Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-05
A North and South Road.

Editor Courier: ..''
We now have about seven highways
across the state. II that many can oe
built in one direction, 1t seems ina!
at least one could be built north and
south. Like railways and the general
trend of emigration, the auto routes
of the United States have taken
western course A great migration
southwark is now taking place and
will continue to grow. We are begin
ming to need routes to the south.
There is one road across Iowa from
st. Paul to Kansas City. We could use
at least one more. There is road
commencing at Moberly and runs
north through Macon, LaPlata ana
Kirksville. 1t is supposed to extend
from there to Lancaster and tnehce
across to Bloomfield, according to
certain map published by an automo-
bile association, but In reality IL ooes
not seem to do this. Now II this W
tumwa- Bloomfield road can be mace
a success it will be very easy mat
ter to extend it south near Savannah
and Lancaster and by going through
| Queen City that North Missouri ROAD
can be reached with little trouble from
| Ottumwa and In an almost direct Lne.
The road from Moberly can be ex-
tended to jefferson City and by unit
ing with the Des Moines Valley road
at Ottumwa it would make good line
between the two state capitals, give
people a good connection with Kansas
CITY and st. Louis, connect the Wau'
bonsie trail, Blue Grass road, and the
River to River road, make 1t possible
for MS to reach our capital city and by
connecting the northwest with st.
Louis it will then be possible to build
southeastern route from st. Louis.
! It ought not to be difficult thing
to extend this road from Bloomfield
to Kirksville, Mo. If the towns OF
Savannah. Queen City, Lancaster ana
Kirksville will take this matter IN
hand it ought not to be difficult
4 problem To connect "1owas Pitts
burgh" with north Missouri. The peo.
ple of Iowa should extend their ROAD
to the state line and show MIS-.
souri, that they will do their part OF
the thing. The people of Ottumwa and
Wapello county are anxious that the
Ottumwa- Bloomfield road be tlnlshed.
| There is some disagreement as 10
which of two roads, leaving Bloom
| field from the north, shall be offlclally
known as the real highway between
the two towns. The west road Leading
through Belknap is little longer than
the lower road, but has several ad-
vantages. 1t Is already better route
and can be made into an excellent
road with very little work. 1t passes
by the only railroad crossing In the
county. Some automobile drivers are
in the habit of forgetting their gaso-
line They sell it at Belknap. MOST
people going to Des Moines, take this
west road which seems to prove that
It ia the better of the two. The lower
road Is a wider road, is shorter way
and has some very enterprising farm
ers and good road workers along its
route, but the west road has more al.
vantages. Both these roads are flrst
class country roads. If one cannot be
agreed upon. let's have two part OF
the way and unite north OF Belknap
or near the Wapello line. would sug-
gest that the people Of Bloomfield and
Cleveland township meet at Belknap
with tho people OF Soap Creek town
ship about the middle OF this month
and arrive at something definite.
r. D. Bell.
Belknap, Iowa.