Winston-Salem Journal
The State of North Carolina is seriously considering the feasibility of building a gigantic cement manufacturing plant, to cost between four and five million dollars, to facilitate the building of hard surface roads in the State, according to A.S. Hanes, highway commissioner, who has returned from a meeting of the State Highway Commission in Raleigh.
A committee composed of J. Elwood Cox, John Sprunt Hill, (and) A.S. Hanes has been appointed by Frank Page, chairman of the State Highway Commission, to visit cement manufacturing plants and make such recommendations as they see fit in regard to the feasibility of such a plan location for the plant, etc. Mr. Hanes stated that the building of cement roads in the state is being delayed because of the fact that the cement cannot be secured at the present time. The cement shortage is hindering the work of road building in every district in the state, and the highway commissioners see no way out of the difficulty other than by the building of a plant for the production of cement.
Mr. Hanes stated that the members of the committee would leave on the tour of inspection immediately. They will visit Allentown, Pa., one of the great cement producing centers, and Kingsport, Tenn., also Norfolk, Va. On their return they will report to the highway commission and if the report of the committee is accepted by the commissioners, definite action will be taken. In the meanwhile the building of hard surface roads in the state is almost at a standstill.
The session of the commissioners just closed was one of the longest ever held by that body. They were in session for three days and an immense amount of work was transacted. A number of matters were discussed and the commission is confronted with other grave problems in addition to the cement shortage. At the meeting just closed a number of projects were authorized for the seventh district of which Mr. Hanes is commissioner. The completion of the cement road to Danbury and from Mount Airy to Pilot Knob were authorized.
The completion of the road from Winston-Salem to Mocksville was also authorized, as well as the ones from Lenoir to Hickory, Wilkesboro to Mulberry Gap, Boone and Blowing Rock, and for the construction of five miles of road along the Boone Trail Highway from Wilkesboro towards Winston-Salem. The route for the road leading to Lexington from Winston-Salem to be built of concrete was ordered located. The cement will be laid in the near future. Mr. Hanes stated that none of the projects could be completed at the present time, due to the cement shortage, but that in all cases the roads would be graded, bridges built and everything put in readiness for hard surfacing at the earliest possible moment.
The construction of the Clemens authorized. (words omitted) This will be a sand clay road. Contracts were authorized for the completion of the road between Jefferson and Sparta in Ashe and Alleghany Counties.
From the front page of the Watauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., March 22, 1923
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