The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-09-08
COAST TO COAST HIGHWAY.
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At the Good Roads Convention to be
held in New York in November one of
the prime subjects to be discussed will
be the discussion of a national highway
reaching from coast to coast.
A great impetus has been impaired
to the good roads agitation by the rise
of the automobile. There are two mil
lion automobiles east of the Rocky
Mountains. 1t is estimated that four
hundred million dollars is spent each
year In travel I'm Europe. Many autos
are shipped across the sea i'm order that
owners may tour the old country. A
national highway would mean that at
least half of this money would be spent
in this country and almost all of these
machines would be used for touring
the United States.
The length of the projected highway
would approximate four thousand
miles. What would it's construction
cost? Estimates vary. All agree that
the outlay would exceed fifty million
dollars. Many believe that II would
exceed twice that sum, which is to say
that the road could not be construct
ed for less than an average of Twelve
thousand to twenty-five thousand dol
lars a mile.
The road would start from New York
and would take I'm Baltimore and Wash
ington. II might go by way of Phil
adelphia or by way OF Harrisburg
From Washington II might proceed by
way of Cincinnati or by way of CO.
lumbus, Indianapolis and Lafayette to
Chicago. In the western portion Of the
route the conflict will be between two
historic routes-the Oregon and the
Santa Fe trails The former goes by
way of Davenport, Des Moines. Oma-
ha. Denver, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City.
Austin. Reno and Sacramento to San
Francisco and Los Angeles. The latter
by way of Springfield. Illinois. Kansas
City, Albuquerque, Phoenix and Yuma
and San Diego.
The Los Angeles Times, In a special
edition of 144 pages booming the ma
tional highway project. summarizes as
follows the arguments for the contend
ing routes:
The Santa Fe trail was the route fol-
lowed by Fremont, the pathfinder. The
santa Fee trail Is open from New Years
Day until the last minute of the old
year. The route Is the shortest from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. There Is
only one dangerous mountain pass, the
Ration. There are no snowdrifts. The
Malapi rock Is ideal for road building.
This Is the natural route to Los Ange-
les. Many motor men OF the west fav-
or the Santa F'e trail. 1t touches a
region that needs the help of the Fed
eral government i'm the matter OF road
building. 1t opens the vast vacant ter
ritory OF the extreme southwest to the
immigration that will pour in through
the Panama Canal.
The Oregon trail was the route chos-
en- by the Argonauts. II reaches the |
great cities of the Middle West. II is |
the belt across the center of the Unit |
ed States. 1t is the most scenic route |
IL crosses the South Pass of the Rock |
les. the greatest traffic gate on the
continent. II taps the metropolis OF
the Golden West. The governors of
each state through which IL passes are
out and out for great national boul-
rvard. II touches more big cities and
will be able to swing more
political influence II is the trail about
which the most sentiment fingers. II
y the trail that touches the country
which VIII produce heavy cargoes for
he northern harbor.
, Everyone In the United States who
'wns an automobile will be more or
ess Interested in the national highway
project. The question as to which of
he conflicting routes shall be followed
3 matter OF detail. whichever route.
either. Is decided upon the effect OF
ne construction Of the highway will be
o divert considerable portion of the
ravel energy Of the American public
o seeing America instead OF going
broad. and this will keep millions of
'ollars at home that now are annually
expended In foreign travel.
So far only, casual attention has been