Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-15
GOOD ROADS MEN
MEET At DALTON
Amid Unparalleled Enthusiasm
the Good Roads Congress Maps
Out Definite Plan for National
Highway.
Bv w. T. Waters, Jr.

By w. T. Waters, Jr.
DALTON. Ca. June n.-Nothing In the
record OF the good roads movement in the
south surpasses the elimination of that
movement at Dalton, Saturday-Jhe north
Georgia congress for highway improve
ment. attended by hundreds of good roads
campaigners from scores Of towns anc
cities in Georgia and Tennessee.
Stirring speeches were uttered Resolu-
tious were adopted. effecting permanent
organization Onicers were elected And
the congress adjourned after the accom-
plishment of a definite WORK. with stin
further definite work outlined for its
immediate attention
Dalton and its county. Whitfield, have
climbed boot and baggage aboard the
good roads band-wagOn and elbowed their
vsv 10 a front seat. But not alone thar.
Their enthusiasm. injecting all theT
neighbors. has gone down on record as the
frst slip OF the good roads avalanche thar
Is now overwhelming north Georgia anc
south Tennessee. An imaginary state line
has been wiped away. County lines nave
become almost obliterated. Almost In
day the good roads campaign that center
ed al Dalton Saturday has become an
uprising OF the whole country.
Il love a man who does things. l had
rather be a cur dog going down the road
AT the rate OF a mile minute with TIN
can tied to my tail. than be a hloooeo
canine under a rose bush scratching
feas," said DR.. George r. Stuart, the
star speaker Of the star program, at the
formal session Of the congress Saturday
morning.
And almost before his words had ceas-
ed echoinE among the trees OF the court
house square in Dalton, the congress nrec
the first gun in the campaign that Is
now on to the bitter end against Dao
roads in north Georgia
How many people attended the con-
gress. where they came from, and who
they were. will never be told complete
". They literally swarmed in Dalton.
That little city was overwhelmed by their
numbers They came from every point
Of the compass, in automobiles and bug
gies on trains and afOot They were
gathering Friday afternoon and Friday
evening and Friday night till dawn. and
they were still coming wnen the program
began, an hour and a half late, at 1850
O'Clock Saturday afternoon in front OF
the Whitefld county courthouse under
the trees Of the heavily-shsded square.
A complete tale Of their names would
form almost a directory of north Geor-
gia and neighboring Tennessee.
NEVER A HITCH.
without a hitch from beginning TO end
went every detail of the elaborate pro-
gram that Dalton's progressive citizens
had prepared for the congress and its
delegates Excepting the delay Of ne
start unavoidable because OF the neces-
sarily slow progress the Chattanooga
and other tennessee delegations made
over the bad roads that they had to ira
verse, everything moved like clockwork.
The congress will go down in history
as one Of the most admirably planned
and completely executed public AFFAIRS
ever attempted on a large scale by any
other than the largest cities Of the south.
The conclusion OF the congress was in
a grand barbecue feast under the trees
Of the city park adjoining the courthouse
square. Enough viands had been pre-
pared, OF the toothsome type that only
Georgia barbecues know, to feed an
army, and an army consumed them, to
the last scrap.
COL MARTIN PRESIDED.
Colonel W. C Martin. former state SEN
ator. presided over the congress The in
vocation was pronounced by Rev. F. X.
Sims Colonel Martin spoke the welcome
that Dalton extended to the visitors.
Judge W. r. Rankin, one OF the Calhoun
delegates. voiced the response. The main
program further consisted Of speeches by
Mayor Robert F. Maddox, OF Atlanta;
James r. Gray, editor and general man
ager Of The Atlanta Journal; ROby Rob-
fnson, business manager of the Atlanta
Constitution; @. F. Milton. president OF
the Chattanooga News and Knoxville
Sentinel companies: c. 7. Alexander,
manager and proprietor OF the Hotel Pat
ten, Chattanooga: Hamilton Peltz, Of the
New York Herald: Colonel ]. 7. Van
Orsdale. commanding the Seventeenth
United States infantry and ranking off,
Ger in the department OF the gulf; Mayor
J. NJ Moon. Of Gainesville: c. ID. Mitch
ell. the widely known pillow msnufactur-
er OF Chattanooga; ]. F. Lee, state pres
ident Of the Farmers Union In Georgia;
z II. Clay. of Marietta son of United
States Senator Clay; F. G. Reynolds. sec
rstary Of the good roads organization in
CHATTANOOGA. and the Rev. George r.
Stuart one Of the sOuth's most widely
famed evangelists and publicists. Each
OF the speakers was appropriately intro
duced BY Colonel Martin
permanent highway and good roads
association embracing the cities Of At
lanta and Chattanooga and the counties
Of Catoosa. Whitfield. Gordon. Cobb and
Fulton, was formed by the resolutions
that were introduced and unanimously
adopted by the congress. The associa-
ton viii be Differed by a president and
nine vice presidents. The president, Col
onei ". c. Martin. was elected unani-
mousIy and without opposition after the
resolutions were adopted. The vice pres
fdents. as stipulated In the resolutions,
VIII be the mayors Of Atlanta and Chat
tsnooga. and the ordinaries Of the Geor-
gia counties Of Catoosa. whitefld. Cor
don, Barlow. Obj and Fulton. The
mayors and councils OF Atlanta and
Chattanooga and the ordinaries and
county commissioners Of the counties
named. viii compose the executive COM
mittee. The scope OF membership Is
broad and generous II includes all good
roads advocates in the territory defined.
ARRIVED FRIDAY.
Atlanta's delegation arrived in Dalton
early Friday evening. after having left
Cartersvilie In the Afternoon Other dele
cations came In during the evening and
night from Marietta. Gainesville. Adairs-
vile ard Resaca-