Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-02-25

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Movement Stirring the South.

II the present agitation for good
t9ads is continued by the motrists OF
Llany Southern States, it will only be
4 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 he States of the North. AS an
indication of this activity. reports
have recently been received by Fred
erick. H.. Elliott. secretary of the
American Automobile Association.
rom 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 C. 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
road between Richmond and Wash
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 authors
ties and road workers, requesting
that they attend the meeting to dis
cuss ways and means 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 $500, 900
to build 100 miles of new roads lead
ing to the city of Richmond.
That the motorists residing in
Tennessee do not intend that their
Virginia friends shall get ahead Of
them is proved by their endeavorF
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, Ca, are
in very fair condition.
A Good Roads Congress has recent
ly been held at Atlanta, Ca, at which
the motorists throughout the State
were well represented, and steps were
taken to increase the good -oads APP
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 automobiles will
be able to Tour I'VE splendid high
/ WAyo AAOAu 0O IL ohu SpOA0 IL
winter mont Is il the South. An au-
/ tomobile car 1ival 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 automobilists, 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 utilization 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 road twenty-five
miles in length to "Chef Menteur,"
and at a recent meeting $z4UO was
subscribed and much more promised
to complete the preliminary fourteen
miles of the proposed road. The
Louisiana "Chef Menteur" road, az
surveyed under the direction Of the
Louisiana Motor League, will cost be-
tween $4,000 am $4,000 per mile, and
will be the regulation width OF twen-
ty-one feet, and built under the de
rection of Capt. Hardee, the city
gineer.
This project, however, is only one
Of many which will receive the sup
port of the Louisiana organizations.
and gradually its efforts will be de
rected in other sections Of the State.
adding to it's membership and infiu>
encing legislation to secure %appropria-
tons from the Louisiana Legislature
for road construction each year
New York Times.