The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-19
CONVICT WORK IS
SUCCESSION ROADS
Negroes Make Good Highways
in Louisiana, Boosting
Cause of Automobiles.
STATE AND LEAGUE JOIN
MOTOR CLUB HAND IN GLOVE
WITH COMMONWEALTH.

The problem OF the uoe OF convict
labor In building the good roads OF the
United States Is fast assuming an as
pcct OF particular importance. and Is
being given thc serious cOnslderari On
OF the chief executives and other think
Ing men IN the several states Interest,"
90 IN the movement. says an exchange.
At the present time there are mum
Der OF the commemorative in the
southern sections of this country
which have shown cOnmenda ole
spirit ln having their prisoners 10 "a
work which benefit the entire state
rather than spend their time iu idlCucss
which simply pay Tor thei- own ex-
penses and do not benefit anyone out
The Importance Of the -6od roads
movement. with It, lepsencd rest Of
transportation and its Increase Of srt0-
mobile touring. with the accompa nying
influx Of money. Is fast being realized
By many % thc states. AMI thc devclop-
ments In this line are Of particular in
tercst louisiana. sometimes supposed
20 be state which was not making
any special efforts ln tue direction u
progress. IS now showing itself % be
wide awake. and the movement which
has been started there f0r good roads,
with the support OF some Of its most
Influential men. Will probably do more
% open Up that section OF the south
than anything that has happened in re-
cent years.
The history Of this movement for
Eocd roads IS interesting iuasmuch as
tf has taken two and n hair years TO
brinE these plans 20 elimination and
= anoW octudl progress IN the Work.
New Orleans as citF is n great sur
prise 90 uOrtrcrucrs. who have found
Its reputation for quaintncss and APP
pearance Of past ESQ 70 be mtslcad-
Ing.
In the matter OF IFS fine streets.
lorgc. substantial buildings and bc1uti-
ful residences IL ia not surpassed by
my northern mum Cipulity and 70 Is
perhaps this prevailing spirit or prog
rcss which has Influenced the promo
zion OF the Motor league Of Louisiana.
q body which Is composed OF well
known and influential citizens. with a
steadily growing membership. The ne
ccssity Of good roads in the state was
organization. and just two years and
n nut ago the campaign for improved
che president. and Victor N. Aschaffen-
berg. secretary. both Of them Cnthus-
iasfic automobilists.
Old Trail Selected.
10 was. figured that $4,000 would
Be necessary 20 complete ~ first road
ga order 90 show the advantage OF the
improved service n extended through
out the state. and 10 was decided TO
select certain old trail. built 80 years
ago. leading 10 Chef Menteur. which
would give n distance Of % miles and
would open up a country renowned Tor
its fishing and hunting. allowing the
b. motor 20 grounds which could only
be reached by train or boat at certain
times OF day and In several hours
when this route was announced the
failure Of the plan was at once pre-
dicted. because the road was at that
time absolutely impossible. and IL lay
through a country Of luxurious south
crn foliage where splendid live oak
trees and hanging spanish moss formed
an archWay overhead. Chef Menteur
has "a splendid natural harbOr. and II
was formerly open TO the Gulf OF Mex
leo. but the Louisville * Nashville rail-
road fifty years ago built tracks across
the outlet. compelling all vessels TO go
80 Riwoiets. Recently the United states
government engineers have DOintedly
recommended that. this railroad build
a drawbridgc. thereby giving a coast
outlet 90 chef Mcntcur for yachts and
lumber and oyster schooncrs. and max
ing "A road thirty miles shorter through
Lake Borne from the gulf into the
Mississippi al New orleans.
Nc was soon found that $4,000 could
not be raised among the motorists
whose interest could be enlisted. but
This ala not deter the seas Of the NOV
fng spirits OF the new club. and seven
OF the men contributed 500 each for
n survey OF this road. 20 be made
through the city. engineer. ". J. Har-
dee. The survey was reported most
favcrably and the scheme pronounced
thoroughly practicable. so that the
movement was started In earnest. The
first assistance was received from
Mayor Martin Bchrmann and the al
dermcn. who az one Vnd the same meet
Ing introduced an ordinance. passed 80
unanimously. and appropriated $4,000
f1r cxnorfrncrt affou as 60 the best
tire Of road surface. The mayor gave
his assurance that IL the road was con-
st~ucted 10 would be maintained by the
city.
New Orleans has the largest area Of
any city IN the country. there being 265
square miles within its boundaries al