The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-10
TEACHER IS COMING
 BACK 10 JEFFERSON
Good Roads Apostle at Chalk
 vile Monday
TALKS ABOUT HIGHWAYS
Thinks Gonsicts should iic used fo Build srenf North md south and East mud West Highways
 in Alabama

Charles N Thatcher the good roads apostle will arrive in Chalkvlle Monday. December F. and will open another cam paign for good roads in Jefferson eoun- ty He will sspeak there Monday at noon, and again Monuaay night at the school house. On Tuesday he will make an ad- dress at Clay. MT Thatcher is on his way north. and will stop over for week or 10 days in Jefferson county.
 Regarding his good roads work Mr. Thatcher writes from Cullman to a friend in Birmingham as follows.
 "'rhe advancement of good roads in Alabama is seriously retarded by the lack of necessary legislation. This is q ques- tion of greater importance than any that will be brought to the attention Of the legislators at their coming meeting, and because of the momentous character of this question 1t should have the most careful consideration of every represen- tative Of Alabama's great legislative body. This great commonwealth pos sesses resources greater than any other sister state. The greatest obstacle in the development of it's industrial, commercial and agricultural interests is the horrify- | ing road conditions
 Every wide-awake citizen is heartily in favor of these obstacles being removed at the earliest possible moment. Those who compose the senate and house of representatives are but the servants of | the people. and if the men who compose | the legislative body of the state of Ala hama are really honest and sincere in their desires Iii carrying out the wishes of the people they will not hesitate mo ment in removing the obstacles that are preventing the development of Alabama s mines of hidden wealth. We can learn q great deal from states which are far in advance of us in highway construction. 'In the first place. the sister state ot | Georgia has utilized state and county prison labor in road building in mar veous and most successful manner. Ii has been my joyous privilege to visit a number of those prison camps and in- spect many of the roads constructed by thenl Road and bridge building has beer reduced from one-third to two-thirds be low former methods in vogue only a few years ago.
 'The prisoners on the road become nor, cheerful workers; their lives made better by the lavish touch of natures hand, ant when set free become in most cases use ful citizens, instead of sullen, habitua criminals. At least large percentage o' decrease in professional criminals i. found.
 In Alabama there should by all mean! be state highway constructed from th' | Tennessee line near Athens via Decatur Cullman. Birmingham and Montgomer, | to Mobile. And an cast and west high way connecting with the bikes of F1oyt county. Georgia. via Gadsden, Attalla | Birmingham and Tuscaloosa to DeI<ali county, Mississippi, with branch to An niston. the resources of the state would | commence to develop rapidly and severa million dollars of real estate value: would be created. The agricultural in terests would be on a boom as never be fore; great volumes of trade would flow into the large cities and towns. eduea tional interests would improve by leaps and bounds, and happier and more pros rerous citizenship would be developed And q monster flow of travellers would fcod this section during the winter months. leaving in their wake shower of gold And during the Panama expo sition at New Orleans the flow would dc | mere to advertise Birmingham and tho resources of Alabama than all othei methods combined