The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-17
PENSACOLA SCOUT TRIP
GULF-TO-LAKES HIGHWAY

when the Pensacola Gulf-tc the
Taxes scout party pulled into Chicago
tuesday afternoon and finished the
great enterprise which the CONNER
cial Association inaugurated, Pensacola
was ION the map" in bigger letters
than she had ever appeared before.
and the cause OF good roads had re-
ceived q boost which ought to do good
all along the proposed highway. The
speedometer readings and the complete
chart, or log, of the trip have yet to be
transcribed and put into proper form,
hut when they are In shape, the Auto
mobile Blue Book win contain q map
showing big black line from Chicago
to Pensacola--the only route to the
gulf yet charted-and the details OF
the route win be 80 complete that any
one can follow without any dimculty
the Identical tran blazed out by Dr..
Mallory Kennedy and those who ac-
eompanied him.
The value Of this route to Pensacola,
20 the people living along 1t, and 70
the eyer-increasing number OF people
who travel by automobile either Tor
business or for pleasure, is clearly ap-
parent. For the people who want 70
travel, II furnishes direct and clearly
denned route over which they can pick
their way without any trouble. To the
people who live and do business along
the route Il offers q prospect OF trade
and developmerit which can be limited
only BY the condition Of the road itself
land this condition, may say. Wild
depend entirely upon the people them
selves For Pensacola. the establish
ment OF this route viii mean q place
On the map" for the Deep Water City
and q clearly defined highway over
which people from all points to the
nprthward may come to enjov the
blany climate Of Florida, to spend
money with our hotels and our bust
ness people, to buy land in our rich
back country, and to help develop and
make prosperous the most favored sec
tson Of the whole gulf coast.
Pensacola and Florida have also re-
ceived q vast amount OF publicity
which could have been secured In no
other way. The people along the route
had been informed in advance Of our
coming and nearly everywhere, when
ever we stopped for water or lunch or
rest, we were greeted with some such
expression as this:11 We'll, here is that
PENSACOLA scout car. We heard about
H through our newspapers and have
also, the party was requested to stop
over and participate in good roads
meeting and everywhere the sentiment
for good roads was not only apparent,
but enthusiastic.
whenever they asked us about the
object OF the trip we we're entirely
frank with them. We told them that
the Pensacola Commercial Association
was paying our expenses, that the OBJ
1ect was to attract attention to and
ultimately help develop the rich agri-
cultural resources OF EscamDia county,
and to put Pensacola in a position
where she could secure new industries
and more business. We told them that
we already had hard road from the
1 gulf north to the Florida Alabama line
sand that we wanted a connecting link
from that road and that section where
people and Industries were needed up
into the states to the north where
they had more people and more indus
tries than were needed. In other
words. we told them plainly that the
trip was prompted by selfish motives.
although in helping ourselves we be-
lieved we were also helping others.
The most gratifying part Of 1t all lay
n the fact that practically everywhere
the people entered into the spirit Of the
enterprise. with words of approval and
in many cases with expressions Of the
greatest possible enthusiasm. The sem
timent for good roads-and that senti-
ment exists everywhere-was aug
mented all along the line. So great is
that sentiment in every state that
predict that within i've years every
mile OF the route we travelled will have
hard road and 1t win be possible to
make those portions of the trip In hall
the time that we made them.
The worst roads we found anywhere
were from about three miles south OF
Pelham, Ala, to Shade mountain; ovel
Sand mountain between Warrior and
Hanceville. Ala, and over a part OF
the old Louisville and Nashville pike
between Bowling Green and Bardstown
KY Some of the Louirville and Nash
vile pike is good, but part OF 1t II
nothing but the toughest kind OF cob
Bile stones which shake a machine and
the occupants severely over every
mile and make progress extremely
slow. This pike, however. can easily
be- made into a model highway. The
grades have been made, the way has
been cut through, a fine hard founda-