The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-30
HONK HONK NEWS
Interesting Experience Of Gid
den Tour Pathflnders.
Crew of the Chalmers Are Han.
py to Cross Mississippi.

In passing through the south, CLOSE
to the EARTH" the Glidden tour path
finding party In the Chalmers "S0''
have had g. splendid opportunity to OBJ
serve the various types OF human ma
ture at close range. Over half dozen
states have been visited thus far. Two
nights have been spent in settlers
cabins and the highest grade Of hos
pitality the big cities have to offer has
been sampled. Dai Fl. Lewis, the Of
fetal scout, who can coax a suspicious
farmer to haul the car across a swollen
dents, judges and mayors equally well,
has made some discoveries as to south
ern temperament on this trip.
1.-The business men of the south.
ante-bellum families, are, as a whole
as progressive as have met anywhere
in the country said the man who has
mapped all American association tours
shamed by the civic pride and the en-
terprise Of these southerners. They
realized quickly what the Glidden tour
means for the country through which
1t passes and their automobile clubs,
business mems leagues and other
bodies fell quickly into line to gain the
best results from the contest. Road i'm
provement is their chief interest in
connection with this run and they have
selected the best routes for US. They
have already 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 the south, one often en-
counters characteristics quite the op-
posite Of theirs among the rural dwell
ers. don't mean the big land owners
they are in a class by themselves and
are the salt of the earth-but the back
woods southerners, termed hill billies'
by the city brothers.
ST have asked a normal young man
of 20 the name Of a river. on the bank
OF which he was born.
" "Thet's t7auh crick,' he said.
'W'lat creek?' inquired.
Jest thuh cricks I reclzin'. 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 jog MONTH as about as explicit as
they become.
"in certain sections Of Mississippi a
man is regarded as VIGOROUSLY energet-
ic If he keeps a hound and a gun and
goes hunting occasionally.
THE GHdden tour regulations specify
an average of 20 miles an hour running
time continued Lewis. But this 20
mile limit is sure to be broken on some
of the roads we ran over on Grand
Prairie, Ark. We have no found bet
ter highways since leaving Cincinnati.
1.-THE sort of travelling we have en-
countered west of the Mississippi has
been a welcome relief, after wallowing
in Mississippi creek bottoms and being
towed across flooded streams in Ten
nescee. OF course, we ran onto tire
roads when they were in worse condi-
ton than they will be again until next
spring.
mot since we left the macadam pixies
of Kentucky have we anything as de-
nghtful in any way OF speedy going as
on the western side of the White river.
was much surprised. too. at the pop
ularity of the motor car of this section. |
There are a great many more here
than in many sections in Kentucky,
Tennessee and Alabama, and attribute |
the rise of the automobile to the ex- |
cellence of the roads.
I'm southern Kentucky and Tennes-
see, 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 a question whether the stock or
the natives were more frightened"
The use of automobile attire in I
suits, long coats and bonnets is be-
coming more and more In demand
and especially so with the women who
run cars or who go great deal with