not be easily arranged to make connection with the north bound trains and steamers from Norfolk. The fisherman has got to get his fish to market the day they are caught. Delay means bad fish and a loss of thousands of dollars.

But suppose we had, say, cement roads between Elizabeth City and Norfolk. Instead of special trains secured with great difficulty for the transportation of perishable food stuff, we would have fast motor trucks to handle this business. Trains are cumbersome and offer vexing problems of loading, unloading and transferring. The  big motor truck, even a 20 ton truck, is an independent, flexible unit that wastes no time. A special train does well to make one trip of 40 miles in a day; a motor truck can make the trip several times over.

The motor truck will solve the transportation problems of northeastern North Carolina when we get roads on which motor trucks can travel with safety and speed. The motor truck will carry the produce of these counties to market and bring back much of the perishable and semi-perishable food stuff which we buy from the outside market.

We are at the beginning of a great era of industrial, agricultural and commercial development in northeastern North Carolina, a development that carries with it better schools, better social conditions and more of the life worth living. Elizabeth City should feel proud of the part it is playing in this development and Elizabeth City will reap many rewards for her progressive efforts.