The Detroit times., 1910-07-22
JARRED JUNKET
FOR GOOD ROADS
Rough Trip Through Wayne County
LOUNGES Conviction Upon Board
of Commerce Party.


along Thursday under the lead o.
Horatio s. Earle. father OF gooc
roads in Michigan" and Norman
Flowers. the new secretary, OF the
Board OF Commerce.
To the average Detroiter the city Ii
all there is In Wayne county, but
within a very few miles Of Detroit
there is a farming region that is moi
surpassed by any of the garden spots
of the country. II was through this
rich farming section that the route OF
the good roads tour was laid and II
opened the eyes OF most of the party
The procession left the Board OF
Commerce building a little before ten
thirty cars carrying about 100 inter.
ested persons. The first leg or the
run was along the River road through
the villages of River Rouge. Ford and
into Wyandotte. This part OF the trip
was for the purpose OF showing what
a good road is, as almost the entire
distance Is paved with brick forming
a fine broad highway. There are
some places where the paving is not
completed. but 1t will all be finished
within the present season.
Beyond Trenton the attention OF
the tourists was called TO the tar
veneer roads which have been laid by
the county commissioners. This Is a
sort OF macadam with a tar mixture
on the surface to furnish a hard
dressing
Crossing the line into Brownstown
township, the party began to see or.
rather feel the horrible examples
that the pathfinders had picked out
for them. The roads in this section
are common clay and are said to be al
most impossible after heavy rains.
The first stop was at the village of
lockwood. away down in the corner
OF the county on the Huron river,
where luncheon was served. A royal
welcome was prepared for the visitors
In Beaubien hall where l.. j. Beaubien
had a picnic luncheon ready.
After the meal, Pres. A. Larned,
OF the GARD OF Commerce introduced
the topic OF the trip, saying, however
that the time had gone by for talking
about good ros.is: IL was now time for
action. +. B. Stevens followed, con.
graduating the audience on the prac.
tical demonstration of interest In the
good roads movement. President Gin
nan or the council assured the board
that the council Is heartily in sym.
pathy with the good roads campaign.
because IL realizes that II would be a
great benefit to the city TO have good
highways all through the country.
DR.. Dayton Parker, mayor of Rock
wood, told the party how glad Rock
wood was TO see them and assured
them that the township OF Browns
town would do Its part TO build up a
permanent system of roads in Wayne
county.
If | had knon that such a party
was planning to come out here" he
said. Il should have seen that they
took the trip In April instead OF now.
II is only In the spring that you can
fully appreciate how bad Wayne
county roads really are"
Horatio 5. Earle followed DR.. Par.
ker. What is most gratifying and
encouraging to me-" he said, is the
way sentiment has changed about this
road question. When first started Il
talk good roads 80 per cent OF my au-
dience were ready to call me luna
tic. Now, on all sides there Is reaGy
support for the good roads cause. The
$2,O0O,000 which we are asking from
the county Is to be used to build first
class trunk roads all through the
county, so that every township will
be touched by them. Then II will be
up to the townships to do their part
and fix up the township roads. When
this work is completed as, we plan,
Wayne county roads will stand COM
parlson with any roads in the coun-
try"
From lockwood the tour led along
the Huron river, through the villages
of Flat Rock and New Boston to Belle
vile. All the inhabitants OF New Bos-
ton, including the oldest, were out TO
greet the tourists, and gave them
warm welcome. This stretch OF road
Is the worst found on the trip. 1t was
sandy and uncared for all the way.
Just outside of New Boston the ma
chimes struck a long heavy sand hill
and many were left by the wayside at
this point. The occupants OF the
stalled cars got out and helped out the
engines, thoroughly convinced of the
desirability OF well-kept highways.
Outside OF Belleville a stretch o.
good gravel road was encountered, the
work OF the Van Buren, township road
officials. A reception committee from
the town OF Belleville met the party
on the road and escorted them In. A
short stop was made at the town hall
and speeches were made by Mr.. Ear
and others. A hearty reception was
given to the good roads program by
tho crowd there.
From Belleville the retura trip com.
menced. There was a stretch OF more
sand and dust on this section OF the
route, many of the members being
hard to- recognize through the layers
of dust on them.
At Canton, the Michigan-ave. roa
was struck and this too Is In bad cor
dition. Wayne was the next town on
the route, but there was not mu
evidence of road Improvement there
The road through Dearborn vis
good shape. due to the efforts Of tn
town commissioners.
The road was closed about at III
Springwells line on account OF y
roadwork going on below there. Tn
party got out and looked over thr
concrete road, the kind that Is pro
posed for the ma ntrunk roads.
roadbed Is eighteen feet wide and the
concrete is six inches thick. Th''
makes a good solid highway. The con
crete ends at the Pere Marquette
crossing and the rest OF the route was
over the smooth brick pavement. Tn
marty arrived at the starting place
about 1880 exceedingly impresse
the lesson of the day.
The plan OF the good roads people
A.. .,,N fhrannb hnnd taanp ~