The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-23
REAL ROCK ROAD.
Topeka Has Chance to Help Get
One.
Important Meeting at CONNER
cial Club Tomorrow.
ANTHONY is COMING,
Congressman Will Have Govern
ment Engineer in Tow.
Macadam Highway Junction City
to LeavenwOrth the Object.

CONGRESSMAN D. r. Anthony lert
Leavenworth this morning In his auto
mobile, accompanied by Vernon M.
PIERCE, a government engineer, Tor
trip over the proposed military h1gh-
way from Fort Leavenworth to Fort
Riley and the party expects to be IN
Topeka by noon tomorrow. The road
is one in which Topeka is particularly
interested and a meeting Will be held
at the Commercial club rooms at
o'clock when the matter will be DIS
cussed fully by Congressman Anthony
and the accompanying government en-
gineer, Mr.. PIERCE.
The government proposes to build a
military road connecting the two forts,
a distance of a little more than LOO
miles and Topeka is on an almost a.
rect line mad nearly centrally locdIeu
as to distance. The road Will De OF
standard width and of maca dam ana
one of the finest stretches of roadbed
in the west when completed stone
culverts will take the places or the low
dips of a country road and supstah-
tial bridges will span the streams ana
sloughs so that it will be in the best
possible shape at all seasons OF the
year for public use.
Besides the great benefit to the gov
eminent in transporting troops pc
tween the two points, farmers living
along the proposed road will be afford
ed better facilities for travel. AS an
automobile speedway it will be without
an equal in the west and the fact that
it is to be a government project m
sures that it will be kept in the best
of condition at all times.
There are a number of things to De
considered before the road becomes Il
reality. but Congressman Anthony Is
back of the project and has taken
deep interest in thu matter and Its sue
cess can be assured by just a httle
Hxf1n n
the benefits aside from the govern
ment
Numerous grades and fills will be
encountered along the proposed route
but these will be leveled much after
the fashion of a railroad grade. The
entire expense of building the
road will be paid by the government
and the only thing in the way of d do
nation that is asked is that stone TOT
the road be furnished free.
The government does not ask that
the stone be quarried and hauled to
the road or anything of that klno.
Just the privilege of Quarry1ng stone
anywhere ciong the line wherever it
Is found and using it for construction
purposes. Every farmer along the
line of the proposed road viii at a
glance appreciate the value OF the
proposition to himself and family, and
the automobile enthusiasts Will find
in it a stretch of road over one nun
dred miles in length peculiarly adopt
ed to pleasure riding.
ut is one of the biggest little things
that Topeka has had an opportunity 10
get in on, in a long time" said G. X.
Holiday, president of the Commercial
club. land I should like to see nice
attendance at the meeting tomorrow
afternoon. Congressman Anthony is
heart and soul in the project and we
should get together and do anything
that we can to help him. He called
me up at midnight last night to talk
about the road and it looks as though
he is sitting up nights in his efforts to
secure it.
HE has taken a practical way of
getting the matter before the govern
ment and will take one of the en-
gineers with him for an automobile
ride over the entire route. They Will
take their time for the trip and talk
with the farmers along the way and
get expressions from them as to what
they are willing to do about furnish
ing the rock"
Mr.. PIERCE. who accompanies Con-
gresham Anthony, is chief engineer
of the bureau of public roads in the
department of agriculture at wash
ington and his recommendation Will
go a long ways towards deciding the
fate of the projected road Mr..
PIERCE will not attempt to decide on
purpose of gaining information rela-
tive to the topography of the country
through which it will pass. Govern
ment surveyors will follow later and
make a report following the prelim
mary one made by Mr.. PIERCE. 1t is
planned to have most of the work
done by convict labor from the fed
eral penitentiary. the prisoners to be
guarded while at work by soldiers.
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