The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-12-03
PATHF|NDERS HERE
To LOCATE ROUTE
THROUGH SOUTH
Find Main Road From Annis-
ton to Birmingham in
Fine Shape
STAR STRETCH THIS SIDE
OF ST. CLAIR SPRINGS
G. w. Finney Says American Automo-
bile Association Wants to Encour-
age Wealthy Tourists to Make
Southern Trip In Winter

The pathf1nders of the American Auto
mobile association who are mapping Out
a southern route from New York city to
san Francisco arrived in Birmingham
Yesterday. The car contained two drivers
and two automobile representatives.
The members of the party are: @. w
f'inney, representing the Ohio Motor Car
company; E. L. Ferguson, representing
the American Automobile association
and Charles Thatcher and Fred Clarke
the two drivers.
The party came to Birmingham from
Admission, and they report the roads from
that city to Birmingham in good shape
They gave the prize for good roads te
the Birmingham district. as the automo-
bile men said the roads from st. Clair
Springs to this city were among the best
they had ever travelled over and COM
pared favorably with any highways be-
tween this city and New York
The travellers are scheduled to reach
San Francisco Christmas day, going by
the southern route. They left New York
on November 90.
The object of the trip, according to Mr.
Finney, who was the spokesman for the
party, is to encourage wealthy eastern
ers to make the trip to California by way
Of the south in the winter. when they
have usually a great deal of leisure time.
How Idea Originated
lie said the idea of mapping out the
southern route to California had origl-
mated with few autoists shortly before
the Vanderbilt cup races in New York
II was suggested that the northern route
was too hazardous during the winter, and
IL southern route could be mapped out
It would be through a temperate zone
and those who made the trip would not
incur any great exposures from cold
weather
Mr. Finney said from New York here
they had found the sentiment for better
roads rapidly extending into every farm
house of the route and that in Virginia
ard other states the better roads slogan
IS heard on every hand. He said in this
state and between Atlanta and Admission
the farmers were awakening to the value
of better road conditions and were SEEM
ingly eager to assist in making better
routes.
Need Pointers Along Road
There are great many things that
are needed for a successful tour" he
said And one of the most important is
signs for the guidance of travellers. When
an automobile party comes to fork in
the road there should be an arrow tell
ing the way to the most important city
III this way great deal of time and
travel are saved For instance. we came
To several cross roads and forks while
coming from Atlanta, and just as luck
would have 1t turned the wrong way. We
were on this account delayed in getting
to Birmingham. If at the crossing there
had been erected small board signs say
ing, Birmingham" with an arrow point
ing this way, we could have made the trip
in better time. This is a small thing, but
absolutely essential, now that automo-
hiles and touring parties have become a
recognized institution in this country.
Alabama and Birmingham are at
tracing the attention of all autoists
by the construction of good roads. We
have it that large amount of money
is being spent cautiously on better
roads In this county and in other parts
of the state. Take it from me that
there is nothing that advertises a state
more or signifies a broader spirit of
progress than money spent in improv-
ing the roads.
"Another thing that is attracting at
tention to Birmingham is the invita-
tion that has been sent out and the
campaign that HAS Dtcll lAOutIdl6ly
waged to have winter parties come this
way on their trips. Your assurances
of welcome and aid of every kind have
been taken to kindly by those who
have money and time for winter pleas
ures There Is no use denying the fact
that this sort of progressiveness does
good. | hope to see the time come
when Birmingham will be directly con-
nected with Washington with one of
l. tl1at 1...a1
And [ think the next regular Congress
will take more kindly to the sugges-
ton than any one Of recent years.
Spirit of Cooperation In Iowa
"a spirit of cooperation In Iowa
among the farmers would be fine if
duplicated in this state or in all states
for that matter They have an organ
ization from Davenport to Sioux City
in which every member employs a
disked sweeper to run over the roads
after each rain. The disks are made
of pieces of half logs nailed together
in a triangle. These are spiked and
dragged over the roads when a rain
comes. BY all the farmers between
two given points doing this sort of
thing simultaneously over $50 miles of
road are worked In two hours. The
roads between those two cities are
magnificently kept up and are among
the best in the country. When that
spirit of cooperation gets expression
among all the farmers then the road
question will have been half solved and
TO the betterment of the farmers them
selves Every farmer should improve
his immediate premises and in this
way extend the work almost endlessly."
so 10 Tuscumbia Today
The pathfinders will leave Birming-
ham at an early hour this morning.
They will go from here to Pinson
thence to Blount Springs. to Decatur
and from there to Tuscumbia. They
will be in Memphis probably tomorrow
From that city they will go to Little
Rock. thence to TeXarkana, Tex. Then
to Dallas, Fort Worth and across the
Lone Star state to point in New Mex
leo Then to Phoenix. from which point
they will make the trip to Los Angeles.
The automobile party will go up the
Pacific coast in their cars direct to
Oakland and across the bay in a boat
to San Francisco.
The new route will probably prove
very popular to automobilists as 1t will
be over far better roads than the north
route and will be through country
noted for its picturesqueness