The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-11
AUTO HIGHWAY
PLAN OF ASTOR
Multimillionaire Hopes to
Help Build Road Across
Country.
WOULD SAVE MILLIONS
OF AMERICAN MONEY
Says Reason Men of Wealth
Are Attracted TO France Is
Because of Good Roads.
BY Leased Wire to The Tribune.

BY Leased wire 10 lus lilpNile'
LONDON, June 1o.-A great auto,
mobile highway across the United
States from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and another from the lakes to the
gulf That IS the dream of Colonel
John Jacob Astor, the noted American
multi-millonaire which he hopes TO
turn into a reality before many years,
In fact, he is even now at work on
a scheme for the coast-tp-coast road
and upon his return to the Unitod
States expects to have his plans suf-
ficiently advanced 10 take the initial
steps toward securing the cooperation
of wealthy automobile owners. municl-
pal, state and national governments
FOR the building of the roads broad
While The route, of course, has not
been even tentatively laid out, Colo
mel Astor's idea is TO have the road
start from New York and. tapping the
principal cities, 90 through TO some
point on the coast and TO build
similar road along the coast from Los
Angeles to Sea title.
The road is to be primarily for the
use Of automobiles and is to be divid"
ed so as to permit not only lelsurely
touring but setting aside a portion OF
the road for that purpose will permit
travelling at express train speed be-
tween the larger cities.
Would Save Millions of Dollars.
In discussing the plan Colonel Astor
said: 'Perfectly built roads between
the Atlantic and the Pacific and be.
tween the Lakes and the Gulf would
mean millions OF dollars saved to the
United States which are now spent IN
Europe It would be difficult to tell
JUS; how many millions of American
money are drawn 70 France alone by
her splendid automobile roads. The
automobile has become a necessity to
the man OF wealth. and If he is able TO
go where he can get the most enjoy
ment with his machine he comes to
Europe, and more especially TO France,
No country in the world has more beau
tIful scenery than the United States
or more 10 attract Il man of leisure, but
the roads prevent the enjoyment of
The attractions by the automobiles.
If the roads intersecting the country
were built, their tremendous influence
In developing the sections they ira
verse, in attracting tourists with
money and in bringing in new capital
ior the development of their resources
would result in a comparatively short
time in the extension of the good roads
system until every section of the coun'
try were covered This work must be
inaugurated by wealthy Americans who
love theiI country and take pleasure
in automobiIing. | shall contribute lib
orally 10 the movement, and there are
many others who will Join.
Easy to Raiss Cash.
"When Americans make up their
minds that thing is worth having,
they sre not backward about furnish
ing the cash Witness when San Fran
cisco raised several millions for her
exposition.
III am not ready to talk definite
plans. but in broad way my idea
would be to divide the country into
sections having strong men who are
willing TO spend their own money as
IN earnest OF their interest in charge
of each section. | have no doubt that
city and state aid would be forth
coming when the matter was properly
presented and at the right time | be
lievc the interest and aid of the ma
tiunal government could be secured,
With the work being pushed with vigor
in all these sections it would not take
long 20 cause the linking the various
sections Of the country by splendid
roads which would have almost if not
quite as far reaching effects on the
national progress Of the United States
as the building of the first trunk line
railroad -