The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-03-09
A new TRAIL FOR LION
Interstate Trail Running from Des
Moines to Kansas City and st.
Joe Comes Through Leon.

The enthusiasm aroused over the
locating of the Waubonsie Trail
which we have no doubt will pass
through Leon, has resulted in anoth-
er direct trail association being or
ganized which will locate a trail run
ming from Des Moines to Kansas
City and St. Joe. The matter was
taken up at almost the same time by
boosters in Leon and Lamont, but
while Leon was quietly making their
arrangements Lamont proceeded to
organize, and the Leon boosters have
agreed to allow their preliminary
organization, which was made at La
moni last Wednesday, to stand and
with representatives from Harrison
county, Missouri, will perfect the
organization of the trail through the
other counties.
At the preliminary meeting held
at Lamont, the name of the trail was
officially adopted, "The Des Moines,
Kansas City and St. Joe Interstate
Trail Association" w. A. Hopkins
was named as president, J. c. Dan
ielson vice president, Daniel Ander-
son secretary, and G. w. Blair treas
urer, all of Lamont, and these Off
GERS will hold until the annual elec-
tion which will be provided for in
the adoption of the constitution. The
headquarters of the association will
be located at Lamont, and the object
is to promote and maintain an i'm
proved highway from Des Moines
north Indefinitely, and south from
Mo;, vie In6ion01o 0CPon1Q
Leon, Davis City, Lamont, Eagleville
and Bethany. At Bethany there will
be junction trail, one running south
to Pattonsburg, Cameron and Kan
sas City, and the other west to AL
bany, King City and st. Joe. The
routes proposed will give the shortest
possible mileage between Des Moines
Kansas City and st. Joe, and it will
be sure to become popular route
very quickly not only for autoists
but for all travel across the country,
and it affords direct route from Ft.
Leavenworth, Kas., to Ft. Des
Moines, Iowa, which would undoubt-
edly be of advantage in moving gov
ernment troops.
w w. A. Hopkins and J. c.. Daniel-
son, of Lamont, were in Leon Monday
meeting with the committee from
the Leon Commercial Club, and at
their conference it was decided that
the officers shonld remain-as chosen,
that In. the adoption of the constitu-
ton of the association the five trus-
tees selected from Decatur county,
and the five trustees from Harrison
county, Missouri, with the president
of the association shall constitute
the executive committee. AS each
Of the counties north and south are
organized and admitted as members
of the association their five trustees
shall elect a chairman who shall be-
come a member of the executive
committee until five additional coun-
ties have been admitted, after which
each county shall elect a chairman
and the executive board shall be re-
organized and consist of the presi-
dent of the association and the chair
man from each county, this being
done so as to reduce the number of
the executive committee down to an
active working. number and not be
too cumbersome.
The proposed plan provides for the
locating of the route, the erection OF
large guide posts and sign boards at
corners and other places along the
trail, and a competent engineer will
be secured to 60 over the route and
prepare a map, establish grades and
suggest improvements for the road.
The publication of souvenir
folder will also be authorized, which
will contain q map of the trail, list
Of the cities and towns through
which it passes, distances between
towns, and other facts Of interest, as
we'll as the names of all farmers on
the route who become members of
the association, and the location of
their farms. This folder will be sim
liar to those issued by railroads and
will be placed In. hotels of the termi-
nal cities and towns on the route.
Commercial Clubs will be given an
opportunity to advertise in the fold
er, setting out the advantages of
their towns and communities, and
showing views of interest to the tour
ist and for the benefit of the city or
town.
An organized effort will be made
to have the entire route put in the
best possible condition, and to in
duce the various counties to build
permanent cement culverts and
bridges. Farmers will be expected
to keep their part of the roads drag
ged and worked in good condition,
and each town will be responsible
for the road half way to the next
town on the route. All work to be
done under the direction of the local
trustees of each county and the exec
utive board.
The towns and farmers along the
trail will be greatly benefited and
wherever the matter has been taken
eup the farmers have. evinced their
hearty approval and promised their
cooperation and support.
Already the work of organizing
two counties, Decatur county, Iowa,
and Harrison county, Missouri, has
been completed, the trustees for De-
catur county being Jas. F. Harvey
and Jas. w. Hurst of Leon P. E.