The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-11-16
ROAD BUILDING
NOW 4 MANIA
Every Citizen Realizes lmpof.
tanee Of Project
GREAT RESULTS EXPECTED,

Senator cuIIom's Bill Appropriates
$14a.000.000 For Seven National
Hiehways-Evsry State In the Union
to Help.
There is one movement that Is now
engrossing the thinking portion OF the
country that has universal support 1t
Is without political preference or party
creed. It numbers its supporters In
every party. The importance OF the
good roads movement is conceded ev.
erywhere. from the highest tnancier
to the most humble laborer. and all
apparently are willing to do their share
toward obtaining better highways.
The longest and most important
highway proposed Is the ocean to ocean
road from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast. That such highway is posi-
bility has just been proved by party
| Of forty men, women and children In
twelve touring cars. This party made
the trip from Atlantic City to Los An
geies, more than 400 miles. In thirty
days, at an average OF 1866 % miles q
day. Every car was driven by its OWL
er, and there was practically no me-
chanical trouble. Only three springs
were broken. and several OF the tires
finished the transcontinentai journey
with the same air In them with which
they started Considering the hundreds
OF miles of desert and mountainous
country traversed. this showing was re-
markabie 1t furnishes conclusive
proof that transcontinental highway
il already q reality and that all that
Is needed Is improvement. There Is no
desire to convey the idea that the
transcontincntai journey was not din
cult. There were innumerab!e Difficult
ties that would have discouraged any
hut the boidest motorists.
On Aug. 10 Senator Cullom OF Till
no!> introduced in the United States
senate a bill providing for the con
structiou of the most extensive sys
tern of national highways ever pro-
posed in the history OF the world.
!: His plan is to make the national cap
. ital the hub of great wheel from
. which will radiate seven national
highways, They are to terminate. he
, proposes. in Portland. Me-; bntfalo
X. y; Seattle. WASH: San Francisco
; Cal; San Diego. Cal: Austin. Tex
I and Miami. Fla. and are to he called
: respectively. the Washington national
r highway. Roosevelt national highway.
!, Lincoln national highway. jefferson
p national highway. Monroe national
: highway and Lee national highway
i 1t is estimated that these seven
e highways will cost about $14S.0O0.OOo.
4 and Senator Cullom's plan is to raise
\ the money by issuing bonds to cover
! the cost OF actna! construction. After
the roads are built the plan is tu
Z maintain them by collecting tolls
The good roads movement appar
emily is contagious President Taft is
= 10 take an active part In the good
roads convention in November. anc
'' the governors of all the states through
: which the transcontinentai caravan
y passed pledged themselves to thi:
;. work. In several Of the western
= states, including Arizona and New
" Mexico. the movement is alread!
- : under way. and it is proposed there II
:. build their own portion or link of tn
a ocean to ocean highway. Prominen
i statesmen have asserted that q. sys
: tenn OF good roads Is OF more lmpOs
tance than the Panama canal. Presen
Indications are that both soon will b
realities.
An era of good road building az
parently is at hand. The roads of th
| United States are conceded to be Il
mentally bad but that is not strans
| in view of the fact that the countr
! Is comparatively new and IN man
! portions undeveloped The Roman
hundreds OF years before Christ al
/! said 10 have had model roads The
! work. however. was comparative
! small when set beside that confrontir
| the United States.
| To the white haired veteran. Ell
! Meeker. much credit Is due for u
i present good roads movement. n
i Meeker crossed the plains from india
i apolis to Puyallup. WASH. over the
Oregon trail in 1852 with the custol
i ary OK team and prairie schooner Dr
i ing the past few years he has repeat
i that toilsome journey two or thr
4 times in the same manner for the Sc
Il sentimental reason of saving from Z
i livion the route of the old Oregon tra
As a result of his efforts the route b
rs. been marked by monuments. \
Meeker may not live to see bis dreal
;, realized. but be has done his share
inc big task.
nv. The most important factors In
~, good roads movement are the motorts
ar They are famous for getting acti
Z \ and they want good roads. 1t is e.
an mated that there are $4,000 mot
nee cars east OF the Rocky mountains.
or that s4O,OOO,OOO are annually spent
his Europe Many autos are sMppeo acr
ily. the ocean that the owners may tout
or the old country national highv
,idp wonId mean that much Of this mo-
use. would be kept at home. Ca'ifor
IuiG alone possesses 50.0ilO motorcars.
raj It Ia believed this nnmber will
ties doubled II the national highway
made an improved reality.