The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-13
BRAzELTON COMES FROM CHATTANOOGA Makes Detailed Study of Con-
 dtion of Roads LAST OF TIE PATHFINDERS Met Same Cooperation Among Farm CTS As Had Been Shown on
 the Outgoing Trip to
 Atlanta.
LAST OF THE PATHFlNOERS
BY JAMES B. KEELING.


 When G. r. Brazelton, secretary of the Birmingham Motor club. drove his Ruiek car into Birmingham at 5 o'clock last night the last and real working path finder of the squad of seven sent out bv the motor club last week had returned home.
 He started from Chattanooga at o'clock yesterday morning, made great many stops and talked good roads, and then succeeded in making the trip in a number of hours less time than any previous record. The distance as shown bv the speedometer on his machine was 157 miles with the total time of the trip an even F hours. Stops aggresaung over three hours were made, not including the time consumed in stopping the ma chine while frightened mules and horses were led by it. which brings the actual running time down to nine hours.
 MT. Brazelton's machine was the official Age-Herald car in this tour and carried three passengers besides nimself-Mrs Rrazelton, A D. Woods of Drennen O. and an Age-Herald reporter.
 With but little effort the roadway be- tween Birmingham and Chattanooga can be made into a first-class highway From Chattanooga to the state line there IS splendid road for seven miles. II con- tinues good on to Trenton, Ga, the couh- ty seat of Dade county. with the eNcep~ ton of a few rough spots. From Trenton to Fort Payne in DeKalb county, II IS fairly good with the exception that bridges are badly needed over mum ber of creeks. From Fort Payne to the Ftowah county line the road is In nor ,.ible shape. Across Etowah county there is a good road. St. Clair county has snlendid road. with the exception of a 1one stretch of several miles from Whit nev to within one mile north Of Spring vile, which is a bad link In good chaih' Jefferson county has good route wlth inc exception of that in the vicinity or rrrussville bridge which could be greatly improved.
 while the road is in good condition most of the way each county could do good work in the line of repairing and Wloen- ing. Even in the best stretches or mac adam two vehicles cannot pass each otner z,ithout one taking to the ditch and thls causes delay. and the meeting of wagon and an automobile on these narrow roads ,oeans the frightening of the animals bi+ched to the wagon. On the wide roads no such trouble was experlehoeo' tho country mules keeping sharp eye on +he autos, but not attempting to get frisky.
 eve ought to make 'em build wider roads up here," said MT. BrazeIton to one farmer, who had half dozen wagons ..rhat,s inst what l want he replied ..yeu. you push 1t up nere while The ARe-aerald and the Birmingham MotoF club push it from the other end ana ,,,s1,be we can get it," MT. Brazeiton said while the farmer replied with ou can just bet l will.
 .Thats good dope and seems to oo the work" sad Brazelton to his Tasslins companions. When the next lssaih was met and it was necessary to stop while they were led by the genial motor cluo secretary handed out some more Of the aone,, and found it to take greatly; then foilowed it lIp with the same to dozen ,thars If took so well that two miles Iur- 4her down the road when he met another wagon the driver on it got the dope o,,t first. saving, "They ought to make these alarmed roads wider. hlsh. you are was the reply he received as Braz- elton explained the purpose or the Hlp' It met with the approval Of the man on inc wagon and he drove on swearing to do everything he could to bring It to successful conclusion.
 A D. woods, who was MT. Brazelton guest on this trip, figured it out that the. sowr-,ara wera really more scared thzn ,heir mules when an automobile appeared. x7har he advised some of them of this ,hey took his advice in the good spirit In which it was given and found their ahi- snals not to be afraid in the least
 Another trouble which was experienced uos tba large number of drivers who would go to sleep on their wagons, al- lowing their teams to travel along un- guided. Even the footing Of the auto horns and the releasing of the muffier on inc engine would often fall to awake them.
 One.of the worst features of the roads fin Alabama is the little trestles used to cover drainways. These would be all right if they were properly put down to the level of the road This, however, Is not the case. The majority of them either sink or rise above the ground, making bad dips for wagons and dangerous ones for buggies and automobiles.
 From Trenton, Ga. to Fort Payne the road WOulQ De ITSu-Cid<S OHc 1T l16I6 were bridges across several large creeks The pathfinders were told that the farm CTS along this route didn't have to plant crops as they could make all the money they wished in pulling stuck automobiles out of these creeks.
 An illustration of this fact was given at small creek not far from Trenton Woods, who happened to be running the rar at the time. stopped in a shallow creek for a moment to allow the tires to cool after the speedy run from Chattanooga We had noticed a man standing on one Blde of the branch with two rnlles and some heavy chains, and he came rushing up the moment we stopped. "I'll pull you out" said he. "Whatr' yelled Woods. then surprised the man by running easily out of the place. The man explained that he made it a speciality to pull stuck auto mobiles out of the place, and was making a good living at it. why. yesterday I made s5 for pulling out big red car that was on the way from Chattanooga to Bir- mingham."
 The route to Chattanooga runs through Springville. Whitney, Attala. Collins vile. Fort Payne, Trenton. Ga, around Lookout mountain to Chattanooga At Tort Payne there is an automobile hotel a supply of gasoline and other necessities for machines Quite number of auto- mobile parties have spent the night there
 The pathfinders were greeted by good crowds all along the route, and found the