Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-05-10

Tho evening session. the most en-
pertaining OF all. was opened at 3
o'clock
Following is the address in full
as delivered by MIR. Conman, chair I
man OF the meeting. last night:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
There Is an old French adage.
that Is Is the unexpected that hap
pens. lf any one should have told
me three weeks ago that would
have made any attempt whatever To
appear before this audienc, l would
have thought that they did not know
what they We're talking about. am
not accustomed TO making public
speeches. ] have been very busy
man and have ben attending strictly
TO home. and few days ago I was
induced TO meet the Good Roads As
sociation and some OF my friends. or
some other people. put me In the har-
ness. and ! never failed to be good
worker. | have been so busy with
personal matters and working today
for the Good Roads Convention that
! have had no time TO prepare set
speech or even think OF giving you a
speech equal to the one delivered by
Col. Bradburn this morning. which
came straight from the shoulder.
My subject tonight which has been
| assigned to me, is in the benefit of
good roads. Now, Il would be use
less for me to make any attempt to
taoyer Ihis- subject. and. l. will have TO
tell YOU a few anecdotes that heard
I'm campaign TO make the story
| complete
A train was starting OF and a man
was standing on the platform. The
brakeman said go in the inside, the
platform was made TO go on and not
TO stand on. And, gentlemen, the
usuages OF the good roads is to get
into town and not to get out OF town
The other day saw respectable
farmer, and by the way, all farmers
are respectable, trying to come into
town with a load of produce, and IL
was impossible for him TO get the
load on the principal streets and av-
enues Of the town and he had drag
ged over the most horrible roads i'm
the county, which he said was en-
ough TO make man keep out OF
Bluefield
The good road movement Is at
tracing the attention OF the people
OF the United States and even the
president is interestd.
/ Now / will have 10 tell you another
anecdote. Possibly some OF YOU peo-
pie know who allude 10. IL Is said
\ that on one occasion lady had a
/ handsome dress and new hat and af-
ter she had learned 10 put on this
hat and practising a little while be
/ fore the looking glass before starting
20 church. as a matter Of course she
I got there 2 little late. But walking
toward the amen corner. the choir
and others of the congregation sing
Ing hallelujah. the lady took her
seat facing the congregation. After
the services she went to her home
and her mother asked her. We'll.
/ how did you come out? Did any
body see your" In response TO the
Inquiries OF her mother. she replied
| AS walked down the aisle the
choir sang. II hardly Knew You"
Possibly 1t is puzzling to you TO know
! ho.p 4 .tyVI .pv.f., thto sot,o 1T
that you may have roads 80 that
( when our friends come 10 town we
may be able 20 recognize them and
able to tell whether they are dressed
well or poorly and whether they are
white or black.
/ This Is a positive fact and 7 can
prove II by some people in this au-
dience:
Two enterprising young men un-
/ dertook to 90 out OF town The
best livery horses and the best team
that could be procured were used by
the young men. and II Is told me that
II was impossible for them TO get
10 East Mountain. Now, know
these gentlemen we'll, and happened
20 he on Bland street. the only
street In South Blueheld when these
gentlemen returned, and they we're
so badly weather beaten and covered
with mud that can truthfulIy say
that did not recognize my friends.
IN fact. hardly knew them.
know nothing whatever OF the
good roads that they have in France
and Italy, but I do know that we
have some horrible roads in West
. Virginia and especially in Mercer