Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-16
FROM 1 OCEAN D! ] TO OCEAN
-sIf 81
EttH
Proposed Boulevard to Cross
The Continent.
ToBE THIRTY p FEET WIDE
TALL GATES TO BE PUT UP AT
INTERVALS.
States Expected to Build Feeding Lines
Stimulus to the Good Roads
Movement.

An energetic movement has been started
that 1t Is hoped by its advocates will
! result In a magnificent boulevard stretch
| ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean,
the plans being well laid to obtain the CO.
| operation of Congress at the next session
and promoters being already scattered
| through score OF states, where they are
| at active work It is the aim of the advo-
Gates of the plan to get from Congress an
| appropriation large enough to have the i'm
| mense project well started, and every state
| through which the highway will pass will
be expected to contribute its quota to the
| final cost A nominal toll will probably be
| charged all vehicles using the roadway.
the proceeds being used to defray repair
expenses. but the federal government will
| be the custodian Of the highway. Mr. G..
| Russell Doane Of Omaha is at present in
| Washington in behalf of the project, and to
reporter for The Star outlined the plans
| for the continental boulevard that WILL
when built. outrlval anything in Europe.
| where magnificent roads are the rule
| rather than the exception.
The Proposed Undertaking.
1T has long been the dream of progress
| i've Americans" said Mr. Doane, Ito have
built highway that will connect the great
| oceans, but not until the perfection of the
automobile did the dreams begin to shape
| themselves into such form as could be
! called plans. We were a long time
| Meeting the Atlantic with the Pacific by
| rail, but with the opening of the Pacific
| railroad the growth of the western coun-
| try was marvellous. And now we are about
to cut the North and South Americas in
| two and save 10000 miles of hazardous
| sailing round the perious Cape Horn.
| 1T is the hope of the gentlemen with
whom l am interested to demonstrate to
the national lawmakers that macadam-
| lied highway such as L have suggested
would be Of immense benefit to the coun-
| try at large and to the government itself
! In innumerable ways.
| 1T Is proposed to grade and macatiam a
broad highway from New York city to San
Francisco so that the fieetest automobile
can make Its best speed over the course
As the speed of these latest inventions Of
| the age is constantly being increased it
! will be but a Short time before the trip
| from COAST to coast could be made over
| such road as we purpose in week. The
| day is almost here when one can jump into
| his ten horse power motor car on Monday
morning I'M New York and dine in San
Francisco on the following Saturday even
Ing.
''The SUCCESS Of the governments boule-
ward would PROVE to be the impetus to
states to connect their principal cities and
towns with 1t by feeders. and in a compar-
| atively short time this country would have
| a system OF roads that would eclipse any
thing on earth.
| Thirty Feet Wide.
1.-THE boulevard must be not less than
thirty feet wide along it's entire length.
| and every Safeguard must be instituted to
| guard against accidents The rules of the
road will be !rfgidly adhered to and extreme
penalties imposed for their infringement.
| "a roadway thirty feet wide would ena-
| BILE three of the largest cars now made to
pass each other at the same point at high
| speed and in perfect safety. or a troop
| of cavalry could pass on the gallop au-
tomobie going in the opposite direction at
| the rate of mile minute. There should
be no limit to speed on the road, for it is
| this that is the principal object of the adj
| vocates Of the innovation. But every per-
| son operating an automobile should be re-
quired to pass a rigid examination as to
his ability to handle such a machine before
being permitted to use the road. Upon pass
| ing such an examination he should be issued
] a license covering the entire fine, for which
| a nominal fee should be charged his
later expenses being confined to the dis
! lance he covers Toll gates should be es-
| tablished at regular intervals Of about one
hundred miles. and the charges should be
| such not to be prohibitive for any sort
! of traffic.
Benefit to the Farmer.
''In this age of development along all
| lines the roads of the country have been
| criminally neglected. We have nothing that
| could be called road connecting the east
| with the west, and it is one of the earnest
needs Of the times. With the development
OF the automobile 1t will be but short time
before the farmer will move his crop to the
main line of transportation by this power.
and with a continental boulevard and its
| feeders almost at his door he will see the
| value of his land Increase with every year.
| The railways are the factors that have made
| this country what 1t is today. and the time
| is far away when any other power will seri-
| ously threaten them. but they are about
| to enter into active competition with the
| perfected automobile in the lighter traffic
between the cities and suburban districts
| Every state should be given charge of
| that section of the boulevard that passes
| through it and made accountable to the
| federal government for the care of It as
| we'll as the receipts from tolls and expen-
! ditures.
The Route Proposed.
1.-THE course of the road has not been
| definitely decided upon, but route that
would pass through the northern edge of
| the southern states seems the most practi-
cable. After crossing the Mississippi the
/ road should bend to the northward so as
| to avoid the extreme heat of the southern
| plains, but not so far that in winter 1t
would be impossible because of the bliz-
| yards. 1t should be the aim of the en-
! gineers In charge of the surveying to lay
| the line with reference to the most favor
| able climatic conditions. 1t could cross the
continental divide near where the Union
| Pacific does and thus avoid the necessity
| of great cuts or expensive tunnels There
need not be a tunnel on the entire line.
| for straightness is not the aim much as
comfort for the tourist and economy in the
construction, distance being by means
| the most important factor. What we want
| Is a good roadway at the smallest cost.
| The 1, 800 mile stretch between the Missis-
! sippi river and the Rocky mountains has
natural grade that would cost little to per-
| feet, and what was saved there could be
used in the Sierra, Nevada mountains, where
much cutting would have to be done
The most difficult portions would be those
in the Allegheny or Blue Ridge mountains
| and the Sierras.s After crossing the latter
range the work through the California val
| leys would be simple and the machines
| could glide to the coast almost without
| any power other than gravity.
During the recess of Congress we in
| tend to perfect our plans so that they will
| be-, In shape to put before that body In the
| form of a memorial, and in the meantime
| we hope to- so interest the governors OF the