The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1909-02-25
Movement Stirring the South.

If the present agitation for good
roads is continued by the motrists OF
many Southern States, it will only be
a question of a year or two more be-
fore it will be possible for automobile
lists to tour through the South on
new highways, which will compare
very favorably with those in many
of the States Of the North. AS IN
indication of this activity, reports
have recently been received by Fred
erick H. Elliott, secretary OF the
American Automobile Association,
from r. Angus Nichols, president of
the Richmond (Va.) Automobile
Club, advising that the club is COOP
Grating with other organizations in
an endeavor to establish a new road
between Richmond and Norfolk.
A very successful meeting was re-
Gently held at Petersburg, Va, at
which Senator G.. t. Lassiter, an en-
thusiastic good roads advocate, pre-
| sided, when there was formed the
| Southeastern Greater Highways Asso-
citation, which proposes to secure leg
islation for the construction of a new
/ TOdu OLWOOu NICAu1Ohu anu ooA~
ington, and other important centres,
with trunk lines leading into the
| neighboring States of West Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Car
DINA. The success which attended
this meeting resulted in a conference
! with Gov. Claude A. Swanson, who
is well known as a good roads boom
er, and it was decided to hold an
| other meeting in Richmond on Feb.
10 and IL. To advertise this meet
ing the Governor will send out 1000
commissions to State Representa-
tives, Supervisors, highways authori-
ties and road workers, requesting
that they attend the meeting to dis.
cuss ways and "a for improving
the road conditions in Virginia. The
county of Norfolk has voted $780,
900 for highway construction, and
the taxpayers of Henry County will
shortly vote to appropriate 100000
to build 100 miles of new roads Lead
ing to the city of Richmond.
That the motorists residing in
Tennessee do o intend that their
Virginia friends shall get ahead of
them is proved by their endeavors
to secure the construction Of a new
road leading from Chattanooga to
Roanoke. This road will pass
through a very beautiful section OF
the country, winding through the
mountains by way of Charlotte, and
when completed will make Chatta-
nooga a diverging point for tourists,
as the roads from that city to Bir-
mingham, Ala, and Atlanta, Ga, are
in very fair condition.
A Good Roads Congress has recent
~ been held at Atlanta, Ga, at which
the motorists throughout the State
were well represented, and steps were
taken to increase the good roads ap-
preparation, SO that trunk lines can
be established which will connect
with the new roads proposed in adj
joining States.
Among other States active in good
roads affairs are Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana. In fact, the motorists
in New Orleans are looking forward
to the day when a~utomobilists will
be able to tour over splendid high
ways from the North and spend the
winter months il the South. An au-
tomobile carnival will be held in New
Orleans during the Mardi Gras week
in February, when good roads con-
~ferences will be held, to interest all
trade and civic, organizations in the
good roads movement, which has dur
ing the last two years received splen-
did impetus, owing primarily to the
activities of the automobiles, who
are now organizing in each of the
principal Southern cities and are fed
Grating their clubs into State associa-
tons, such as the Louisiana Motor
League, which has recently applied
for afiliation with the American Au!
tomobile Association and will work
in harmony with the recently formed
New Orleans Automobile Club.
A very enthusiastic meeting of the
Louisiana Motor League was recently
held, which was attended by Mayor
Behrman, Capt. Hardee and other
city officials. The motorists of New
Orleans are especially interested in
the construction of a road4Iwenty-fve|
miles in length to "Chef Menteur,"
and at a recent meeting $4,000 was
subscribed and much more promised
to complete the preliminary fourteen
miles of the proposed road. The
Louisiana "Chef Menteur' road, as
surveyed under the direction of the
Louisiana Motor League, will cost be-
tween $4,000 an1 $4,000 per mile, and
will be the regulation width Of twen-
ty-one feet, and built under the di-
rection of Capt. Hardee, the city en-
gineer.
This project, however, is only one
of many which will receive the sup
port Of the Louisiana organization,
and gradually it's efforts will be di-
rected in other sections of the State,
adding to it's membership and in1u-
legislation to secure ~appropria-
lions from the Louisiana Legislature
for road construction each year
New York Times.