La Junta tribune., 1911-01-21

very interesting article en-
- titled From Coast to Coast
by Automobile" in which he relates
his experiences and epitomizes the
result OF his observations on trip
from New York to Los Angeles In
the interest of a national automobile
highway. Mr.. Westgard passed
through this city last November. and
incidentally gives the best town on
the map little free advertising in
Golfers Weekly. a big manufacture
ing firm recently paid Golfers s.. 200
for page advertisement in that
great family journal SO that II is ev-
ident that even brief mention Is
worth considerable real money. Mr..
Westgard left New York on october
IL. 1910, and arrived at Los Angeles
Novem. er 2yth, an elapsed time OF
forty-nine days. which. deducting eight
days for rest at various points leaves
forty-one running days for a distance
of i.2o3.5 miles. or 1925 miles day.
Mr.. Westeard makes interesting OBJ
seryations OF the condition OF the
roads all the way from New York to
Los Angeles. from the familiar scenic
hills and wales OF the east TO the
miles and miles OF improved high
ways through Ohio. Illinois and Iowa.
OF the River TO River" road In Iowa
and the New Santa Fe Trail in the
Arkansas Valley he writes as follows:
The real interest OF the tour how
ever. only began at Davenport. From
this town 10 Omaha we passed
through Grinnell and Des Moines. ira
versing the entire breadth Of the
state Of Iowa os11 What y kaOwa a.
the River-to-River Road. This road
10 monument to the enterprise Of
the people living contiguous to II.
They organized = road association.
each farmer provided himself with \
log drag. and on = certain day the
entire length Of $50 miles WAS grad
cd and smoothed. This operation
vas repeated three or four times after
rain. and the result Was Z splendid
smooth road across the state. To com.
plete the work the organization de-
vised the clever scheme Of sign.po
Ing the entire stretch BY painting
white bands. eighteen inches wide. six
feet from the ground. on two tele.
phone poles before turn Of the road.
one At the turn. and two beyond
This Identifies the route thoroughly
and makes Il easy to follow even At
night. and the sisn.posting vas all
done during one forenoon Of 4 certain
day. Notwithstanding that such pre-.
caution vas unnecessary. they fur.
nished me With pilots In relays from
town 70 town over the entire stretch
In order o show the local interest In
my transcontlnentai trip. The road
traverses splendid agricultural terri.
tory. level In the eastern part Of the
state. rolling In the central part and
distinctly hilly In the western portion.
From Omaha We went south TO
Kansas City. We found the roads In
Nebraska splendidly graded and
smooth. They trAvcrScd u section In
which large farms abounded and en-.
tcrprise and prosperity were evident
everywhere. On entering Kansas We
soon discovered u distinct change In
the road conditions. and can only
any that the route through Lcsvcn.
worth WAS poor and disappointing
though happily the distance was
short.
From Kansas City we Travelled
under tho protection Of the New
Santa ~ Trail Association. formed TO
Improve . road from Kansas City To
Trinidad. Colo. This road 10 marked
II intervals with granite monuments
appropriately Inscribed. and follows In
the main the line Of the Santa fe
railroad. - closely 10 the old Santa
rs smissant traii ~ the secsioa lines
viii permit. This orxanisation fur.
nishsd W with pilots In relays for
the snure distance Of TOO miles. and
though. owiax 70 . much more sparse.