Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-21
National Good Roads Conven-
ton Wants the Sum of $780,
600, ZOO Expended
ATTENDANCE AT MEETING SMALL
Chairman of the Convention Opens the
Meeting and Then Takes His De.
parture - Chicago Streets Excite
the Ridicule of the speaker-ResoIu-
tons Asking Highway Expenditure.


most every possible auxiliary move
ment were discussed by the speakers
the national good roads convention in
the Auditorium last evening. A resolu-
ton was passed at the conclusion of the
meeting calling for AN appropriation of
$20,000,000 by congress and an equal
amount by the different states to inn
prove the highways of the country. A
committee consisting of Col. Albert A.
Pope, Col. Frank o. Lowden and Will
liam II. Moore was appointed to present
the resolution to congress.
Chicago's streets and the country
roads of Illinois We're butts for the rid
icule and sarcasm of the speakers. Few
of them who had secured glimpse Of
the thoroughfares failed to make
sighting comment on their condition as
other states.
Howard S. Taylor, city prosecutor.
who made the address of welcome on
account of Mayor HarrisonS illness,
alone dilated on the glories of Chicago.
He did this to such an extent that re-
naming Speakers after being well
coined, were curtailed for time in or
der to adjourn before midnight.
Tho the meeting was favored with
addresses by the best informed in the
country on the subject, and delegates
We're present from thirty states, 1t did
not come up to the expectations of its
promoters in several respects. In the
first place the audience that enthusiast
tically shouted Aye" in favor of the
expenditure of s40,000.0O0 by nation and
state for the Improvement of the high
ways, consisted of less than 300 persons,
and of these large proportion were
women, and about seventy-five sat on
the stage as speakers, delegates, mem
bers of the committee. or band. Again
there was not complete harmony among
the good roads enthusiasts, and j. Bris-
piqued, it is said, because he was not
bane Walker left early in the meeting
given the desired prominence in the
proceedings.
Mr. Walker, who is the proprietor of
the Cosmopolitan, an officer of the Bar
Der Asphalt Company and a goodroads
enthusiast, did not report at the head
quarters of the committee having
charge of the meeting until o'clock
Thursday afternoon. A. l.. Sercomb,
who conducted the arrangements for
the convention. would not admit tina.
there was any difficulty with Mr.. Walk
err, aside from some dissatisfaction on
account of his lateness in appearing TO
assist.
- Brisbane Walker was offended be-
cause he could not havecomplete control
of the convention" said l.. G. Boardman
of New York, who acted as secretary
of the convention. He arrived in Chi
cago at 3 O'clock yesterday and wanted
the program changed by the printers
because they did not give his name as
prominent position as he wished. He
would not permit any resolutions to be
presented except those he had prepared,
and believes that he should be given the
most prominent place in the convention,
because he is the president of a society
which exists under his hat, and of
which he is the only member"
Mr.. Walker, as chairman of the ma
tional committee, called the meeting to
order and introduced Col. Albert a.
Pope as chairman. Mr.. Taylor gave the
address of welcome, after which Col.
Pope of oBston spoke. He is known as
"the father of good roads," on account
of his long agitation for the betterment
of the public highways. He is also the
president of one of the largest bicycle
and automobile companies in the world.
"Profiting by the horrible example of
Boston, western cities have learned
that they should be laid out properly"
said Colonel Pope. Chicago is laid out
properly, but its streets are not yet
made. 1t Is to be hoped, for the sake of
those living in this city, that a time will
come when the streets are worthy of
the name. In the east they are started
on the road question and can not be
stopped. The farmers We're against it
in the beginning, but now from every
side comes the cry for Improvement.
THE auto has come as the steam en-
CINE came and many of us will live to
see the day when there will be fifty au-
tomobies to one horse, and the man
will be taxed who brings a horse on the
smooth highways. The horse brings
more disease and filth into the city than
all other agencies combined. have
horses and always will have them but
/ keep them out in the country-where
they belong"
Better Than Gold.