Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-22
FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN.
Dream of Great System of Interstate
Roads

A recent news telegram from New
York says: "The use Of the automobile
as means Of long distance transporta-
tion from one part Of the United States
to another has so increased within the
last two years that, in the opinion of
the officers Of the Automobile club Of
America, among whom are the presi-
dent, Judge E. H. Gary, and Cornelius
Vanderbilt of the board Of governors,
1t Is only a question Of good transcon-
tinental roads when the automobile
will become a common rather than an
unusual means of travel for seeing all
America.
One Of the most convincing facts in
support of the rapid growth of the long
distance utility and pleasure trips in
cars is the experience Of the automobile
clubs bureau of tours has been hav-
ing Of late. The club now has a men,
bership which includes prominent
automobilists in twenty-three states,
and also has on its tour subscribers
list hundreds Of correspondents in
every state of this country and in
many foreign cities.
The business Of the bureau Of tours
is to lay out routes from any point here
or abroad to any other point. From
its representatives in hundreds Of To-
calities 1t gets first-hand data and fur
nishes to its subscribers fully work.
ed out itinerary, and, where possible,
with good road maps, data about hotels
and garages.
At first its chief business was in sup
plying what might be called local
routes for tours of 300 or 400 miles, and
in working out plans for European
trips. OF late, however, 1t has been
surprised to get requests from many
members in the west to supply routes
from their cities to New York. And in
many cases members in distant states
have desired, in addition, full road in
formation for touring the middle At
lantic states and New England. FIRE.
quently these routes are for side trips
for some western or southern automo-
bilists who are en- route for extensive
foreign tours. And already there is
heavy demand for transcontinental
routes which will bring many auto
mobilists and their cars direct to Sa-
vannah for the grand prize race on
Thanksgiving Day.
For years past there has been a sort
of hegira of automobilists from distant
states to New York city, either on bus
mess or to enjoy the opera or theatres
Of the metropolis. Many Of these now
make their New York headquarters at
the club. 1t is noticed, however, in the
garage office of the club which ope-
rates for its members and its guests
huge machine shop and storage
plant, that, whereas, many Of the west-
erners cars formerly arrived at the
club in clean condition, which would
indicate that they had been brought
on by rail or boat, the majority OF the
cars now arriving from distant points
show, by dust or mud on their guards,
that their owners have used them for
long touring. And in consequence the
members privileges extended with use
of the garage are gradually reaching
members from clubs at increasingly
greater distance. In one year the club
had under guest privileges in its gar
age more than 100 cars coming more
than 500 miles to New York.
There is also, however, large tour
ing movement in the other direction.
More New York members than ever be-
fore are calling for touring schedules
to reach New Orleans, or st. Louis,
Chicago, Minneapolis, st. Paul or 9TH
er great inland points.
AS consequence, the bureau Of tours
is now preparing many copies Of long
inland trips, for, whereas, a few
months ago there would be but one
call a year for certain thousand-mile
automobile journey, there now are six
or seven At the same time that the
inland travel has increased, there Is no
diminution in the foreign touring.
This increasing demand for routes
tndl VIII Help TIE dulOlllOuliSb ~ SS~
America" has stimulated the clubs
touring bureau experts to extend its
work of mapping states still further
into the west. Already the club has
published complete road maps Of New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
and it is hoped that soon, with the CO.
operation of the other clubs throughout
the United States, complete road map
library, covering every state where the
sport is possible, will be available.
Already the club has collected all
data about many Of the important
roads and trips a thousand miles from
New York, and in every district where
automobiling has become active 1t has
gatherers Of information which furnish
1t with accurate accounts Of road con-
ditions over a wide range Of territory.
In the east, so complete is this system
of special correspondents, that the bu-
reau of tours gets almost immediate re-
ports of dangerous crossings, or roads
which have been changed, or Of speed
traps established. These are immedi-
ately recorded and furnished to its
large range of membership, local and
national.