Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-21

Lamar Washington, a Georgia boy by
birth, formerly of Macon, but now of New
York city, arrived in Atlanta Wednes-
day afternoon from New York in his big
Packard, after having tried out the gen.
eral course of the future big highway
that will stretch between Gotham and
Atlanta.
With Mr.. Washington was his bride Of
a year. who had made the whole trip with
him and declares that she never enjoyed
anything more. The third passenger on
the car was Billikins, prize Boston
terrier.
From New York to Atlanta, said Mr..
washington at the Piedmont Thursday
morning, the odometer of his car regis
tered a total of 1,119 miles. That includes
% 1-s miles used up on the old battle
fields around Gettysburg. The proved dis
lance of The Journal-Herald highway,
: therefore, is slightly less than LOO miles.
Mr.. washington crossed the Savannah
river at Browns Ferry, using the An
derson- Hartwell- merce-Lawrenceville
alternative of the routes which the scout
| car tried out the other day. He believes
| that there is room for much Improvement
in the roads of South Carolina and Geor-
gia. which he says compare about with
those of the White Mountain section in
Maine.
The famous valley turnpike was tried
out by Mr.. Washington on his way south;
and he says that the way over from
the pike into lower Virginia on the
south side of the mountains is the rough
est road he Travelled all the way from
New York.
Odometer readings on the trip were
kept for a while by Mr.. Washington. but
he saws they were lost from the car en-
route and he abandoned the count.
! From New York, Mr.. Washington and
his wife tourneyed to Philadelphia, W
miles: ana on south by way of Gettys-
burg, winchester, Staunton, and from
the end of the valley pike at Stauntoh
over the mountains to Roanoke, traVers-
ing a distance of S66 miles Of rough ROADS
ha%uJaan the two points via Lexington.
| Natural bridge and Buchanan; TO Lynch-
/ burg Danville. Charlotte, Gastonia, Kings
Mountain, Gaffney, Spartanburg, Green
willie. Anderson, Hartwell, Commerce.
vcinder. Lawrenceville, Stone Mountain.
! Decatur. and Atlanta. His last stop was
at Pelzer, s. c., which he le1t at
| o'clock Wednesday morning, covering Ios
| miles during the uay pelOAo 90"
Wednesday night, though he sustained
three punctures and got lost once ana
| wasted ten miles. ~, o
Mr. washington reached Greenville, >.
| G lust after the scout car left there on
| its return TO Atlanta.
The fact that there's not place be-
| tween GreenviIle and Atlanta where tires
| can be bought was discovered and Is now
remarked upon by Mr.. Washington he
| also speaks of the great need for sign
nosts that he found in the Carolinas-a
| need not so pronounced in Georgia. he
| SAYS where the main roads are Detter
1 Travelled and are more distinct.
| at heard about The Journal-Herald con-
| test all along the road" says Mr.. Wash
| ington. THE townspeople whom 1 met
! asked me thousands of questions about 1t.
! viii YOU come through they asked, and
| How many will come down from New
York; and all such questions that
| couldn't answer, though / expect to be
| in the contest myself.
'It will be a great thing when you get
| IT through-one of the biggest things that
| ever struck the south. Lots of people
| that take their cars to Europe every
year will tour south then, and get the
| country atmosphere that they can't get
| on the trains. New York is alive with
| talk about the contest"
During their brief stay in Atlanta Mr..
| and Mrs washington will be entertained
/ by Mr. and Mrs. c. L. Gately at the home
/ of the latter $50 Peachtree. They will
| continue their way to Macon, probably
! Friday, where they will spend a few days
visiting Mr. Washington's uncle, H. J..
|