At the request of Secretary Neptune Buckner I cam into Asheville the other day to present to you a matter to which I have given some thought. Important business called me away from your road meeting and so I did not get to talk it over with you.

My work takes me over the new mountain highways many times each year. The great problem of the future is their upkeep. It seems to me a tragedy to see how quickly so much investment of labor and money may become useless. I know, too, that you are deeply interested in the betterment of prison conditions in our state.

Now, what I have in mind is this: Let the counties through which these highways pass provide cottages and a few acres of land with each cottage, located near the highway, and in these cottages place long term men from the state prison- preferably married men- who would be otherwise separated from their families and let them maintain the highways.

The burden of maintaining these highways through thinly settled sections is too great to be borne by the counties through which they pass. It is a work for the whole state. Any system of county maintenance will be of a desultory character and so insufficient.

You will agree with me, I am sure, that there are some pretty good fellows who have gone wrong and wound up in prison. Many of these men would be true to any trust reposed in them. I should be glad to join with any other citizen in surety for one such to be selected by you and placed upon this work.

I believe that two good men could maintain the Hickory Nut Gap road and about three men could look after the road from Tryon to Flat Rock. I do not know enough of the Hot Springs road to pass judgment but three or four men would be required. Two should be able to care for the Old Fort- Ridge Crest road.

Already the road to Tryon is filled with "Thank-e-mams" and the Hickory Nut Gap road is bad in many places. The plan I propose will give them expert supervision and insure the preservation of the states of the state's great expenditure upon these roads.

I shall not go into further details at present concerning this but shall be glad to talk it over with you at any time that may be convenient.

With all good wishes for your continued prosperity and happiness,