The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-05
Movement for Good
 Roads is Universal
Every Good Citizen Realizes Importance of Mammoth Project - Great Results Expected - Nation a l Highway from Coast to Coast is Part of Plan.
(By Roland l.. MeIlett.)

l | There is one movement that is nov
 expressing the thinking portion of th'
 country that has universal support
 It is without political preference ol party creed. It numbers it's support
 CTS in every party. The importance of the good roads movement is con
 ceded everywhere, from the h1ghes | financier to the most humble laborel
 and all apparently are willing to dt | their share toward obtaining better
 highways.
 1 The longest and most important
 highway proposed is the ocean-to | ocean road from the Atlantic to thf Pacific coast. That such highway
 is a possibility has just been prover | by panty of forty men, women ano children -in twelve Premier touring cars. This party made the trip rom Atlantic City to Los Angeles, more l than 4,700 miles, in thirty days, at ar average of 163 1-2 miles a day. Every car was driven by it's owner and there | was practically no mechanical trouble Only three springs were broken and several of the tires finished the trans continental journey with the same air in them with which they started. Con- sidoring the hundreds of mikes of des- ert and mountainous country traVersed this showing is remarkable. Ut TUT nishes conclusive proof that trans continental highway is already real ity and that all that is needed is inn provement There is no desire to con- vey the idea that the transcont1nen- taa tourney of the Premiers was not difficult There were innumerable difficulties that would have discour- aged any but the boldest motorists.
 On August 10, Senator Cullom, of H. lineis, introduced in the United states Senate a bdN, providing for the con- struction of the most extensive sys- tenn of national highways ever pro posed in the history of the world. His plan is to make the national capital the hub of a great wheel from which radiate seven national highways. They are to terminate, he proposes, in Port land, Me; Buffalo, N. r.; Seattle, Wash; San Francisco, Cal; San Diego, Cal; Austin, Tex; and Miami, Fla, and are to be called, respective ly, Washington National Highway, Roosevelt National Highway, Lincoln National Highway, Jefferson National Highway, Monroe National Highway, Lee National Highway.
 It is estimated that these seven highways will cost about $14S, GOO. OOO and Senator Cullom's plan is to raise the money by issuing bonds to cover the cost of actual construction Ali
 
 maintain them by collecting tolls.
 TAFT TO AID MOVEMENT
 The Good Roads Movement appar- is to take an active part in the Good Roads Convention in November and the Governors of every State through which the Premier tranScontinental caravan passed pledged themselves to this work. In several of the Western States, including Arizona and New Mexico, the movement is already un- der way and it is proposed there to build their own portion or link of the ocean-to-ocean highway. Prominent statesmen have asserted that sys- tenn of good roads is of more import amce than the Panama canal. Pres ent indications are that both will soon be realities.
 An era of good road building appar- entity is at hand. The roads of the United States are conceded to be la mentably bad but that is not strange in view of the fact thaS the country is comparatively new and in many portions undeveloped. The Romans, hundreds of years B. C., are said to have had model roads. Their work, however, was comparatively small when set beside that confronting the United States.
 
 To the white haired veteran, Ezra Meeker, much credit is due for the present Good Roads Movement. Meek CT crossed the plains from Indianapolis to Fuyallup, Wash, over the old Ore gon trail in 1852 with the customary OK team and prairie schooner. Dur ing the past few years he has repeat ed that toilsome journey two or three times in the same manner for the sole ,I nf y1T7Cr oblivion the route of the old Oregon trail As a result of his efforts the route has been marked by monuments Meeker may not live to see his dreams realized but he has done his share of a big task
 The most important factors in the Good Roads Movement are the motor ists. They are famous for getting action and they want good roads. It is estimated that ther are 850,000 mo- tor cars east of the Rocky Mountains and that $40, 100000 are annually spent in Europe. Many autos are shipped across the ocean that the owners may tour in the old country A national highway would mean that much of this money would be kept at home. California, alone, possesses 50,000 mo- tor cars and it is believed this num- Der will be doubled if the national highway is made an improved real ity.
 GREAT OVATION FOR TOURISTS
 That the entire country is in sym pathy with the Good Roads Movement was shown from start to finish of the Premier transcOntinentaI run. This was the first party of amateur tour ists and the biggest that ever crossed the continent in motor cars and ennis saries of powerful governments could not have been given greater ovations. The forty men, women and children in the party were lionized everywhere and the Good Roads Movement was the subject of every address delivered by innumerable Governors, Mayors and other dignitaries en route. The peO- pie are now in a mood to give their time and money to the interests of this mammoth project.
 The benefitst from these proposed roads are innumeraAode. Good roads mean more traveling, particularly in motor cars. Motorists are famous for their generosity and in the main they are people with money Result: More money in circulation. Good roads will mean more hotel accommodations and more prosperity in every. way. It is @ fact that the hotel keepers of the country are now experiencing the greatest prosperity in their history, torists. Several well known hostelries that formerly failed to pay expenses are now in a fiourishing condition RECORD BREAKING TRAIN