The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-04-06
THE WAUBONSIF TRAIL
A Bio Crowd in Attendance when
First SIGN Post on the WaubOn-
sic Auto Trail is Raised.

sic Auto Trail is Raised.
'The first fruits of the great Wau-
bonsie Trail Association, a move that
is attracting national attention and
has caused the projection of more
similar good roads movements than
any other project in the last decade,
were witnessed by a large and en-
thusiastic crowd of boosters at the
beautiful country home Of Henry
Ross yesterday afternoon. 1t was
the great movement in the history of
the Waubonsie trail, when the re-
suit of the weeks of toll took on a
material aspect. 1t is the beginning.
How much good will come from
the raising of this one guide post,
will depend upon the people of today.
1t takes more than the raising of sign
boards to make good roads, and we
believe that the men back of this
movement. are the kind that will con-
tinue it on and on until this great
highway shall reach further than the
most optomistic Of us ever dreamed.
Between two and three hundred
people gathered at the scene of this
raising, and they were the kind of
boosters that makes things go. The
weather was anything but cheerful
on this afternoon, yet so enthusiastic
was this loyal band, they seemed to
radiate cheerfulness that brighter
day could not have surpassed.
Mrs. Henry Ross was the lady
chosen to turn the first spade of
earth on this auspicious occasion, and
amid the cheers of the crowd and the
click of the cameras, she struck the
spade deep into the earth, starting
one of the greatest projects that has
ever been attempted in this state
'Following these exercises, a num-
Der of speeches were made by the
founders of this movement and the
old settlers OF the country. C F..
Mitchell, one of the three originators
of the trail, was called upon, and in
few we'll chosen words told of the
roads in the early days of this coun-
try. He impressed upon everyone
present the necessity of work to keep
life in the movement. He is a zeal-
Gus worker in the interest of good
roads. w. l. Mccullough, one of the
Oldest residents in this part of the
country, was the next speaker and
told many amusing incidents of the
roads in the early days.. They were
indeed trails in the truest sense of
the word in those days.
Henry Field, of Shenandoah, who
has perhaps rode over more miles of
all kinds OF roads in his day than any
one present, spoke, with much earn
eStness- OF 'the.rroad drag. He i'm
pressed, upon the farmers present the
necessity Of continually using this
implement, showing that without it's
use, it is impossible to maintain good
roads. His was an earnest, forceful
talk, that took hold of his hearers
in manner that will bring results.
president Reininger was the next
speaker and talked upon the enthusi-
asm that had been created all along
the line as far as the trail reaches.
Mr.. Reininger has been one of the
hardest workers of the cause since it
has been organized and deserves
much credit for the high state to
which he has brought the organiza-
tion.
After the last address the automo-
biles, to the number of 25 were
grouped around the house of Mr.. Ross
and several pictures were taken of
the assembled crowd DR.. Vincent
was then called upon to tell some
thing of the old Chief Waubonsie, for
whom the trail was named. He told
of how old Waubonsie died.. and was
buried according to Indian custom in
the top of a great oak tree, north of
TABOR. How, as the country filled I'D
with settlers, the curiosity seekers
began to destroy the last resting
place of the last chief of the Potta-
wattamies. Some took splinter
from the box that held his remains,
some a piece of the blanket in which
ne was wrapped, others a bead orna-
ment from the clothes, until finally
there was nothing left of the once
great chief. 1t was a pleasing ad-
dress and was listened to with much
interest by all present. Following
this address the crowd dispersed,
some going to their homes and others
to Sidney, where banquet was given
IN the evening by the Commercial
Club of that city, Shenandoah Sen