The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-30
EXPLAINS MATTER
. OF Gl|O0EN TOUR
Manager Bruce of A. A. A.
Touring Bureau Tells
About Route
SAYS 1T FOLLOWED
PATH OF OLD TRIPS
In Letter to Richmond Viz
ginian Declares Association
Favors Capital to Capt.
tai Project

bile Association, wishes it distinctly
understood that the A. A. A. has no
prejudice toward the capital to capt.
tai highway, quite the contrary.
MIR. Bruce has written a letter to
The Richmond Virginian making this
point clear. He refers to an article
| published in The Eirginian last Thurs
day IN regard to the GIidden Tour
me article included an open letter
| written by President Preston Belvin,
OF the Virginia State Automobile AS
ISOLATION in answer to criticism of
Virginia highways by correspondents
with the Giidden Tourists.
Mr. Beivin pointed out that had the
Giidden Tour been routed from Staun-
ton to Richmond via Waynesboro and
heswick and thence South via En-
poria all the bad roads referred TO
by the Glidden Tour correspondents
would have been avoided He also
pointed out that no local automobile
association. nor the Virginia represent
tatives of the A. A. A. had been con-
suited with In regard to the route of
the Giidden Tour and the natural In
ference was that the directors of the
Glidden Tour felt there was no need
VA cptaldsaAB Li0Ui lAS rep
resentatiXes here.
MIR. Bruce Explains.
MIR. Bruce in his letter explains why
the Virginia members OF the A. A. A.
were not consulted. He states that
the late Giidden Tour but followed
in the footsteps of the endurance
tours of the New York Herald and
the Atlanta Journal. Consequently it
was not necessary to make inquiries
In regard TO the best route through
Virginia They merely went over the
old route.
His letter follows:
New York. Oct. 81, 1911.
Editor Richmond Virginian:
Sir.--i have your paper for Thurs
day. October &c. and see on the front
page an article which seems to con-
vey the impression that this assoc
citation is working in favor of the
Shenandoah Valley Pike, and Is preju-
diced against the capitai-to-capital
highway. This certainly is not the
case. and il is only Just TO say that
this years Glidden Tour was in a
sense the successor of the good roads
tours OF the New York Herald and
Atlanta Journal
The tours referred to. of course.
went down the Shenandoah Valley.
and. consequently this tour was car
ried down the same way. We believe
in the capital to-capitai highway pro-
ject. and especially in its president.
Mr.. Tufts. who Is an individual men,
Der OF this association, and whose
articles have frequently appea~ed In
our official magazine, the American
Motorist. How the impression could
possibly have got abroad that we
had any prejudice against the capital
to-capital highway passes my COM
prehension. For our actual opinion
and status in the matter. think
could refer you to Mr.. +. c. Pelouze.
Of our city, who is a member OF the
executive committee OF this orgsniza-
ton, and Is in close touch with ma
tional headquarters.
Very truly yours.
A. A. A. TOURING BUREAU.
X. BRUCE.
Manager.
Aware OF Poor Road.
That the Touring Bureau of the
A. A. A. was well aware OF the con-
dition of the highway just south OF
Roanoke In shown by the map pub
Used In The Virgtnan Saturday. This
map was compiled especially for the
Touring Bureau Of the A. A. A. by
Mr.. A. l.. Westgard and in the Sec
ton mentioned Mr. Il. Westgard notes
that the road is an unimproved dirt
and ebay thoroughfare.
Mr.. f.. c. pelouze, who Is vice.
president of the Richmond Automo-
bile Club as well as a member of
the executive committee OF the A.
A. A.. said that there had been
misunderstanding about the Glidden
tour. but nothing would have come
Of y I'D ~ ffNr.
criticisms OF Virginia roads by the
with the tour.
THE correspondence said Mr..
Pelouze, gave the readers OF thefr
papers the impression that the Gid
den Tour had been sent South over
the best roads to be found and wired
woeful tales about the pixies south
Of Roanoke.
Impression on Motorists.
MANY motorists are planning to
come South to the first national con-
vention OF the American Association
for Highway Improvement the week
of November 20, and reading these
criticisms Of Virginia roads would
naturally hesitate about bringing their
cars even to Richmond.
Il am glad In q way that this mat
ter has come up. The letter OF Presi-
dent Preston Belvin. which appeared
In The Richmond virginian, showed
conciusiveiy that Virginia has good
roads and the road to Richmond via
the Valley Pike and Staunton Is as
good as the best In the country. 1t
also establishes the fact that the A.
A. A. Il IN ardent supporter OF the
capital-to-capital project, the road to
which Mr.. Leonard Tufts has given
30 much time. attention and money.
As for the inference drawn In the
article in The VirUinian that the A. A.
A. had ignored Richmond and IL op.
posed to the eapital-to-capitai high
way. the suggestion might have come
from some source not fsvorabiy dis
posed to the A. A. A. and Its touring
bureau"