The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-01

vention here of the International Associa-
ton of Chiefs of Police during this
| month So far, however, there have been
no plans announced Proceeds of the af
fair will go into the treasury of the
Policemens Relief association. sue
cessful meet was held last year by them
and quite a tidy sum realized.
| Quite an amount of attention is being
Iattracted to the trip of the Glidden tour
pathfinder At the present time the path
finder is travelling through Missouri on
the last leg of the long journey. All
along the route great reception greeted
it and the men making the trip are deA
lighted over It.
They coldn't find much to praise in the
roads of Kentucky, Tennessee Alabama
and Mississippi, but of the Arkansas and
Texas roads they have raved nightly.
The good roads development in these two
states they declare, is remarkable.
STEADY running at 40 miles an hour is
what these roads afford" is their report.
AS the speed schedule of the Glidden tour
has limit of 20 miles an hour the mag
nificence of these roads is readily appre-
ciated.
The following by Lee ]. SHIFTS of the
pathinding party, is interesting;
In passing through the south, CLOSE to
the earth" the Glidden tour pathfnding
party in the Chalmers 800 have had
splendid opportunity to observe the va
rious types of human nature at close
range. Over half a dozen states have
been visited thus far. Two nights have
been spent in settlers cabins and the
highest grade of hospitality the big cities
have to offer has been sampled. Dali II.
Lewis, the official scout, who can coax
| 6 suspicious farmer to haul the car
across a swollen creek or talk good roads
to bank presidents, Judges and mayors
equally well, has made some discoveries
as to the southern temperament on this
trip.
1.-The business men of the SOUTH many
of them descended from the old ante
| bellum families, are, as a whole, as
progressive as L have met anywhere In
the country" said the man who has
mapped all American association tours
MANY northern cities should be
shan1ed by the civic pride and the en-
terprise of these southerners. They real
lied quickly what the Glidden tour means
I for the country through which IT passea
and their automobile clubs. business
mems leagues and other bodies fell
quickly into line to gain the best re
suits from the contest. Road improve
n,ent is their chief interest in connection
with this run and they have selected the
set about making good roads better.
But while one can't say too much in
praise of the men who are building up
| the cities of tie SOUTH one often en-
| counters characteristics quite the oppo-
site of theirs among the rural dwellers
don't mean the big land owners-they
arc in class by themselves and are
| the salt of the earth-but the backwoods
southerners, termed hill billies' by the
city brother.
| II asked normal young man
of 20 the name Of river, on the bank
of which he was born.
"'Thet's thuh crick, he said.
| "'What creeS?' ] inquired.
Jest thiJh crick, l reckin. And the
stream had had a name for 100 years.
1.-The directions they give are some
times positively dangerous.
Head kinda tohds thuh east a while
and log MOTH Is about as explicit as
they become.
I'm certain sections of Mississippi n
man is regarded as VIGOROUSLY energetic
IL he keeps a hound and a gun and goes
hunting occasionally.
1.-THE Glidden tour regulations specify
| an average of 20 miles an hour running
time, continued Lewis But this 2O-mile
limit is sure to be broken on some of the
roads we ran over on Grand Prairie Ar
kansas. We have not found better high
1.-THE sort of travelling we have encoun-
tered west of the Mississippi has been a
welcome relief, after walowing in Mis-
slssippi creek bottoms and being towed
across flooded streams in Tennessee. Or
course we ran onto the roads when they
were in worse condition than they Will be
again until next spring.
mot since we left the macadam pixies
of Kentucky have we anything as delight
full in the way of speedy going as on the
western side of the White river | was
much surprise, too, at the popularity OF
the motor car in this section. There are
great many more here than In many
sections in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ala
bnma, and attribute the rise of the au-
tomobile to the excellence of the roads.
I'm southern Kentucky and Tennessee
touring Is practically unknown. We
found many grown persons who had
never before seen an automobile, and as
we ran along the country roads 1t was q
question whether the stock or the natives
| mera mora fri2lteQed."