There was an Act passed by the last General Assembly authorizing the Directors of the State's Prison to put certain convicts on the road between Ridgecrest and Old Fort, which is a good thing, but you know how the Board stands on this proposition.

I am very much interested in this road being constructed from Ridgecrest via Koonts' Gap and Round Knob, which is the scenic route, the route that will give the greatest satisfaction to the people of the entire state and especially to Western North Carolina.

Our friend, P. H. Mashburn controls the situation and he wants to run the road up a dark hollow in order to help out, it looks to me like, some Salisbury citizens. I wish you would see Mashburn, if you can, and get him to agree to build this road on the original route that was located by the U. S. engineer and adopted by the Trustees of the Central Highway as the official route, and if he will agree to this, I shall be in favor of giving him convicts. Otherwise, I shall be opposed to it.

This is unquestionably the best route and is the most beautiful for the state, county and township. I am opposed to North Carolina spending money on a road that is not the best and is not for the best interests of all the people.

If you can't see Mr. Mashburn, write him in regard to these matters and let's get the matter straightened out and have people flocking to Western North Carolina to spend the summer months, and let this scenic route stand as a monument to the wisdom of North Carolinians for all time to come.