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BUTTS COUNTY PROGRESS.
VOLUME 27
TREMENDIOUS INTEREST
SHOWN IN THE COURSE
PROM MACON TO ATLANTA BY WAY OF JACKSON
Large Party From Jackson Escorts Scout Cars From
Macon As Far As Jackson—This the Shortest
Route by Several Miles—All Good Roads.
That the route via Jackson and
McDonough is the shortest and
best route between Atlanta and
Macon is no longer in doubt.
Speaking of this course the At
lanta Constitution says editorially.
“They have only to seize upon
present opportunity and go to
work. In this connection it is
worthy of note that Jackson the
enterprising county seat of Butts,
sees its opportunity and is getting
ready to improve it.
‘.‘Jackson is situated on a line
of road between Atlanta and
Macon, nearly fifteen miles
shorter than the road now most
used.
“Why does the road travel be
tween Atlanta and Macon choose
the longer route?
“The answer is obvious. It is
the BEST road.
•“What will the development of
a well-paved highway between
Atlanta and Macon by the shorter
route mean to Jackson, McDon
ough, Stockbridge, Locust Grove,
Flovilla and the other communi
ties and county, seats upon it?
“It will mean that this route
will get its part of the through
business between Atlanta and
Macon-indeed, that it will be
come the thoroughfare highway
between north and south Georgia.
“It is an achievement well
worth the effort and attention
they may give it.
“The aim in the Constitution’s
endurance contests and all these
efforts toward the infusion of
speed and spirit in the work of
good roads construction is RE
SULTS.
- ‘And those enterprising Geor
gia communities which, like Al
bany and Fitzgerald, are the
first to seize and grapple with
opportunity are going to get
them.
“The cake is waiting for those
who will reach out, take and eat
it!”
A large delegation left here
Monday afternoon for Macon to
meet and escort a party from At
lanta as far as Jackson on the
return trip. Those in the pai ty
were Messrs S- 0. Ham, r. b.
Etheridge, J. B. Hopkins, Lamar
Etheridge, J. B. Settle, J. L>-
.Jones, W. T. Powers, Bluma Car
michael, J. Mote Watts, J. A.
Kimbell, Homer Carmichael,
J. 0. Gaston of the commissioners
Harold Mallett, A. T. Buttrill, R.
& Carmichael, and Paul Turnei
and E. M. Smith of McDonough.
The run to Macon wasi made m
about two hours and fL y ‘
ates. The run from F °
Macon, a distance o , ’
was made in Mr. Etheridge s car
fa 52 minutes. ,
In Macon were automobiles and
party from Atlanta met a large
delegation from south and south
west Georgia and Macon was full
of automobiles. From Waycross
Douglas and Fitzgerald and sev
eral other cities came enthusiastic
good road men. It was one of
the largest and most representa
tive gatherings ever held in the
state. County commissioners
were in the ranks and joined
most heartily into the spirit of
the occasion.
Upon arriving in Macon the
automobile parties were met at
the Chamber of Commerce head
quarters and taken in charge.
Refreshments were served and
the different delegations were
made to feel very much as if the
city was theirs. Automobiles
covered with placards bearing
the name of the city and county
told of local pride.
At eight o’clock in the county
courthouse a meeting was held
and a formal organization per
fected. Hon. Clark Howell was
made chairman of the meeting
and Emory Winship secretary.
There was addresses by a large
number of those present. Mr.
Howell in a ringing speech told
of the work to be accomplished
by the present good roads cam
paign in Georgia. He said the
movement was the most signifi
cant that had been started in
Georgia in a long while. The end
in view he said, was the connect
ing of Georgia by a webwork of
good roads’ The greatest factor
in the development of good
roads in Georgia said Mr. How
ell was the doing away with the
convict lease system and the
working.of the convicts on the
public roads.
After much speech making had
been indulged in the Georgia
Good Roads Automobile Associa
tion was formed. A committee
of seven will be appointed by the
chairman of the meeting to look
after the work of the organiza
tion.
While the meeting was in ses
sion Laurens county gave SI,OOO
for the good roads contest and
Bibb county came across with a
like amount.
Among the addresses that were
to the point were those of Asa
G. Candler of Atlanta, the coca
cola king, and J. R. Gray of the
Atlanta Journal.
Chairmen of the board of coun
ty commissioners, mayors, men
prominent in road building, law
yers and others were called upon
by the chairman and in ringing
talks pledged themselves to the
carrying out of the good roads
movement in this state.
Mr. F. S. Etheridge presented
JACKSON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1909.
FOUR NEW AUTOS
ARRIVED LAST WEEK
TOWN FULL OF AUTOMOBILES
Jackson Fast Becoming
Automobile Center Of
Middle Georgia—Others
Will Likely Purchase
Cars Soon—An Even
Dozen Machines In The
City Now.
There was something doing in
the automobile line last week and
as a i e suit four new cars were
brought to the city. That makes
an even dozen cars in Jackson.
Others will likely buy machines
within a short time and Jackson
will be the leading automobile
town in middle Georgia.
Those purchasing cars last
week were Messrs Harold Malle tt,
A. H. Smith. Bluma Carmichael
and Dr. J. B. Hopkins. All of
the new cars are handsome and
of thelatestmodels. Enthusiasm
over automobiles is at fever heat
and several other cars will be
added soon.
Within the last few weeks a
number of new machines have
been brought to Jackson. Every
owner of a car is an enthusiastic
good roads man. Mr. F. S.
Etheridge and Dr. J. B. Hopkins
had recently purchased cars be
fore the arrival of those last
week.
It is said that there are several
chronic cases of automobile fever
in town and this is expected to
break into a solid flame that will
lead to a car.
Several of the new cars were
entered in the run to Macon Mon
day afternoon and escorted the
scout cars back as far as Jackson.
All of the machines stood the
run in good shape and eat up
distance in a way that waspleas
ing to those who owned them.
the claims of this county. He
extended an invitation for the
party to come through Butts
county and pledged the support
of the people of Jackson and
Butts county in the good roads
campaign. He told of the
route from Atlanta to Macon via
Jackson and Indian Springs be
ing several miles nearer than any
other route between those cities
and this will be a strong factor
in determining the course to be
selected.
On Tuesday morning there was
a mammoth automobile parade
in Macon and several hundred
cars were entered. After the
parade the scout cars continued
their journey, some going on to
Jacksonville and others returning
to Atlanta.
The Jackson delegation in com
pany with t\w Constitution’s cars
left Macon and returned to Jack
son via Forsyth and Indian Spring
and at the Monroe county line
were met by the county commis
sioner and a party of prominent
citizens from Jackson and taken
to the Wigwam where they were
BIG AUTOMOBILE MEET
PLANNED FOR SUMMER
MANY AUTOMOBILES TO BE IN THE PARADE
Local Automobiles and Hundreds of Cars From
Atlanta and Macon To Be In Line —Will Be
Advertisement for Progressive Jackson.
served luncheon as the guests of
the Chamber of Commerce. The
business houses closed upon the
arrival of the party and a big mass
meeting was held in the court
house. A large crowd was pres
ent and the superior court room
was well filled and in the crowd
were many ladies.
Mr. F. S. Etheridge was elected
chairman of the meeting and J.
D. Jones secretary. Hon. Clark
Howell was called upon and he
spoke for some time on the good
roads movement in this state.
He said that the object of the
good roads campaign was for the
benefit of the farmers and not of
the automobiles. He spoke of
the route via Jackson to Macon
and Atlanta being nearer by
several miles than any other
course that could be selected.
Mr. Howell said he wanted to
see good roads in Georgia for the
benefit of the farmer, the man
with one mule and a wagon, and
not for the-benefit of the automo
bile owner. When once a road
is built properly it is built for all
time and will not require any
patching, he said. Mr. Howell
was given close attention and his
remarks were received with en
thusiasm.
Mr. S. B. Turman one of the
road commissioners of Fulton
county followed Mr. Howell and
stressed the practical side of road
building and said he believed in
building good roads in spite of
criticism. He told of how good
roads enhance the value of prop
erty.
Mr. Roby Robinson, bussness
manager of the Atlanta Constitu
tion, favored a bond issue of
SIOO,OOO for thirty years and of
fered to handle the bonds for the
county.
Mr. Ogden Persons of Forsyth
pledged the assistance of Monroe
county in building a link of good
roads to connect Butts and Mon
roe counties.
Chairman J. O. Gaston of the
county commissioners said that
he would build a piece of road
that would make Monroe county
ashamed of herself. And this
brought forth liberal applause.
Mr. H. G. Asbury of the county
commissioners pledged the sup
port and cooperation of the coun
(Continued on Paj?e 7)
A big automobile meet is
planned for this summer to be
held at Jackson or Indian Springs.
In addition to the local cars sev
eral hundred automobiles from
Atlanta and Macon are expected
to join in the meet. This will be
one of the biggest advertise
ments progressi je Jackson and
Butts county have ever had.
This matter has been discussed
for several days by certain mem
bers and officers of the Chamber
of Commerce and it has met
with enthusiastic approval on
every hand. At the next meet
ing of the Chamber of Commerce
a committee will be appointed to
take the matter up.
The plans for the automobile
meet as outlined consist of a
mammoth parade in which all
local cars, and that means a good
many, together with those from
surrounding towns and including
several hundred cars from At
lanta and Macon, will be in line.
A picnic or some appropriate
form of entertainment will be
gotten up for the visitors. The
meet may be held in Jackson and
it may be held at Indian Springs.
This is considened the most
ambitious movement yet under
taken by the enterprising citizens
of Jackson. It will mean a tre
mendous impetus to the good
roads movement in Georgia. It
will be a big advertisment for
Butts county and her enterpris
ing capital.
No town the size of Jackson
has undertaken such an ambitious
movement and this speaks vol
umes for this city. Located as it
is midway between Atlanta and
Macon it it thought it will be
easy to secure several hundred
cars for the parade.
The county commissioners and
other prominent citizens of the
county will be asked to take part
in the meet which spells so much
for the good roads campaign in
this section. The purpose of the
meet is to arouse greater interest
in good road building in Butta
county. In view of the good
road movement sweeping the
state this is considered one of the
most important steps in the in
dustrial development of Butts
county.
And with good roads between
Macon and Atlanta the automo
bile meet will doubtless be made
an annual affair. The route via
Jackson is the shortest and best
route between those cities and
Jackson is the logical place for
the hundreds of cars in middle
Georgia to meet and parade.
As soon as the committees are
appointed the prizes for the meet
will be taken up and completed,
fContinued on f;tge Tj
NUMBER 22