Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-05-12
Good Roads Movement Spreading

taxing larger and larger proper
tons. The idea is old, dating
back to the earlier years of the
government, but a great impetus
has been given to it by the adj
vent of the automobile in recent
years. This vehicle now repre-
sents millions, both in private
ownership and manufacturing
plants, and it is one which to be
of any value must have good
roads. The forced interest of
the wealthy men of the county
will thus necessarily bring good
results and these will benefit not
only those who own automobiles,
but the farmers, who have to
haul their products to market.
In Missouri a beginning has
been made by the Arcadia Coun-
try Club by starting the building
of a hundred-mile automobile
boulevard reaching from St. Louis
to the club house in Arcadia VAL
ley and the running through
some of the most beautiful and
picturesque country in Missouri,
passing number of historic
spots. Plans have been made
also for a road from St. Louis to
Springfield, Mo-, and one from
St. Louis to Kansas City. The
latter road was much talked of a
year or so ago, when it was be-
ing furthered by John H. Curran,
former immigration commission
er of Missouri, and men associat-
ed with him. The original plans
for this road have been abandon
ed. owing to the failure of the
Missouri legislature to provide
an appropriation for the depart
ment. But it is still proposed to
build road by private capital,
Mr.. Curran, Curtis Hill, state
highway engineer, Gov. Hadley
and others are taking an interest
in this matter. The idea now is
to build a zigzag road, interest
ing towns on the way and utiliz-
ing sections of road already built.
Mr.. Curran says a route can be
found by which only about one
third of new road will have to be
made.
In Arkansas a bill has been in
troduced in the legislature pro-
viding for a state highway from
Little Rock to Pine Bluff. A
Little Rock paper, commencing
this measure, says that it is real
ly the beginning of a good roads
movement that means something.
Extending from Little Rock to
Pine Bluff, the road will be con-
nected by many shorter roads
that will bring into touch all that
section of the country lying be-
tween the two cities for radius
of thirty miles on every side.
In Texas it is stated that prog
ress is being made by the Gulf
Coast Good Roads association. A
meeting was held recently at
Beaumont, which was attended
by many representatives and
good reports were made. Sever
al counties are preparing to vote
bonds for road building in the
Texas Coast country, and in
these counties the association is
doing work of an educational
character calculated to induce
the fullest cooperation in fnanc-
ing and building good roads.
A concerted effort is being
made throughout the northwest
for the construction of a series
of highways, which will link to-
gether the various farming dis
trlcts of that section of the coun-
try. In Idaho large appropria-
tons have been made for the
building of new and the extern
sion of old roads. A beginning
has also been made in Oregon.
In the state of Washington
81, 500, 900 is to be spent in high
way construction, the expendi-
ture, however, being spread over
a period of two years. The state
is to have two main crossroads
the one leading east to west from
the borders of Idaho to the Pa