Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-19
Melrose, Iowa, Aug. 1s, 1911.
Editor Ottumwa Courier,
OttumWa. Iowa.


J Editor Ottumwa Courier,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Dear Sir:
We good roads boosters OF Melrose
will ask that you give us a little space
in your valued paper to explain the
exact conditions as they now and have
! existed as to the Blue Grass road
through this section, as we notice
! from the itenary published In your
paper of August IL giving q descrlp
! ton of the trip as made by the off
Gals, Messrs Long, Hubener and
others the statement that the people
living along the road running parallel
| to the official Blue Grass road as es-
tablished through Melrose were en-
deavoring to have their road mapped
upon the official guide as we'll as the
atlas. The correct history of the es-
tablishing Of the official Blue Grass
road through Melrose, thence west on
what is known as the South road to
Russell and on to Charlton over the
Russell road.
| Early in the spring President Long
and a representative OF the Iowa PuD-
fishing Co. made the trip from Council
Bluffs through here on to Burlington
In the interests Of this good road
cause. When they arrived In Melrose
the boosters met them and they MAD
dinner with these gentlemen. The
roads were very muddy and our auto
mobile fellows could not meet them
and escort them through this block as
had been arranged. Mr.. Long. when
here, assured us that If we could Get
the proper enthusiasm worked up ana
enough funds and labor subscribed,
that we stood an excellent show OF
having the road located through Mel
rose, as the association desired to es'
tablish the road through towns as
much as possible. With this assurance
the Melrose boosters began to solicN
subscriptions with the successful re-
suits OF being able to make showing
of some $1,000 at the executive meet
ing held at Osceola on or about May
IS. We were informed of this meeting
being held by Mr.. ALI. Timmons, chair
man of the Blue Grass road central
committee, of Abba, who advised us
that it might be policy to attend this
meeting.
We did. The parties who attended
this meeting from Melrose were
Messrs Paschal, McEniry, Rtordan,
Smith, O'Bryan, O'Donnell and Werts.
We made our statement to the Officials
showing the above amount subscribed.
We found that there had been only
temporary organization prior to this
meeting. However, there was a per
manent organization made with Mr.
Long being made president, MT.
Murphy, treasurer, and Mr.. Ntmocks
secretary.
We, after making our object known
for attending this meeting, were as
sured by these gentlemen that we
were showing the proper spirit ana
instructed us to return to our homes
and solicit subscriptions for the two
following days and to wire Mr.. J. L.
Long at Cedar Rapids and he would
reply by wire establishing the Blue
Grass road through Melrose, as they
assured us that they would do 1.-THE ex'
ecutive board having In the form OF
motion authorized and empowered
him. Long, to do SOY Our statement
wired to Long at Cedar Rapids showed
in monies and. labor nearly 100 Onl
Sunday morning G. A. Pasctal re-
ceived the following message, dated
Cedar Rapids, Ia, 5-21. 1911:
eve will establish the Blue Grass
road through Melrose.
(Signed) ~ L. Long.
may add that the soliciting COM
mittee never ceased to solicit, having
in few days made the report that the
subscriptions amounted to $4,000, and
I will also add that with the new
cement bridges and culverts, as well
atlas, the correct history Of the es-
the ones that are now being built by
Lucas and Monroe counties will swell
the outlay to $4,000 or more.
Now then, Melrose at once went to
construction work and have been busy
a lmost allthe time in this work since
the road was established, all In good
faith that we were being appreciated
in our endeavor by the head officials.
We were in earnest and worked dill
gently, and proposed to carry out the
conditions as layed down by these off,
Gals.
Now. did we accomplish these re-
selts? When Messrs. Long and MIN.
ocks arrived here over this road from
the west last Thursday they compli-
mented Melrose and vicinity upon the
results of their labor and stated that
We had done more than was expected |