100 Years ago – Monongahela celebrates the new year, pt 2

Parade, Dinner and Ball Mark Road’s Opening

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Merrymakers Dance On Historic Glades Highway In Washington County Marks Anniversary

By M. V. BURGESS.
(Special Telegram To The Gazette Times)

MONONGAHELA, PA., JAN. 1 – The completion of improvements to all of the historic Glades road within the limits of W Washington County was celebrated here today with one of the largest automobile parades in the history of the city.

Tonight, Main Street, itself a part of the old frontier trail, was filled with merrymakers who danced on its smooth new surface, illuminated by the lamps of a new lighting system and thousands of colored bulbs. At the same time, a banquet at the One Hundred and Tenth Regiment Armory was attended by hundreds of good roads enthusiasts.

Plan Other Improvements.
At the banquet, Washington County commissioners referred to the completion of the Glades road in the county as their outstanding work for 1923. Looking Into the new year, they pointed to numerous other stretches of road, many of them in the Monongahela Valley, which they hope to improve in the near future. All the speakers expressed the hope the remaining portions of the Glades road, the low-grade trail over the Allegheny Mountains between Wheeling and Bedford, may soon be “lifted out of the mud.”

Senator Joseph A. Herron acted as toastmaster. The speakers were County Commissioners J.K. Walker and Elmer E. Johnston, County Controller T. J. Underwood, Harry E. Campbell, John L. Stewart, and Gen. Edward Martin, former commander of the One Hundred and Tenth Regiment, all of Washington, Ta.; Col. John Aiken of Waynesburg, Pa., present commander of the regiment; James Heffran of Charleroi, Pa., and J. E. Werner of Somerset, Pa.

Anniversary Celebrated.
Incidentally, the banquet celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the Good Roads movement in Washington County. It was arranged by the Business Men’s Association of this city. James H. Boyer was chairman of the banquet committee.

Main Street was roped off from Second to Fourth Streets for the street dancing and Mardi Gras. Prizes were awarded for the best costumes. C. B. Lohr was chairman.

The parade In the afternoon was headed by Maj. James E. Gee and a group of the officials of the Business Men’s Association. Company A of the One Hundred and Tenth Regiment of the National Guard had a prominent place. Boy Scouts in line included five troops from this city and troops from Donora, Charleroi, and Monessen. Five bands marched, including Amzi Eccles’ drum corps and a Civil War organization. Other civic and fraternal organizations were well represented, and dozens of floats were entered In a contest by the business men.

Road Laid Oat In 1772.
Following the parade, a procession of automobiles went cut over the recently completed link of the road west of Monongahela on a tour of inspection. The new road is a wide concrete highway surveyed for the? most in part in long straight stretches.

The highway near Monongahela and a short stretch near Washington, Pa., were the last links completed.

The Glades road was laid out in 1772, during the time that Lord Dunmore was governor-general of Virginia. It took its name from the glade or marsh country through which it passed in Somerset County. It was the route used by the government forces in corning westward to quell tit- Whisky Insurrection. For a time, it was a toll road, and remnants of the old toll stations may still be seen.

Passes Through Allegheny.
The route passes from Bedford through Brotherton, Somerset, Bakersville, Donegal, Mt. Pleasant, Ruffsdale, West Newton, Monongahela, and Washington to Wheeling. Between West Newton and Monongahela, it traverses six miles of Allegheny County, and the Glades road boosters are now bending their efforts toward the improvement of this part of the route.

Other heads of committees In charge of the celebration were: W. F. Alton, general chairman; C.J. Yohe, C.E. Towner, H.F. Larimer, G.T. Anton, W. A. Alien, Dr. H.T. Billick, F.R. Colvin, H.T. Zimmer, H.C. Devore, Frank Bebout, S.M. Downer, S. R. Calvert, A.L. McVicker, H.B. Simpson, J.H, Dorr, the Rev. P.M. Kinports and MC. Liggett.