Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-11-05

the state have had considerable To
encourage them in the work Of roa1
buiIdlng, especially along the route
Of the proposed great national high
way from Wlnnepeg to the GuIf,
known as the Meridian road. Ths
great highway is mapped TO run
through oklahoma by two dIvergin5
routes, one by way Of the old Chs
holm TRAIN branching OFF from the
Meridian road at Wellington, Kas,
and passing through Enid, Kingfish-
er. El Reno. Chickasha. Duncan ana
Wourcla, and switching into the
main line at Fort Worth, Texas. rho
other the Meridian road prope",
running through Perry Guthrie,
Norman. oklahoma CITY Pauls Val
ley and Ardmore, on 70 Fort Worth.
Along the Chisholm train route
much of the road has been built, CT
a foundation made for the great
highway Several Of the cities and
counties through which this highway
runs have put out work through vol
untCcr labor much of the road n
Grant Garfield, Kingfisher, Cana
dian and Grady having been graded
through voluntary turning out OF the
farmers and townsmen along tho
route and giving their work, the
counties putting in the bridges and
culverts preceding or as the work
progressed.
The writer was In Enid and Chick
asha when this work was being dona
and it was a p leasure TO witness tho
general interest manifested by all
persons as the work progressed For
days all lines of business was sus-
pended and the road for miles was
dotted with traction engines cams
drawing plows. shovels, graders, and
gangs of laborers. the latter com
posed OF bankers. merchants. profeS-
sional men, artisons. ministers ana
laymen At the noon hour the good
women OF the community appeared In
great numbers at given points vita
basket dinner spreads. The novelty
anu uullututSs VI NHt Aul NV
only secured good. effective WORK
but the pleasantries and enjoyment
that went with it made all forg0
that Ii was labor and feel that 1t was
a grand. gala day. OF course tn,
work performed, filling in at points
where needed and oveling the face
OF the road, was but the preliminary
or basis for greater work. and yet
the road worked on can be perpet-
uatcd AS "A good road without macl-
dam II systematic course of work
is put upon 1t after heavy rainfalls.
The hope of the state Highway De-
partmcnt as | understand II Is in
securing aid from the government
for macadlmiging such lines Of road
those to be known as natioAa
highways. And just here | might
with propricty OFFER the Information
that the good roads advocates Of Ok
lahoma. and that numbers most all
the electors, were sorely disappoint-
ed at the manner In which congress
rejected the proposition to appro-
priato liberal sum for promoting
and building good roads in the vari-
Gus states OF the union.
Our people feel that when millions
of dollars are appropriated toi
dreadnaughts and millions more are
given FOR maintaining them. and bat
"a paltry sum Is given to the good
roads work that which would fur
nish immediate benefit to every citi.
zen m the land as we'll as do moss
toward building mp the nations re-
sources than would a like cNpendl-
ture along any other line. then u ~
that our reading. thinking peorlo
feel that the time has come when
more attention should bc given TO
local and self interest and less 20
politics. and ! predict that We Will
not have to wait many years foi
every party platform county. state
and natlon--to have cngrafted I'm II
as one OF the important party pied.
ges TO the people that liberal APP
preparation shall be made by state
and nation for the proomtion and
building of highways under supervis-
ion and instruction OF competent en-
gineers employed by state and na-
ton for that especial work. When