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Like the Nation’s Call to the Patriot, the Cry for Good Roads Sweeps the State
JOURNAL-HERALD
SCOUT CAR LEAVES
OH SBUTHERH TRIP
Cheered by Broa? ’ Thousand’.
Big Car is Started On Trip
Through Historic Country by
General Wood.
By Ralph Smith
NEW YORK. May 3—Cheered by six
thousand people and snapped by five hun
dred cameras, a big White steamer tour
ing car. followed by scores of other auto
mobiles. turned slowly from Herald
Square into Broadway in response to a
signal from Major General Leonard
Wood. U. S. A., just as the giant bronse
figures over the Herald clock finished
striking the hour of ten today.
The steamer bore representatives of The
Atlanta Journal and New York Herald,
the escorting cars bore automobile en
thusiasts. good roads advocates, newspa
per reporters and photographers.
The spectacle marked the start of the
scout car of The Atlanta Journal and New
York Herald on its long journey from
ths American methopolis to the Gate City
of the South in search of the best route
betwee:, the two cities.
OCCUPANTS OF CAR.
The scout car had for its occupants
John S. Cohen, of The Atlanta Journal;
Hamilton Pete, representing the New
York Herald; Nathan Laxamack. pho
tographer. and R. H. Johnson, of the
White company, who will handle the car
on its run to Atlanta. Following immedi
ately behind the scout car was a seven I
passenger White, bearing the members of
the executive council of the New York
Herald, the men whose combined efforts
contribute to the success of the great
metropolitan daily. They were: Thomas
H. Hamilton, chairman; John R. O'Don
nell. L L. Redding. John T. Burke and C.
H. Dewitt. The members of the executive
council will go as far as Philadelphia with
the scouts, returning tomorrow.
Next in line was a seven-passenger
Frontenac, driven by C. P. Evans and
carrying a party of newspaper reporters
and photographers.
GARLAND DRIVES.
Then came an Overland, driven by G. W.
Garland. Jr., formerly of Atlanta, and
carrying also a number of newspaper re
porters and camera men. Then followed
a Peerless and a dosen or so other hand
some cara
‘The scout car was becomingly decorat
ed with banners and pennants bearing the
insigna. "Atlanta Journal-New York Her
ald Good Roads Contest. -Pull For Good
Roads.'*
Besides General Wood, who came over
over from Governor's Island to speed the
scout car on its journey, there were
present at the Herald office. E. P. Chal
fant, general manager of the Association
of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers;
Samuel A. Miles, general manager of the
National Association of Automobile Man
ufacturers; Alfred Reeves, general man
ager of the American Motor Car Manu
facturers' association, and many other
prominent men in the automobile world
ox identified with the national good roads
movement.
WOOD PRAISES CONTEST.
As he waved his hand and sent the
scout car and its escorts on the way,
General Wood gave vent to this expres
sion: "It was with pleasure that I partic
ipated in this ceremony. I think The Jour
nal-Herald contest means much to the
people of the country. The plan will, I
believe, stimulate a good roads move
ment that will have excellent results. It
deserves every encouragemnt and the
newspapers deserve '-ommendation and
praise for their initiative. Personally. I
feel te deepest interest in all enterprise*
intelligently directed toward the better
ment of the pubic highways of the coun
try. especially those of the Atlantic sea
board which lie within the jurisdiction of
this military department.”
TO MEET JOURNAL CAR.
The scout car dropped most of Its escort,
at the ferry, though the car bearing the
executive council of the Herald continued
on to Philadelphia. It is expected that
the scout will meet somewhere In North
Carolina or Virginia. the Oldsmobile,
which left Atlanta at 10 o'clock this
morning headed north. The Oldsmobile
will acorn pa ny the southbound car to At
lanta.
An idea of the widespread Interest that
has been engendered by the Journal-Her
ald movement reached New York yester
day, last night and this morning in the
shape of telegrams from municipal offi
cials all along the route to be followed.
RECEPTIONS ARE WAITING.
The ettixens of Lavonia. Franklin coun
ty. Georgia, wired the Herald last night
that the scout car would be met at the
edge of Franklin county and the occu
pants entertained appropriately at Lavo
nia. Salisbury. N. C-, sent a similar mes
sage as did officials of Newark and
Trenton. N. J., and several cities in Penn
silvania. Maryland and Virginia.
Journeying in this way is thought that
Atlanta will be reached in about eight
days from the start, though the precise
time of arrival there will depend entirely
on conditions encountered and the vol
ume and character of work the scout car
may find to be done as it progresses.
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.
The most Important part of its task is
expected to be achieved in the careful
accumulation of information and in the
prosecution of an educational campaign
rather than in a mere whirl through a
beautiful stretch of country in persuir
of speed or endurance records. The
scouts are well prepared for the trip to
Atlanta. The members of the party this
morning before starting, shipped by ex
press their trunks to Atlanta and carried
the minimum amount Os baggage. They
wore khaki shirts and trousers with old
fashioned linen dusters and regulation
campaign hats They are prepared to
endure any hardships that may confront
them but if today's magnificent weathet
holds out the journey will be a pleasure
and joy forever. The New York Herald
in its leading editorial this morning com
ments upon the preliminary scouting trip
as follows:
••There Is going to be st least one
stretch of a thousand miles of good road
way in this country, that is settled.”
When the automobile contest, arranged
jointly by The Atlanta Journal and the
Herald, occurs next autumn, the partici
pants will find good roads all the way
from the Empire City of the North to the
Empire City of the South.
Jersey Towns Welcome
Joamal-Herald Scout Car
NEW BRUNSWICK. N. J.. Mar 25.
The Herald scout car reached New Bruns
wick at 12:35 _ From the moment the
Ttie GEISER Sieveless Tti res tier
Threshes, separates and cleans
Compact and of great I
< ' a P ae ’ t - v - A. k for catalog
Ty j i.ept. 8.
MALSBY CO., Atlanta, Ga.
CooipJete MMk «•< Getoer Peerless Engines and
—’ - Ba* Mills.
ATLANTA JOURNAL’S CRUSADE
FOR BETTER PUBLIC ROADS
PRAISED BY STATE AUTOISTS
MACON, Ga., May 25.—The good roads movement inaugurat
ed by The Atlanta Journal for public highways in the state of
Georgia and by The Atlanta Journal and New York Herald for
the building of a national road from New York to Atlanta was
given hearty and enthusiastic indorsement at a monster mass
meeting held here last night in the interest of better roads in the
state. The resolutions, which » F ere unanimously adopted, are as
follows:
“We, the Bibb County Good Roads association, in mass meet
ing assembled for the purpose of devising a plan to better the
general condition of the public highways of the south, and more
especially in Georgia, congratulate The Atlanta Journal upon the
interest it has manifested in the movement it has inaugurated in
bringing to the attention of the public this magnificent campaign
“We further wish to express our indorsement of the national
movement for public road betterment inaugurated by The Atlanta
Journal and the New York Herald.
“We further wish to extena the Atlanta Constitution and state
press our most hearty co-operation and invite them to meet with
us from time to time that we may mutually agree upon the best
and speediest plan possible for carrying into execution this con
templated project.”
The resolutions were introduced by Mr. Charles E. Winburn,
of The Macon Automobile Macchinery company, and unanimous
ly adopted.
FRANKLIN CDUNTY
PUTSJJtPLEDGE
Lavonia and Carnesville come to the
front with documentary pledges of what
they will do and are actually doing now
in their claim for a section of the New
York-Atlanta highway through Frartkiin
county.
Munday morning a part yof six gentle
men called at The Journal office and pre
sented the resolutions and other papers
that are reproduced below. Four of them
represented the board of trade and town
of Lavonia, as follows: Dr. S. B. Yow,
E. R. McMurry, J. R. Dortch and B. F.
Cheek. The two others, Dr. J. R. Hall
and George L. Goode, represented th'
town of Carnesville, county seat of
Franklin, in which both towns are sit
uated.
More than twenty miles ot 80-foot road
through Franklin county is what these
documents pledge Lavonia and Carnes
ville and the county to furnish for the
great national highway. And the road,
it is pledged In these papers, will be
built whether the New York-Atlant*
highway passes through Franklin county
or not. The promoters of the big high
way are tendered the use of it.
Following are the papers presented by
tha Franklin county gentlemen to The
Journal—a set of resolutions adopted by
tha Lavonia Board of Trade, a pledge
by the town government of Lavonia, *
pledge by the town of Carnesville, and
a third pledge by the county authorities
of Franklin. -
Whereas. The Atlanta Journal and New
York Herald have Inaugurated an auto
mobile and good road contest to take
place this fall, and annually thereafter,
between Atlanta and New York, and
Whereas. We consider good roads as
oneof the greatest factors in the advance
ment of the country, be, therefore, by the
board of trade and citixens of Lavonia,
Resolved, That we most heartily In
dorse this movement of The Atlanta Jour
nal and New York Herald, and that we
scout left the ferryboat at Jersey City
there has hardly been a mile of the way
when friendly pilot cars were not In front.
New Jersey roads, famous the world over,
are equalled by the hospitality of the
people.
SeVen cars loaded with automobile en
thusiasts took charge at Jersey City.
Since that hour, new delegations have
been continually greeting the scout with
pressing Invitations to stop at automo
bile clubs and partake of refreshments
The scout car ‘expects to roll up at the
Bellevue-Stratford In Philadelphia before
dark this afternoon. The scout car left
New Brunswick at 1. The executive
council is proceeding with the scout.
JOURNAL-HERALD SCOUT
ARRIVES AT GETTYSBURG
(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)
GETTYSBURG, Pa., May 26.—Arrived
Gettysburg 5:20; one hundred and twen
ty-one miles from Philadelphia. Will
spend night here, leaving for Staunton,
Va., early Thursday morning.
PHILADELPHIA, May 2«.-After rest
ing overnight in Philadelphia, The At
lanta Journal-New York Herald auto
scout party left here this morning for
Gettysburg. Pa. The party was given a
hearty ovation as the car pulled out.
The scout car party expects to reach
' Gettysburg by afternoon. Although it is
only one huhdred and thirty miles from
this city to the historic town, at the
same time the car is not speeding, but is
carefully examining all conditions along
the road.
I The car pulled into Philadelphia yester
day afternoon at 4:30 o'clock after a
splendid trip over good roads from New
• Y’ork. From the time the car left Her
ald square at 10 o'clock, until Is drew up
in front of the Bellevue Stratford in
Phlladelphio the trip 'was a continuous
ovation.
From New York to Philadelphia there
was almost a continuous committee of
enthusiastic autoists, who escorted The
Journal-Herald car. City after city met
the car at the city limits and carried It
until a committee from the next town
would meet It and carry it on.
Journal-Herald Car
Arrives in Coatesville
I COATESVILLE. Pa.. May 2«.-The At
lanta Journal-New York Herald White
'Steamer scout car arrived here at 11:30,
covering forty milea in one hour and fifty
< minutes.
1 The roads in the main have been ex
cellent.
GETTYSBURG. Pa.. May 27—On the
j historic soil of Gettysburg the good road?
! expedition of The Atlanta Journal and
' the New York Herald spent the night In
a comfortable camp.
THE ATLANTA SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1909.
pledge our most earnest and constant
support in this effort; that we will con
tinue the building of the present thirty
toot road through the county from east
to west, and put and maintain It in first
class condition whether selected as the
Atlanta-New York route or not.
Resolved, That we most cordially Invite
The Atlanta Journal and New York Her
ald to use this road as their own from
year to year.
For the board of trade.
E. R. M’MURRY,
President Lavonia Board of Trade.
In pursuance of the fact that The At
lanta Journal and New York have inau
gurated a good roads contest: We. the
mayor and street committee of Lavonia,
Ga., hereby pledge and obligate ourselves
to put the streets and bridges through
our town in first class condition at once,
and keep same in good condition. The
proposed route from Commerce to Knox
bridge will pass over three miles of our
streets. We also pledge ourselves to use
our’ influence In every way possible to
have the entire route from Commerce to
Knox bridge by Lavonia put in first
class condition in time for the fall auto
mobile races in November.
W. R. RICHARDSON.
T. A. GULLEY.
W. G. WELLBORN.
J. M. FREEMAN.
We, the ordinary of Franklin county,
county commissioner of roads and reve
nues, and county warden, pledge our co
operation and influence in the building of
good roads in Franklin county. We are
now actively engaged in building good
roads, and should The Atlanta Journal
and New York Herald locate the pro
posed automobile highway from Atlanta
to New York through any of Frank
lin county, we will place such roads as
they will pass over in as good condition
as possible, look after the bridges and
keep said roads and bridges in good
condition. In giving this assurance to
The Atlanta Journal and New York Her
ald, we do It for the benefit of the county
generally, and In the interest of no
special section of town. We are going to
build good roads regardless of the pro
posed automobile line, but desire to ten
der you the use of any road through
our county that you may select, to use
freely at any time and in any way that
you may see fit.
(Signed)
J. A. M’CAY,
Ordinary.
A. F. M'FARLIN,
County Commissioner R. R.
JOHN J. RAMPLEY,
Warden.
Carnesville, Ga., May 20, 1909.
CARNESVILLE. May 24.
Whereas, The Atlanta Journal and New
York Herald have inaugurated a good
roads contest and have had a scouting
car, which passed through Franklin coun
ty, out selecting a route for the automo
bile races to be run over this fall from
New York to Atlanta, and believing that
we have the most logical, practical and
easiest constructed road over which they
could travel through Franklin county,
namely: By Commerce, Ashland,
Carnesville, Garlandville, and Lavonia
to Knox Bridge, we, the mayor and town
council, and citizens of Carnesville and
surrounding country, pledge our hearty
co-operation and influence in the build
ing of the above proposed road through
our entire county, and will use every ef
fort possible and pledge ourselves
to have said road and bridges
along said route in as near as
passible first class condition In ample
time for the fall races in November. We
will further pledge ourselves to see that
said roads and bridges are kept in good
condition. We also desire to call your
attention to the fact that our county au
thorities are interested and are now' ac
tively engaged in the building of good
roads in Franklin county. In a more prac
tical and substantial way than any oth
er county In northeast Georgia.
We extend you an urgent and hearty
invitation to come our way, partake of
our hospitality, and travel over the best
roads in north Georgia. We take pleas
ure in assuring you that we stand ready
to assist in any and every way possible
to make the great enterprise you have
undertaken a grand success.
L. F. Llnkorat. mayor pro tern.; John
J. Remply, councilman; L. L. McEntlr®,
clerk; Luther McEntire, councilman; J.
R. Hall. M. D.; R. B. Moore, drug clerk;
J. W. Landrum, attorney; G. L. Goode,
attorney; James McDaniel, clerk supe
rior court: G. M. Parker, M. D.; G. W.
Camp, civil engineer; John Gregory,
stock dealer; C. D. McEntire, merchant;
B. L. Aderhold. larmer; S'. M. Ayers,
leather manufacturer: Robert F. Jones,
farmer; C. 8. Payne, farmer; L. D. Gale,
u. D. S.
COBB COUNTY ASKS
FOR PLACE ON ROAD
MARIETTA, Ga., May 25.—An enthusi
astic meeting of the citizens of Marietta
was held at the courthouse Monday af
ternoon. A large number of the leading
citixens of Marietta were in attendance,
and the following resolution was passed,
indorsing The Atlanta Journal good roads
and automobile endurance contest be
tween Atlanta and New York. The meet
ing was presided over by R. IT. North
cutt.
The citizens of Cobb county are great
ly interested in the good roads move
merit and the county commissioners are
now at work improving the roads
throughout the county, the county having
her share of convicts.
The county will be an active competi
tor of the Ji.ooo prize offered by The At
lanta Journal for the best Improvement
in road work in the state.
JOURNAL SCOUT MB
ARRIVESJH TOCCOA
Had Night of Adventure Among
Red Clay Hills and the Laby
rinthal Roads in Vicinity of
Cornelia.
TOCCOA, Ga., May 26.-At 10:40 o'clock
Wednesday morning The Journal scout
car, Lamar's Oldsmobile, arrived here
from Cornelia wearing her mud chains
and still more completely covered with
slop from the roads down Dicks hill and
Currahee mountain.
On the Currahee the car was caught In
a mountain rainstorm that left the roads
the rest of the way to town, more than
five miles, in fierce condition.
Nearly all of the road from the base of
Currahee has been recently worked and
is so deep that teams and buggies have
not been able to use It for a week, but
the gigantic wheels of the big Olds clear
ed it all and brought the car here from
Cornelia, seventeen miles, in one hour-and
fifty-three minutes.
TOCCOA WAS WAITING.
Toccoa’s people were talking with Cor
nelia, trying to locate the car, when it
arrived unexpectedly among them. A
number of them, headed by Mr. Glen
Davis, who showed the previous scout
party many courtesies, have pressed The
Journal party to stay over for the day,
or at least for luncheon.
Mr. Davis will go with the car out of
here over the rough road down Whiting
Gap to Garrett’s bridge and on to West
minster. This part of Georgia Is alive
with enthusiasm over The Journal-Herald
highway. |
GOOD ROADS MEETING.
The meeting last Monday night of Hab
ersham county with the Cornelia board
of trade has stirred Habersham. Another
meeting, a convention of all the counties
Immediately Interested In the road
through this section has been called for
next Monday night in Cornelia, Haber
sham. Stephens, Hall, Gwinnett and Jack
son counties will be represented, the lat
ter two to consider an alternate route
from Cornelia straight through between
Maysville and Gillville by an excellent
wide road to Lawrenceville on the
southern route.
At Cornelia nothing would be accepted
for any of the entertainment that The
Journal party received in Cornelia. Man
ager Grant, proprietor of the Grant hotel,
famed for Its chicken pie. Informed the
party that everything was on Cornelia.
The committee of eight would not even
hear of thanks for the courtesy. The
committee escorted the party to the coun
ty line and L. F. Maxwell came with it
on to Toccoa.
ARRIVES In CORNELIA .
At 12:30 o'clock this morning,
after a night of adventure among
the red clay hills and labyrinthal
roads of this section, The Journal's north
bound car going to meet the New York
Herald's southbound scout, arrived In
Cdrnelia, a little more than twenty miles
short of its schedule If It had left Atlanta
at the same time that the Herald car left
New York. The latter had gotten away
from Herald Square at 10 o'clock Tues
day morning, seven hours and forty min
utes ahead of The Journal car.
Probably no automobile that ever rolled
a wheel had harder Initiation than H. J.
Lamar's Oldsmobile, The Journal car, nad
Tuesday on the first day of its travels.
Unloaded Tuesday noon from the freight
car that had brought It from the factory,
by the time the sun set on the same day
the magnificent giant automobile was
fighting the hills of north Georgia. When
it came to its final stop at Cornelia, just
after midnight. It was no longer a new
car. It was covered with mud and glory.
It bad made a century run and more In
the first day of its active life.
Between Flowery Branch and Gaines
ville, The Journal party discovered an
excellent road. This la known as the
Lawrenceville road. It follows a ridge
very consistently for several miles, and
moreover helped to shave the distance to
Gainesville from Atlanta by some four
miles. The Lawrenceville road is liable to
become an Important factor in the con
sideration of this "north” route.
From Gainesville to Lula, too, another
road than that traveled by The Journal's
first scout was followed, but was found
to be Impossible from the standpoint of
The Journal-Herald highway.
Wednesday, The Journal party will con
tinue on the north route, expecting to
pass through Greenville and reach Spar
tanburg, S. C. in time to spend the night
there.
CORNELIA PREPARED WELCOME.
A number of Cornelia citizens were
waiting to go down to Gainesville, Tues
day afternoon, to meet The Journal car
and escort it to their town, but, probably
on account of the late start made by the
car, they understood that it would not
try to come through that day. At a late
hour, not being able to find It anywhere
along the route from Atlanta, they gave
it up. Wednesday morning they found It
among them in Cornelia.
A committee named at a meeting, Mon
day night, of the board of trade and the
citizens of the town and county, waited
upon The Journal party at the hotel n
lay the claims of this section before It
for the big highway. They were L. F.
Maxwell, G. W. Hill, J. W. Peyton, Wil
liam Eberhardt, J. E. Barr, J. L. Perkins,
Dr. G. W. Shirley, mayor, and J. C. Rudi
sill and G. B. Irvin. These gentlemen
accompanied The Journal party to the
Stephens county territory, turning them
ever to the citizens of Toccoa.
MAJOR LAMAR'S GOOD DRIVING”
Mr. Lamar, the sportsman and automo
bilist who is driving the mogul Olds, his
own car, has demonstrated an unmistak
able ability to manipulate county roads,
and that with a car new from the fac
tory. The big 42-inch wheels of the Olds
mobile. which give it the appearance of a
veritable locomotive without a track,
have followed a safe snd rapid trail thus
far under his hand, over good and bad
roads, some of which are exceedingly
heavy from recent damp W’eather.
They have scorned mud holes and ruts
that would conquer smaller wheels, and
they have, during some six hours of actual
running time over all sorts of road, kept
the big car averaging about 20 miles an
hour.
In the car are Mr. Lamar, its owner;
Walter Jones, of Macon, advance agent
of the party; W. Inman Gray, of The
Journal, and W. T. Walters, Jr., the
news staff man of the paper.
The Journal party w'ill meet the Herald
car somewhere near the Virginia line,
probably in North Carolina, on Ihuraday
afternoon ot Friday morning. And turn
ing to escort the Herald part}' south, It
will reach Atlanta with the guests from
Gotham probably Monday afternoon.
SPARTANBURG, S. C., May 27—The
Journal’s scout party, which started
eight hours behind the New York Herald’s
car Tuesday from the opposite end ot The
Journal-Herald highway, is on time. At
2:30 o'clock this morning, under escort
of a Greenville party, it errivel in Spar
tanburg in time for a few hours' sleep
before starting from here more leisurely
to meet the Herald car at the half-way
point. '
ROYAL WELCOME IS GIVEN
JOURNAL GOOD ROADS CARS
AS THEY SPEED TO MACON
MACON, Ga., May 25.—With the merry
honk-honk of their touring cars, accom
panied by the fanfare of bugles, The At
lanta Journal good roads party rolled into
Macon Monday afternoon after an epoch
making run through the heart of the
state, and with the plaudits of the people
ringing in their ears.
The Journal party, hailed everywhere
along the stretch of the one hundred and
three miles between the capltol city and
the Central City as the pathfinders of
the dawning crusade for good roads,
found outstretched hands awaiting them
In Macon, where their coming was eager
ly awaited. The Journal Cars, filled with
Invited guests and Journal men, were met
several miles out from the city and es
corted back to town.
DAWNING OF NEW DAY.
The appearance of The Journal cars on
Its mission of road betterment appealed
to every person Monday who saw the
pathfinders emerge through clouds of
dust, racing down the backbone of the
state. It was the firing gun of better
roads the settlement and neignborhood
and county. It was the realization of the
first chapter of the fondest hopes of the
Georgia farmer. It meant the dawning
of the day of a new era of agriculture
and Industrial prosperity.
From the moment that The Journal cars
rolled across the limits of Atlanta until
they stood hot and panting In front of
the Lanier hotel in Macon, there seemed
to emanate from them an aura of vital
import and timely Interest to every eye
that was trained upon the racing proces
sion over the red hills of Georgia. The
people seemed to understand, as though
through intuition, that the automobile,
while a factor in the movement, was an
agency rather than a beneficiary directly
In the cause. They realized, as they ap
plauded. that back of the automobile and
its utility as a public conveyance, its
presence Monday was an omen of deeper
meaning.
DOUGHERTY ROADS
WILL BE IMPROVED
ALBANY, Ga., May 24.-The good
roads movement in Dougherty county be
gan years ago, long before there were
any automobiles in this part of the coun
iry to emphasize the need for great pub
lic highway.
The meaning of good roads is different
in different localities. If you should ask
a south Georgia man to explain whal
his Idea of a good road was, he would
describe a road free from the long
stretches of sand, which come half way
up to the hub of a buggy wheel. The
north Georgia man would picture a road
free from hills and gullies, while the man
from some other locality would picture a
road which was not made impassable by.
mud for several months of the year.
It was with an idea of eliminating the
disagreeable sand beds which first started
the good roads movement in Dougherty
county. As far back as 1894 Dougherty
county began working her convicts on her
roads. The first step was to remove the
sand and preplac* it with packed and
rolled clay, grading the roadbed so as to
shed water. Every important roadway in
the county has been worked over In this
way, and there are few counties in tho
state which show better roads than those
which lead out from Albany to all parts
of the county.
BEGINNING OF WORK.
This work was Inaugurated by the late
John R. Whitehead, for many years prior
to his recent sudden and untimely death,
chairman of the commissioners of roads
and revenues of this county. Mr. White
head was a good roads enthusiast, and he
gradually imparted his enthusiasm to oth
ers until practically every man In the
county today Is an advocate of good
roads. It is largely due to the judgment
and foresight of Mr. Whitehead that
Dougherty county is so far ahead of her
neighboring counties In Improved road
ways and that the work begun years ago
is being extended and carried forward
today on a larger and more permanent
scale.
The clay roads have been great im
provements over the heavy sand roads
which they replaced, but a progressive
county like Dougherty needed more per
manent roadbeds than could be made of
clay. Three years ago the county authori
ties began experimenting with limestone
rock as a road building material. The re
sults have been most satisfactory, and
last year a bond Issue of 130.000 was au
thorized for the purchase of up-to-date
road building machinery. A huge rock
crusher and a heavy roller, propelled by
gasoline, were bought and the county
built its first macadam road.
There is now in process of construction
a macadam road from the Lee count y
line on the north to the Mitchell county
line on the south, only a few miles of
the stretch remaining to be built. Tho
road has recently been treated with an
application of road oil which made it
dustless, and It Is one of the finest pieces
of Improved roadway in the state.
The work of road building, so well be
gun by the county commissiners under
the chairmanship of Mr. Whitehead. Is
being continued with renewed enthusiasm
under the direction of the new chair
man. Mr. N. F. Tift. It was Mr. Tift
who suggested the building of a great
public highway from Atlanta to Albany
and on to Jacksonville by securing the
co-operation of the county authorities
along the route. In order to bring this
matter properly before attention of the
counties at Interest, a meeting of the
commissioners of the counties along the
route, togteher with officials from all
counties in southwest Georgia have been
invited to ngeet in Albany June 8.
The object of this meeting Is two-fold.
It is for the purpose of outlining a plan
for the proposed highway and for taking
up with vigor the proposed autmobile
race from Albany to Atlanta. The plan
of having a race from this city to At
lanta was suggested by Mayor H. A.
WILL BEGIN OILING ROADS
FROM MACON TO ATLANTA
By A. B. Elkin
Staff Correspondent.
MACON, Ga., May 25.—Following the
marked success of the good roads meet
ing here today, comes the announcement
that the roads between this city, and At
lanta will be oiled, and that work will
be begun in this direction Wednesday
morning.
The oil to be used will be the Gulf Re
fining oil, and the sprinkling will be done
by R. J. Laster, of this city, agent for
the Gulf Refining company.
While this method will be something of
an experiment in this section, it is known
that in other places it has proved to be
very successful. In the Blue Grass sec
tfon of Kentucky, where the, turnpikes
are as near perfect as it is possible to
The century run was without special
physical interest, save the puncture of a
tire on one of The Journal cars. The de
lay came, however, just as the committee
of city and county representatives and
prominent citizens from Griffin rolled up.
So, while the puncture was being reme
died. the Griffin people told The Journal
pioneers what their city and county were
doing for good roads. They needn’t have
said a word, however, about good roads,
for this was evident. As a further evi
dence, however, of the truth of their
claims, The Journal party was escorted
to a stretch of road on the western part
of Griffin which had been “sand-topped.”
The roadway was as level and as straight
as an arrow* and as smooth as a polished
floor. Griffin has 54 convicts now at work.
Jonesboro was glad to see the cars,
and forced The Journal party to tell the
people about The Journal’s plans. Hamp
ton, too, gave cordial welcome.
MANY TOWNS TURNED OUT.
Barnesville, Forsyth and all the stations
along the line turned out in full force to
greet The Journal, and promised to co
operate In every way possible.
In Macon the arrival of The Journal
party made history, for every street was
filled with machines. People were on hand
from every county in the wiregrass sec
tion and almost from every county in the
state. Macon has never seen such a
gathering of autoists, and every automo
bile man stood for good roads, of course.
It Is doubtful if ever before In the state
or south has such a magnificent number
of machines been gathered together for
and purpose.
Though the Macon gathering appeared
to bring the good roads movement to its
climax, it was in reality but the first
chapter In tho history of the greatest
movement ever inaugurated in the state
and promises a boon to all classes of cit
izenship alike.
Tarver, to whom the Idea occurred when
The Journal's great Atlanta-New York
contest was announced.
When the announcement came from At
lanta of the proposed races from all over
Georgia Into Atlanta. Albany promptly
decided to join hands In this movement
and help make it a big success. Chair
man N. F. Tift stated today that he
thought It was a movement for the gen
eral good of the state In which all should
join, and he was greatly gratified that
The Atlanta Journal wdth characteristic
generosity of spirit and liberality of
purse, had added 31,000 to the prizes for
this contest.
$6,600 IS RAISED
BY ROAD MOVEMENT
Including the $2,600 that was announced
as having been raised at Macon and other
Georgia points for good roads and auto
mobiles in Georgia, the total fund has
now reached $6,600.
Apparently there will be no end to the
amount raised, for the keenest rivalry ex
ists between counties, and each is vying
with the other in the amount it shall
give. ,
Macon and Bibb county on Monday
gave SI,OOO for the fund and in addition
the Macon News gave SIOO.
Laurens county, represented by a meet
ing at Dublin, gave SI,OOO for good roads.
Jefferson county, represented by a
meeting at Louisville, gave SSOO.
The list of contributors and the amount
given, as it now stands, is as follows:
Albany and Dougherty county, (for
roa'uS), SI,OOO.
Fitzgerald, (for roads.) SI,OOO.
Atlanta Journal, (for good roads,) SI,OOO.
Dublin and Laurens county (for roads,)
SI,OOO.
Louisville and Jefferson county (for
Mac»n and Bibb county (for roads,)
SI,OOO.
Macon News (for roads,) SIOO.
Albany and Dougherty county are
known as the pioneers, they being the
first to contribute to the fund.
Savannah Morning News, (for autos,)
SSOO.
Savannah Automobile club (for autos,)
SSOO.
ROYAL WELCOME IS
GIVEN THE JOURNAL
MACON, Ga., May 25.—There was wel
come in the atmosphere, and everybody
and everything seemed to nod assent to
the genial manner in whieh the recep
tion committee made their Gate City
guests feel at home on their arrival at
headquarters for the good roads con
test today. Atlanta and Macon shook
hands, and if co-operation means any
thing, and, of course, it means every
thing, the boom for good roads launched
by The Journal some time ago, will grow
and grow until the suggestions and
probabilities of today will be realities,
me Journal, and those who have so
earnestly supported The Journal, will
probably look back upon today as the
gala day of the contest.
About twenty-five automobiles loaded
with Macon citizens and good roads sup
porters met The Journal party near the'
Bibb county line, and as they were pass
ed one by one cheers of welcome and
for good roads went up, making the
scene one, not only of excitement, but
of encouragement as well.
The drive on to Macon then, a dis
tance of about ten miles, was quickly
made, over the beautiful pike road in
Bibb county, and the arrival in the
suburbs of the Central City was the
s.gnal for waving of handkerchiefs and
nats by the residents of tnat section
who were on their porches and lawns.
After a short orive around the city, The 1
Journal party was taken to the Elks'
club in the Grand opera uouse building
by George W. Duncan, a well known real
estate dealer; Frank B. Coates, a promi
nent life insurance man, and C. Y. John
ston, a wholesale groceryman, who had
met the party in a large White Steamer.
Other Good Roads News on Page «.
make them, this process has been used
for several years, and it is found that
the pikes are not only made more durable,
but there is never any dust or mud,
which fact does away with quite an ob
jectionable feature. For several miles out
of Lexington in all directions, and in
some instances as much as from town to
town, the pikes are practically all oiled,
and although it is rather an expensive
measure at the beginning, it has been
foand to be considerably cheaper in the
long run. The fact that such a long dis
tance is to be oiled here will require some
time to complete the work, and by the
time the workmen reach Atlanta, the ex
periment will have practically been made
at this end of the line. If this method i«
well jhought of, it Is quite likely that
most of the roads In the stale will be
oiled
GOOD ROADS FORCES
FORM ASSOCIATION
Al A BIHIEEIIBG
City Courthouse Was Packed ta
Overflowing When Georgia
Good Roads Automobile Asso
ciation Was Organized.
□a
MACON, Ga., May 25—If there is a
man in Middle Georgia who opposes good •
roads, he doesn't dare make his pc sitlon
known, for the state has put aside its.,
business and pleasure and each county
i has joined hands in the great movement J
, that looks to a rehabilitation of the public I
■ highways. , A Aj,
At the mass meeting held here Monday
I night there was but one sentiment ex- «
! pressed. There was no rivalry between fl
| counties or sections and no jealousies be- •
I tween communities. You didn’t, have to A
ask a man If he was for good road*. He |
was here for that purpose.
When the mass meeting was called to ;
order at 8 o'clock Monday night, the city
court room was packed to overflowing aJMI‘ t
many were standing in the rear and in the H
. halls. There wee many who stood with
out and listened though the open win
dow’s.
The ball for good roads was put in mo
tion and started rolling through the state
with energy. Clark Howell was made ,-3
chairman and Emroy Winship secretary. J
Enthusiastic speeches were made by rep- S
resentative men throughout the state,
resolutions introduced and adopted organ
izing the Georgia Gqod Roads Automobile H
association, and indorsing the magnificent |
work of the Atlanta Journal and New
York Herald, the oCnstltution, the Tele- J
graph and the state press generally on
behalf of the movement.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolutions were jnani- s
mously adopted:
"Resolved, That this meeting me made -
,the Georgia Good Roads Automobile as- v
sociation and that it be incorporated as
such. ' '
"Resolved, That this meeting be made 1
of this committee appoint an executive |
committee of seven, of which he shall be |
chairman, and to which committee shall
be entrusted the detail of the GeWjHfeM
Good Roads contest to take place in No- ||
vember next and that this committee shall ..M
announce at its leisure the details of said
contest, with the view of shaping such i
contest so that they will best serve, the |
the interest of county co-ordinate effort®
lat good road construction In the state, ao •
| that in due time the county roads may fl
connect into a general system of thor- 9
oughfares In this state.
"Resolved, further. That this state ex
ecutlve committee of this association be ,
authorized to incorporate itself at once J
for the above end and that all contrlbu- ■
tions to the state good roads contes-. shall >
be given through this convention.*'
The following resolution was presented I
by Mr. Charles Wilburn, of the Macon
Automobile Machinery company:
JOURNAL IS PRAISED.
"We. the Bibb County Good Roads as- «
ociation. in mass meeting assembled for :
the purpose of devising a plan to better
the general conditions of the public high- o
wavs of the south and more especially In
Georgia, congratulate the Atlanta Jour- .fl
nal upon the interest it has manifested
in the movement it has inaugurated tn 1
bringing to the attention of the public
this magnificent campaign.
"We further wish to express our in
dorsement of the national movement for ,
public road betterment inaugurated by g
the Atlanta Journal and the New York
Herald. I
•■We further wish to extend to tne At-. 3
lanta Constitution ana the state press ouf ; j
henrty co-cperatlon and invite th«*>n to
me-1 with us from time to time that we
may mutually agree upon the beat and J
■neediest plan possible for carrying
execution this contemplated project.”
This resolution was adopted by a unanl* J
mous vote and followed by applause.
Commissioner A. J. Long, of the county . J
board of roatls and revenues of Efibb •
county, took a shot at the fee system in
I a spirited speech, followed by resolutions $
against the system and in favor of sal- g
aries for city and county and state of- <
ficials. The resolutions follow:
GOOD ROADS FUND.
“Resolved. That this convention petition J
the legislature to pass a law giving tha ■
right to each county by vote of the clti- 7:
zens to change the fee system to a salary |
system for remuneration of its officers, M
the money saved by this plan to be put
into a special fund to be expended upon
the roads of the respective counties.''
Many speeches were made during the
meeting, which did not adjourn until 11
o'clock. Clark Howell outlined tho ob
ject of the mass meeting, stating that one
man in Georgia was responsible for tho
meeting and that man was Mayor J. G. |
Knapp, of Fitzgerald, who had brought J
' neerly fifty machines to Macon, crowded •
with south Georgia delegates.
Mr. Asa Candler, of Atlanta, then made I
an address, in which he declared for |
good roads —not for the automobile — but
for the man with a mule.
Mayor Knapp, of Fitzgerald; Editor
Pendleton, of Macon; Clarence Black
shear, of Laurens; Colonel Bowen, chair- ’
man county commissioners, of Ben Hill 4
county; Hon. Ogden Pearsons, of Moa« 1
roe county; Mayor Hann, of Jackeon,
Butts county, and Frank Ethridge, of ,
Jackson, bad delivered stirring appeals
for good roads and as the applause for the ‘
last speaker subsided, a voice from the
audience called the attention of the chair •
to the fact that Hon. James R. Gray, of
The Atlanta Journal, was in the audience
“and—" but that was all the speaker
was heard to say, as his voice was drown
ed in the cheering that followed. , - j
EDITOR GRAY SPEAKS.
Mr. Gray spoke at length, urging that
action, precise and businesslike, be taken
by the committee. He made a plea for j
good roads throughout the length and
breadth of the state and showed that
each county site should be the center of
a system of good roads leading in all
directions. His reference to state and *
national highways was received with
hearty checrc.
Colonel N. F. Tift, of Dougherty, was
the next speaker and he had just arrived
from Albany, explaining his delay due to
an accident to his machine from the bad
roads over which he traveled.
Other speakers of the evening were J.
B. Heard, of Dooly county; Meson, of
Dougherty; McKinney, of Bibb; Myers, of 5
Waycross; Ix>ng, of Bibb; Editor John
Hodges, of Perry, and Roland Ellis, of
Bibb.
SOUTH GEORGIA IN
LINE FOR ROADS
MACON. Ga., May 25.—South Georgia
came about thirty cars strong to ’.he good
roads meeting, and brought large dele
gations from each of the towns repre
sented. They are all pulling for good
roads, and seem to have caught the good
roads "fever” along with dozens of other
places.
The following towns, with the number
of machines driven from each are given:
Fitzgerald, 9; Waycross, 5; Ocilla. 3,
Coffee. 3: Fairfax, 2, and Rochelli, L
I
5
