The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-07-19

build the health and nerves OF tlre'
. city folk. All these arguments arr
applicable to good roads anywhere
and everywhere.
The advantage of associations sucl
as the transcontinental is that the!
concentrate effort upon upbuildlns
and maintaining at least one goo(
road. They stimulate civic pride, a.
each town should be anxious that lt'
stretch of road should be at least a
well kept as that of the neighborlns
town. They create fellowship,
mutual interest and common pur
pose. Last and in some ways least
they encourage the touring habit. a
few years ago an automobile trip te
Omaha was an all day affair. Now II
lis but matter of few hours. A fe"
years ago township correspondents
made note OF every automobile that
nassed. now they create little or nc
comment
PEOPLE are encouraged to take long
trims if they are assured that the roads
are good' that there are suitable &C
commodations along the way and that
there are men in each town who are
oaoer and anxious to assist them
should assistance be needed.
The traveller by rail, from Chicago
to Omaha, makes the trip in single
night or a single day. The money ne
spends enyoute is spent on the tram
and but a small percentage OF 1t mas
it's way to Iowa The train traveller
sees but the worst part OF almost any
town. The fast train speeds through
without a stop. There is a rush ana
roar, a cloud of dust, glimpse OF
white elevator and red depot, per-
hans the flash of All electric light, and
another town is passed. "What town
was that?" asks the curious traveller,
and someone looks it up in the guide.
That is about all the traveller sees OF
Iowa towns even though he passes
through by daylight. The tourist on
the contrary takes more leisurely and
intimate view. He sees the best OF
the town. Views the business streets,
passes along the shaded avenues,
stops, where hotels are good, and
spends the night. He purchases gas
and oil and food and lodging and lux
uries and necessities of all kinds. If
the city has anything to be proud OF
the tourist sees it. He gets acquaint-
ed with many people and when he
reaches Omaha he can feel that he
has seen the very heart of Iowa, that
he knows something of it's farms and
of it's towns and of its people. 1t is
the purpose of these route associations
to encourage such traffic. To forward
information and maps and literature
and to make the tourist so welcome
and so comfortable that he will come
again. One of the beauties OF it is
that it costs so little. One hundred
dollars year, wisely expended, would
keep Denison's share of the road in the
best possible condition the year round.
One hundred dollars more given to the
association would, with like help from
other towns, enable it to engage in an
advertising campaign which would
vastly increase the tourist business
within year.
Already there are a score and more
people in Denison who make their
livelihood from the automobile bust
ness. This number will increase each
year. The hotels of our city now re-
ceive large percent of their trade
from motorists. This business can be
trebled within a short time. Is it not
worth the investment of few dollars
Is it not worth the investment OF
little time and little gray matter?
Good roads into the country will help
Denison a dozen times more than
paved streets in the city.
Denison has received no little motor
iety as the founder of the transcon-
tinental route association. From Oma-
ha to Clinton our town has been adj
vertised as progressive and vide
awake. 1t should be matter OF pride
to every citizen that this work should
be sustained and that the child, to
which Denison gave birth, should not
become founding.
The writer has given to this move
ment all the time and money that
could be afforded at this time, although
rendered the presidency of the asso-
citation he felt that he could not &C
cept, but he is nevertheless interest
ed, heart and soul, in the work of pro
noting this association and in urging
upon the people the prime Importance
of good roads everywhere.
F. w. Meyers has been invited by
the Good Roads association of Ne